Stress Relief

By this time of year that January holiday in the sun is already starting to feel like a distant memory. The stress of the day-to-day — juggling family commitments, managing your career, volunteering — can start to take its toll. When you’re stressed or anxious, you’re not at your best. It’s easy to take that out on your co-workers, or the family, or let it affect the decisions you’re making at work. That’s understandable — but it’s not ideal, and it’s certainly not sustainable. Here are some top tips for beating everyday stress.

Get some exercise

Something as simple as going for a walk during your lunch break is a great way to clear the mind. Hey, you’re probably not even taking a lunch break — so start there: Promise yourself half an hour or 45 minutes away from the office. Go for a walk in a local park. The fresh air will do you good. Try not to look at your phone. Ideally, you’d find an hour for exercise every day. Go for a run, a cycle or a swim before work, or perhaps walk the dog. Join a gym.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness has become something of a Hollywood buzzword but if you’re a naturally anxious person — if you worry and ruminate — it’s a fantastic skill to learn. It’s all about training your mind to notice when you’re exhibiting anxious behaviour and giving you the skills to hit “reset” on your brain’s activity so you can deal with the problems in hand, rather than worrying about them. Celebrities from Angelina Jolie to Oprah Winfrey (who runs her own TV network) use mindfulness to help keep themselves centred — so you can, too.

Spread the load

Take a close look at your workload. Are you doing too much? Australian scientists recently found that working more than 39 hours a week has a deleterious affect on the body — eroding our mental and physical health. If you’re working too much, it’s time to clear the decks a bit. Don’t feel like you have to do everything yourself. What’s on your plate you can entrust to someone else?

Have a mini-break

Why not get away from it all for a bit? Get away from the city for the weekend, or take a few days off. Unwind a bit. Relax. Turn the phone off. Dive into some saltwater; get some sand between your toes. Enjoy a little well-earned luxury. Holidays — even mini-breaks — are a great way to lower your stress levels. So why not do it in total luxury? Find a gorgeous apartment with Indian Ocean views, or a beautiful house among the lush green Australian trees, and escape down south for a few days. You can even get properties with concierge services — meaning you don’t have to lift a finger. Private Properties has fantastic luxury homes just perfect if you need a bit of stress relief. They have 23-year’s experience providing executives and celebrities with effortless, luxury getaways — with seven-day support and concierge services, should you need it.