Imagine you’ve had a challenging day at work, and then you return home to find: The dishes are piled up in the sink – A pile of unexpected bills in the mailbox – And a bathroom faucet that’s leaking… Again! To find your peace of mind, how would you cope? Grin and bear it?... Head to the nearest bar?... Before you answer, you need to know this: Not all stress management techniques are created equal. Sure, many common stress hacks do provide some fleeting relief, but when used frequently… Nearly all the most common coping mechanisms are harmful. And not just to your long term well-being – They can also be damaging to your relationships, your finances, and even your career. According to health experts, here are 5 of the worst ways to cope with stress: 1. Comfort eating Reaching for your favorite comfort food when you’re stressed can quickly result in guilt and shame… Not to mention low energy, poor concentration, weight gain and obesity-related illnesses. 2. Increased screen time Streaming tv, phone apps, etc – have become the modern world’s version of the cigarette. While this may seem like a “healthier” temporary break from stress, numerous studies show that our tech actually amplifies stress (especially emotional stress). 3. Sleeping too much There’s a big difference between taking some “me” time to rest, and hiding under the covers to escape reality. In fact, this type of withdrawal can actually feed depression and cut you off from the support you need to get through stressful times. 4. Indulging in vices It’s no surprise that drinking, smoking, etc are both dangerous and habit forming… To make matters worse, consistent use can also lead to risky behaviors and feeling even more overwhelmed and out of control. 5. Ignoring stress Pretending the stress in your life doesn't exist won’t fix anything… Instead, it’ll encourage the stress to become a permanent fixture. In fact, ignoring stress is one of the fastest paths to overwhelm and burnout. The best thing you can do is to first acknowledge that you’re stressed, and then create a plan of attack to manage it. How to Control Stress Before it Controls You These days, there’s no way to escape stress, and unfortunately, if left unchecked it can have a serious impact on your immune, digestive, and cardiovascular system… Plus, it can do a number on your cognitive and mental health. Helpful things like exercise, mindfulness, and deep breathing are all great ways to keep anxiety at bay… But wouldn’t it be nice if you just had an off switch? Some sort of daily reboot and reset so that you can easily find a calm, clear, and positive way to handle whatever life throws at you? Me too, that’s why I’m thrilled about the release of Just Calm, the brand new mood support formula from Joot (a Just Thrive brand). Just Calm represents a revolutionary new approach to counterbalancing stress. Its power comes from the proprietary, heavily researched “psychobiotic” BL 1714™. |