Everyone experiences stress in their lives. Some stress is good for you and allows you to perform at optimal levels that you normally can’t fathom. However, too much stress can cause serious psychological and/or physical issues. And since you technically can’t get rid of stress, here are a few tips on how to maintain your stress at a sane level.

Take care of yourself. In order to be successful and continue to be successful, you have to practice self-care. Prioritize habits that promote getting enough sleep, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and regular exercise. After consecutive nights of only 5 hours or less of sleep, your brain starts to function as if you have a hangover, without the wild night of fun. Imaging going into an important sales or investor meeting that way. Terrible, right? Sleep deprivation amplifies your negative emotions. So get some sleep, it’ll also make you a happier person.

Unplug from the matrix with quiet time. Learn to periodically switch your technology all the way off. Constantly monitoring your digital interactions (because that’s what we do these days) can send your stress levels into overdrive sometimes. You need balance to help moderate stress. So hide your phone for an hour or two and read a book. Or put your phone on airplane mode and play your favorite game for ten minutes. Put your do not disturb/ away message on to your emails, so clients know you will be back in an hour or less.

Develop routines you can rely on. Every decision you make throughout the day weighs on you. The decision is as simple as what type of salad to have for lunch or as difficult as to whether you should take on a new client can cause stress. Pack your lunch or lay your clothes out the night before. High-stress levels have adverse effects on your memory, so set up as many routines throughout your day as possible. You’ll help save your memory and lighten the weight on your shoulders.

Inbox Zero + Unsubscribe. Mailbox maintenance can reduce a ton of stress. Every 4-6 months, I get my inbox to zero. How? I unsubscribe from approximately 15-20 unnecessary email lists that have an auto-subscription from a webinar or e-book. Unsubscribe from every email list you don’t care about. When emails get past your spam filter and into your mailbox, it automatically gets categorized as a “To-Do” item. So just hit unsubscribe.

Keep technology on silent or phone calls only. This is my personal favorite method of managing stress because it works. If every ding* alert makes a sound, you unconsciously think it’s important and that you need to answer immediately. You’ll never get anything done that way and the alerts will be in the back of your mind as a “To-Do” item. Schedule 10-15 minute phone check intervals throughout the day so you have time to make and/or return phone calls or texts.

Laugh. It’s the easiest stress reliever on earth. Make it a point to laugh at something once a day. Not only will it make you happier, but it will change your perspective. Laughing counteracts your cortisol levels and allows your brain to think about new things. So find funny people on Youtube or Instagram and release some stress. Easier said than done? Don’t think that way. Successful people maintain a positive outlook and try and reframe their negative thoughts. Work is a lot less stressful when your mind is clear and you don’t have thoughts in the back of your mind screaming at you. No one is perfect, so focus on your progress and integrating these tips until they become habits. Let me know if any work for you.

Remember,

Give your brand The Good Life!