What can I do about my constant stress?

I have been observing the levels of stress in my clients and family members over recent months and have been alarmed at the rate at which their stress levels are increasing. I looked at some statistics online and in the UK, adults aged 25 - 44 experience more stress than any other age group, experiencing an average of 12.4 days of stress per month. Another survey found that 74% of all adults have felt overwhelmed and unable to cope due to stress in the last year.  The numbers are alarming.

I expect you've been there.  A super-busy day, and despite all your best efforts, by 6pm you're feeling drained and your brain is racing. What you are feeling isn't just fatigue.  It's the consequence of running your brain on high alert for too long. Amy Brann says that it isn't just about resilience, willpower or better time management.  It's about neurobiology and the true cost of a nervous system that never gets to reset. Stress isn't just an emotion, it's a neural shift that rewires how your brain operates under perceived pressure.  

What do you do when you feel stressed?  What are your coping mechanisms?  Let's be honest many people do not use healthy stress relief.  Rather they default to what feels good in the moment like doom scrolling, alcohol, smoking and other drugs to name but a few. These just amplify your stress levels as they lead to:

• Overwhelm and brain fog
• Burnout
• Weakened immune system
• Fatigue and potential conflict 

Here's what works which you can experiment with in your weekly routine:

• Deal with overwhelm by chunking down what you need to do into smaller 'task' chunks
• Visualise those tasks and see yourself having achieved them and feeling good about your success
• Move your body - even a brisk walk helps to clear cortisol and boost plasticity of the brain
• Get enough sleep
• Reframe your inner thoughts so you are focusing on what you can achieve not on what you can't 
• Breathe slowly for 2 minutes 

These are small changes that pack a big result!

NLP helps us to manage our state or how we feel moment to moment.  Learn more in our free download 'Introduction to NLP'.

Free Online Introduction to NLP

Have a great week.

Lindsey and the team at Team NLP.