Stress is the enemy of harmony. Living a harmonious, peaceful, low-stress life in our hectic, fast-paced society is becoming harder. Stress is such a common health problem that the World Health Organization (WHO) calls it a worldwide epidemic.
A Gallup poll of Americans showed that 54% reported being frequently stressed out because they didn't have enough time to do what they needed. In Japan, 60% of respondents said daily stress was common—annual health care costs due to workplace stress top 20 billion euros in the UK.
Increasing job demands can break down healthy boundaries between work and home life. An ever-growing hustle culture influences mental and emotional challenges that can lead to dangerously high levels of stress and the severe health problems stress causes.
If stress is high and peace of mind is an uncommon experience, use the following tips to enjoy more harmony in your life.
Practice Self-Reflection
To move to a different experience, you must clearly understand your current reality. Write what a "dream day" would look like for you, expressing it in great detail. Then, do the same thing with a typical day when you are stressed out and anxious.
This self-reflection reveals the disconnect between your current life and how you want to live. Develop an action plan for taking small steps away from the people, places, and things keeping you from moving toward a harmonious and peaceful reality.
Identify the Hectic Patterns of Your Day
Human beings are creatures of habit. You probably have several routines you follow every day. We unconsciously repeat the same behavior patterns, even if they don't produce the best outcomes. Identify the patterns in your life that are creating unhealthy imbalances.
How can you adopt different behaviors that lead to more harmony and fewer disruptions? Are there people or situations that routinely foster negative experiences? Identifying patterns that regularly produce negative emotions is the first step to removing those harmful patterns from your life.
Prioritize Physical and Mental Well-Being
Did you know your diet is responsible for as much as 65% to 75% of your overall mental and physical well-being? It is essential to eat nutritious foods and drink health-boosting beverages. Take breaks during the day. Get plenty of sleep at night. Exercise and hydrate regularly.
Challenge your mind with crossword and sudoku puzzles. Boost your brainpower with apps like Lumosity, CogniFit Brain Fitness, and Personal Zen. Remove mental stressors from your daily experience. Make your mental and physical well-being a priority, and you'll enjoy greater harmony and peace of mind.
Stress leads to poor production, which is a byproduct of poor productivity. This terrible cycle feeds on itself, and the payoff is negative emotions and poor health. Use the tips we just shared to trade stress for peacefulness and calm. You will experience a more harmonious life of happiness and fulfillment.
