As back to school and work time is approaching, I’ve been hearing from clients of all ages from kids to adults that they are feeling stressed and wanting help with managing procrastinating. Everything from wanting to start homework and projects earlier to having more energy for hobbies like reading and cooking are among the wish list for change. As I listen to the symptoms described to me, I often hear feeling unable to start a task or activity, tiredness, lack of sleep. little enjoyment or interest in the task or activity and having trouble concentrating or remembering information. The more I hear these symptoms the more I’ve been explaining the impact of chronic stress impacts our brains.
Before beating yourself up for what you believe is procrastinating, consider this. We have all been living in some state of chronic stress with the Covid pandemic. While that stress is experienced differently and the intensity of it is different for each person, no one has escaped experiencing the stress of living through the pandemic. When our brains experience chronic stress, we may lose capacity to remember information, energy to complete anything beyond the necessary tasks of our day and restful sleep.
The good news is there are ways to help your brain and body feel less stress including (but not limited to):
1. Moving your body: this can be anything from a walk to more intense exercise. This releases happy chemicals in our brains called endorphins which help our brains and bodies to feel better.
2. Relaxing your body and mind: Using physical or mental relaxation exercises including deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation helps our body and mind to release stress and tension.
3. Getting enough sleep: As tempting as it is to continue binging that favourite Netflix show, prioritizing your sleep is necessary for the brain and body to manage and decrease stress.
4. Self-kindness: The more critical we are of ourselves the more exhausted we feel. Try being kind to yourself by asking what would I tell my best friend if they felt this way?
5. Connect with others: Stay connected to friends and family even if it’s a virtual connection. Connection is important for experiencing improved mental health and decreasing stress.
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