Have you ever reached the end of a long day and felt completely drained, yet somehow like you didn’t actually get anything done?
Before You Reach Burnout
People tend to believe that only long breaks can solve their major problems. For this reason, when expectations from school, work, and personal objectives become overwhelming, we convince ourselves to keep pushing until our next major vacation. But burnout doesn’t wait for the holidays, it can come when you least expect it. Instead of holding out for a major milestone to feel better, we can start building resilience in the gaps, using small, creative anchors to keep us steady every day.
An effective method to combat the overload in our lives is to start small and focus on bite-sized actions. Simple activities such as reading, walking outdoors, and talking to others, even when done for short periods of time can act as essential resets for our bodies. Scheduling these small acts between the tasks on our to-do list can take us out of running on autopilot, making our daily routines feel less robotic. And when done daily, these small activities grant us the ability to better manage the stress in our lives. This proves that even when we can’t change our situation entirely, we can change our perspective, one small moment at a time.
3 Micro-Habits for Daily Stress Relief
1. Spontaneous Connection
In today’s fast paced world, we often forget the power of a simple and spontaneous connection. Send a family member or friend a quick message to share a funny incident, ask how they’re doing, or schedule a time to chat and catch up. This small action can shift your focus from the demands of your day-to-day life to your loved ones and people that strengthen your sense of community. This is a great way to remind ourselves that we all are part of something larger than our current stress.
2. The Play Break
As children, we often partake in creative tasks, such as doodling or colouring, however, once we get older, we are compelled to turn away from creativity towards the responsibilities of adulthood that are expected of us. But, creativity is not just for children, in fact, it can act as a coping tool or de-stress strategy for the busy everyday adult. Carve out just ten minutes in your day and spend it doodling, humming a song, or journaling your thoughts onto a page, all without expectation of a result. By allowing your brain to play, like you once used to, you can break the cycle of rigid, task-oriented thinking, and clear a path for fresh perspectives.
3. A Five Minute Self Check-In
Practicing self-compassion does not need to be long or difficult. Take 5 minutes out of your day to close your eyes, step away from screens, and focus solely on your breathing or a single positive thought. Use this time to acknowledge all the hard work you have done throughout the day instead of worrying about your remaining to-do list. Remember, that treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer to a friend is the foundation for lower anxiety and a calmer perspective on life.
Remember
Enjoying small moments of both rest and joy is an important step in building resilience without the reliance on a major vacation that may or may not come. By refreshing your mind and body with short but monumental achievements, you reclaim control over productivity, motivation, willingness, one step at a time. Keep pushing, but remember to breathe.
Co-Written By: Ayona Jaswal, Navya Gupta & Varinder Paul
Sources:
Albulescu, P., & Curtuşan, A. (2022). The impact of micro-breaks on tensed tasks: A systematic review. Psychology of Life and Health.
McGonigal, K. (2015). The upside of stress: Why stress is good for you, and how to get good at it. Avery.
Pang, A. S. (2016). Rest: Why you get more done when you work less. Basic Books.
Collaborator Spotlight
This blog is a collaboration between YouthSpeak Charity and The Kindness and Smile Zone in hopes to encourage children and youth who are going through tough times, that even small acts can have a big impact on your wellbeing.
The Kindness and Smile Zone is a youth-led global organization founded by Ayona Jaswal to spread joy and positivity to kids that are in a hospital setting through free activity packs, cards, educational resources, webinars, events and more. The Kindness and Smile Zonehas various services and events for youth and families to engage with. To learn more, buy your own merch, or access our resources visit: https://linktr.ee/thekindnessandsmilezone
YouthSpeak is a charity organization dedicated to increasing the resiliency of youth facing bullying, mental health challenges and intersecting issues through interactive workshops led by trained youth leaders who share their lived experience to inspire hope amongst their peers. Visit: https://youthspeak.ca/ to learn more about our for-youth-by-youth initiatives.
