Behavior Hacks That Help Beat Stress

Excess stress and anxiety plague more than half of all adults, and about a third of all teens have some form of anxiety disorder. That's a lot of people whose lives are being impacted daily by stress.

It can be hard to prioritize your mental health, and although strategies like meditation and tai chi can definitely help, many people say they just can't find the time. If this sounds like you or someone you love, here are a couple of behavioral strategies that will lessen stress immediately.

Stop Procrastinating

It may seem counter-intuitive to say that doing more will lead to less stress, but the fact is that procrastinating on tasks you know need to be done actually creates intense levels of anxiety. It can also cause depression and even lead to heart disease. If you have ever found yourself with a laundry list of things to do because you've been putting them off and now they've all come due at the same time, you know how much stress and self-recrimination happens because of it.

Psychologically, you are always initially rewarded for procrastinating because you have avoided something you don't want to do and you feel an immediate sense of satisfaction and relief. Human beings are hard-wired to repeat behaviors they are rewarded for engaging in. You need to break that cycle.

Start setting up rewards for yourself for getting a job done. Allow yourself to delve into a great book for 30 minutes after you pick up the phone to get those insurance quotes you've been putting off. Rewards don't have to be huge or expensive, but they do need to be something that really motivates you.

Additionally, start using some cognitive behavior techniques on procrastinating. Take the time to record the unpleasant consequences of procrastination and the negative feelings about yourself. This way, the next time you are considering procrastinating, you can remind yourself of all the negative stuff that comes along with it.

Say No More Often

Like everyone these days, you are a busy person. You are probably juggling work, kids, school and a hundred other smaller responsibilities. And yet, you just agreed to take over coaching your son's soccer team, told your partner it was totally fine to invite friends over for your famous pot roast this weekend, took on extra work at your job and are seriously considering getting a puppy. You really need to learn to say no.

Saying no to others is very difficult for some folks. They may have been raised with a servant mentality or led to believe that denying someone else's requests is rude and selfish. For whatever reason, for these people saying no is incredibly hard. 

To start saying no, you need to realize that it's not about being selfish, it's about fulfilling the responsibilities you already have well. It's also about placing value on yourself and your time.

It can also help to practice saying no. Seriously. Research a few polite ways to say no and stand in front of your mirror and say them out loud. For true people pleasers, it can be incredibly difficult just to say the word. Practicing will help you follow through when the next request comes your way.

Next, identify your priorities. What is most important to you. Write them down and keep them where you can refer to them frequently. Promise yourself that you won't take on projects or commitments that do not serve the top 3 items on your list. The positive effects of saying no are cumulative. Not only will you have more time for what is important to you, you'll also find that you're performing at a much higher level on the commitments you've decided to keep.

Stress and anxiety need to be taken seriously and more intensive strategies could likely be of great help. But in the meantime, a few hacks of your own behavior can drastically reduce the amount of stress in your life.