As winter comes to a close, one thing everybody wants is to have a stress-free spring. Spring is a great time to start a new leaf or do something you enjoy. While work and personal obligations may get you down once in a while, there are some key activities you can do to keep your spirits up all throughout this season.
Why It’s a Great Time to Have a Stress-Free Spring
For a lot of people, winter is a gloomy time of the year. Although the winter season does bring some merriment since it encompasses a handful of holidays, it’s also associated with unforgiving and unrelenting temperatures. On top of that, the nights tend to be longer, so it’s hard to spend a lot of time outdoors.
As we move to the spring season, you can practically feel moods lifting and people smiling. With the sun finally out, everyone’s emerging from their winter-long, self-imposed house arrest. People can start exercising outside again and participate in outdoor activities without braving through the cold weather. It’s truly the perfect time to come out of your shell.
How to Relieve Stress in Spring
Almost everyone suffers from stress at some point in their lives. It comes with most things life throws at you — everything from your career to your family life and even world problems like climate change.
For many people, winter is the most stressful time of the year. Your schedule is packed because of the holidays, which often leads to burnout and stress. Given the way stress can impact your health both mentally and physically, though, it becomes a priority to alleviate it. With spring now here, it’s a great time to change your ways and leave most of that stress behind.
Here are the best stress relief strategies in spring.
1. Create a Checklist
One of the first things you should do is create a checklist. Although that sounds like more work, which can lead to more stress, a checklist can actually help you get organized. With proper organization, your mind isn’t cluttered with ideas and does not know what to do first. Come up with a list of things you want to accomplish this spring, even if the only thing on that list is lazing around all season long.
Now, don’t take this the wrong way. Just because you have a checklist doesn’t mean you must cross them all off before spring ends. The checklist merely serves as a guide or a reference. You’re in no way obligated to get them all done. Forcing yourself will only stress you out even more, which is counterproductive.
2. Soak in the Sun
A small thing you can do to achieve a stress-free spring is to soak in the sun. The sun will give you renewed energy and make you feel alive. It also boosts your vitamin D levels, which is only one of the benefits sunlight offers. Getting adequate sunlight each day can help you get better sleep, give you stronger bones, and support your immune system.
Winter barely gave us any sunlight. As spring rolls around, this is your chance to spend some time outdoors under the glow of the sun’s rays. Just make sure to put on enough sunscreen before you bask.
3. Get Some Exercise
Since you’re already out in the sun, you might as well get some exercise, too. Physical activity has been shown to have a plethora of health benefits, including but not limited to:
- Enhances your brain health
- Keeps you at a good weight
- Reduces the risk of disease, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers
- Helps you build stronger bones and muscles
- Improves some mental health conditions
Exercise is also an excellent way to socialize or meet new people. You can organize an activity with your friends or join a new hiking group. You can also head to the beach or local pool to enjoy the water.
4. Curate a Playlist
Music has been shown to reduce stress and elevate mood. There’s a reason why most people have different playlists for different situations. A list of upbeat tracks can quickly get you into a happy or energized mood. Listening to the right song can also get you psyched and prepare you for life’s challenges.
In line with this, you may want to use this time to create a playlist for a stress-free spring. Everyone deals with stress differently, so there’s no right or wrong answer when picking songs. Choose songs you know will help lift your spirits and get you in a good mood. If you’re too lazy to do that, you can always search for pre-made playlists on your music streaming platform.
5. Take Up a Hobby
Keeping yourself occupied with an activity you love is a good way to reduce stress this spring. If you already have a hobby in mind, pick up where you left off. Another option is to take up an entirely new hobby—perhaps something you’ve been wanting to try for a while now. Whether it’s playing video games, knitting, gardening, or dancing, you can’t go wrong with something you love to do.
6. Get It Off Your Chest
Sometimes, all you need to do to alleviate stress is to rant. There might be something that’s been bugging you all winter that you want to get off your chest. Don’t keep it all bottled up; that will only stress you out even more.
Instead, you can find a friend and tell them about your problems or post on an anonymous online forum to clear your head. If you have someone you want to direct the message to, you can write a letter or email, but don’t send it. Even just typing it out can help get rid of negative emotions.
7. Go Out With Friends
Socializing with friends is another great way to reduce stress. Catch up with people you love, laugh and make jokes, and share stories over a meal. These simple joys may seem insignificant, but they’re often enough to keep you in a stress-free mood for a while.
8. Start Living Healthy
Stress doesn’t only come from situational triggers. Sometimes, your lifestyle can contribute to a stressful environment. With winter over, now is the perfect time to work on your overall health. Eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, and get better sleep.
You don’t even have to make these changes all at once. Start by improving one aspect of your life and take it slow. You’d be surprised by the results.
9. Learn to Say No
They say “sorry” is the hardest word to utter, but many people struggle just as much with saying “no.” If you’re a chronic people-pleaser or just don’t like confrontation, there’s a good chance you fall into the latter category. However, if you want to cut back on stress, you must learn to set boundaries. In your quest not to hurt anyone’s feelings, you might hurt your own.
Have a Stress-Free Spring!
As we transition from winter to spring, it’s essential to prioritize your mental and physical well-being by embracing activities that promote stress relief. Evidently, there are numerous ways to alleviate stress in your daily life. By incorporating these simple strategies, you can embrace the new season with a clear mind and an open heart.
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