50 Ways to Manage Stress and Reduce It

Stress is something that all of us experience in our lives. It also is a phenomenon that we would all like to reduce or eradicate altogether. There are more people who report experiencing chronic stress today than ever before. In fact, the American Psychological Association reported that 44% of Americans say that their stress levels have increased in the last 5 years. Fortunately, there are effective ways to manage and reduce stress.

What Exactly Is Stress?

Simply put, stress is excessive emotional or mental pressure that results from difficult or bad circumstances. When you feel stressed, your body produces cortisol and adrenaline hormones. Cortisol gives us a sudden burst of energy by releasing glucose into the bloodstream while shutting down certain functions in our bodies such as digestion. Adrenaline raises our blood pressure and heart rate while also producing extra needed energy. This is vital when we are in danger. It is what kept our ancestors alive and gave them the ability to use their fight or flight response for survival. In other words, experiencing some stress is not necessarily a bad thing.

Our bodies are able to regulate stress on their own. For example, after the danger has passed, the levels of stress hormones decrease and our blood pressure and heart rate return to normal. Too much stress, especially over an extended period of time, causes physical, psychological, and mental health problems. It can also lower the immune system. A small list of health problems directly associated with high stress includes stomach aches, headaches, hypertension, stroke, heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, and depression. It is estimated that up to 75% of all visits to the doctor are stressed-related. That is a startling number!

Like everyone else, I have experienced my share of stress. Fortunately, I have learned to manage my stress better and reduce it significantly. I have learned that most stress is self-inflicted. After all, how often do we come face-to-face with extreme danger and have to utilize our fight or flight response?

How to Deal with Stress and Reduce It Significantly

(I have personally used most of these methods myself. Choose the ones that work best for you):

1. Exercise

Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to combat stress. It encourages the release of endorphins which is a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good. It also leads to the release of serotonin, a built-in mood enhancer. That is why you feel so good after a good workout. Exercise also makes your heart stronger, lowers your resting heart rate, and reduces blood pressure (recall that stress has the opposite effect). It has played a major role in helping me reduce my own stress levels.

2. Be Present and Mindful

The majority of stress and anxiety is caused by worrying about the future. Think about it: most people who are stressed do not actually have a major problem in the current moment. It is the anticipation of some future event or circumstance that actually causes the stress. For example, you have a lot of work to do but it is not the actual work that is causing your stress, it is your concern about the future that is the stressor (my boss will be angry if I do not finish this work). Instead of worrying about some future event that may or may not occur, it is better to focus your mind on the present moment, get as much of the work completed, and do a good job. Try to stay in the present and be mindful. The present is where life happens and where you can exert the most control. Pay attention to your current surroundings and to what you are doing in the moment. Forget everything else for a while. If you find your mind wandering to the future, gently bring your focus back to the present. This is probably one of the most effective methods I use to stay calm when things get difficult.

3. Meditate

Meditation is a game-changer for people with stress. Once you learn to meditate and practice it daily, you will find it much easier to manage your stress levels. Meditation is training for the mind and teaches you how to be present. I meditate almost every day and, when I miss my morning practice, I feel like something is amiss. I highly recommend it.

4. Deep Breathing

Breathing deeply is another effective stress reliever. In fact, deep breathing has tremendous health advantages. When you breathe deeply, you stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system which produces the opposite effect of your fight or flight response. It calms you and reduces the release of stress hormones. The next time you are stressed, notice how you are breathing. Your breaths will be shallow and rapid. When you are calm, however, your breathing is deep and slow. Because of your mind-body connection, you can actually breathe deeply and slowly to calm your mind and reduce stress. It is powerful. And it is always accessible to you.

5. Proper Sleep

The more tired you are, the less able you will be to deal with stress. Try to get at least 8 hours of good sleep every night. When you are fatigued, you will find that you are more sensitive to difficult challenges, demands and setbacks. You also will not think as clearly.

6. Review Your Expectations

This took me a while to learn. I used to have some unrealistic expectations that only induced stress and unhappiness. Most of us have unrealistic expectations out of life so we end up being disappointed, pressured, and angry. For example, you could be on your way to work when you get stuck in bad rush-hour traffic, which causes you to stress out and worry about being late for work. Your unrealistic expectations (there should be no traffic when I am driving to work in the morning) give rise to frustration. Most cities today have congested roads during rush-hour. We know this and, yet, we expect our commute to be different. Wouldn’t it be better to leave earlier and appropriate more time to get to work instead of fretting over what we cannot control? Look at some of the triggers that stress you out and review your expectations for each one. Are they realistic? If not, change your expectations for your own sake and sanity.

7. Accept

Related to the point above, it is important that we accept what we cannot control in life. It’s raining on your birthday and you planned to go fishing? Accept it. Someone cut you off in traffic? Accept it. You got laid off from work and need to look for another job? Accept it. Someone said something that you do not like? Accept it. When you learn to accept things that you have no control over, it frees you from unnecessary stress and disappointment. This does not mean that you accept everything in life and lay down and play dead. It simply means that we should develop the wisdom to know when certain things are beyond our control and to accept them. It is for our own good.

8. Challenge Your Thoughts and Beliefs

Most people experience negative thoughts and I am no exception. What I have learned is that many of these thoughts are not based on reality. For example, you may have thought and believed any of the following: “I am not good enough”. “I am not attractive enough”. “I am a failure”. “I cannot do this”. “This is too difficult for me”. “I cannot lose this weight”. “Nobody likes me”. “I will never get promoted”. The list goes on. These negative thoughts and beliefs cause us heartache and stress. We do not want any of those statements to be true, yet we constantly think that way. The solution is to challenge your thoughts and beliefs. For example, are you really a failure? I bet that you are not. You have accomplished things in your life, you have developed skills, you have people that love you, you have talents that others do not have, and you have overcome difficult challenges successfully. When a thought or belief causes stress, make a point to challenge it objectively. You may be surprised how many unnecessary and false thoughts and beliefs you have.

9. Pay Attention to Your Body

One of the earliest signs of stress is the way your body feels. When we are stressed, our heart rate increases, our blood pressure spikes, our breathing becomes quicker and more shallow, we feel heaviness in our chest and an uncomfortable feeling in our stomachs, we may start to sweat, we might clench our jaws, etc. By paying attention to our bodies, we can notice our stress building and take steps to counteract it (deep breathing, removing the cause of the stress, distancing ourselves from the problem, going for a walk, etc). Here is the interesting part: because of the way our mind and bodies are connected, the stress in our minds affects our bodies and our bodies affect the mind. Simply relaxing our bodies and breathing deeply can reduce the stress in our heads.

10. Reduce or Get Rid of Triggers and Stressors

This may seem obvious, but it is surprising how many people neglect to remove or reduce the triggers that cause stress in their lives. There are some stressors that we cannot reduce or eliminate, but there are many more that we have control over. Some examples are reducing contact with negative or critical people, leaving home earlier to avoid traffic, making time for yourself first before you help others, learning to say no, being overweight and worried about your health, staying in an unhealthy relationship, etc. Pay attention to the times and situations when you are most stressed out and see if you can reduce or get rid of the root causes.

11. Pay Attention to Your Environment

The places we frequent and the people we associate with can greatly affect our stress levels. For example, if you do not like crowds, New York City would not be the most ideal place for you. Living in an area with a high crime rate causes stress. Having friends who are negative, critical, and problem-laden can influence how stressed you get. Living with a dysfunctional family can also affect you. Pay close attention to your environment and if you find out that a certain part is triggering your stress, do your best to change it.

12. Mind Your Friends

The company we choose to keep has a significant effect on how stressed we get. As a result of this, I have terminated some of my friendships and greatly reduced my contact with some people. It is important to take care of your own well-being before you can be of assistance to others. If your friends are unmotivated, lazy, have destructive habits, and always seem to have problems, then you might want to consider reducing or eliminating the influence they have on you.

13. Watch Your Media

There is a lot of negative media pervading our lives today. That is why I am careful about what I read, watch and listen to. Turn on the daily news on TV and you will hear about wars, murders, corruption, scandals, and other negative events. While I think that it is important to not be naive and to acknowledge negativity in this world, it does not mean that we need to immerse ourselves in it constantly. Negative media (TV, movies, radio, books, magazines, the internet, etc) can have a stressful impact on our lives and affect our psyche. I no longer watch the daily news and am careful about what I read, watch on TV, and browse on the internet. Find positive media options and you will see that it greatly affects your outlook in life.

14. Practice Gratitude

We get stressed by negative and demanding situations in our lives, and focusing on these situations only makes it worse. There are a lot of positive aspects to our lives that we often fail to acknowledge and focus on. That is where gratitude comes in. It forces us to identify the good. This is a powerful but often overlooked tool to combat stress. Learn to incorporate gratitude into your life here.

15. Find Healthy Hobbies and Activities

Another way to combat stress is to have have healthy and wholesome hobbies and activities that you enjoy. For example, I have taken up photography, hiking, and reading and they help me manage my stress levels by taking my mind off the negative. Find some healthy activities and hobbies that you love and engage in them often. They can be great stress-relievers. Spend Sundays with your family or on the beach. Schedule board games with your friends. Take up pottery making or painting. All these activities have a therapeutic effect and reduce stress.

16. Positive Visualization

When we are stressed, we are most likely worried or concerned about some future negative outcome. Visualization helps mitigate this by focusing on the positive. It can actually change our brains and the way we think. World-class athletes know the power of positive visualization and that is why so many practice it consistently. I personally practice this before I meditate in the mornings and it has had a significant effect. You can learn how to visualize positive outcomes here.

17. Make Time to Do Nothing and Relax

In today’s fast-paced world of constant doing, it is advantageous to periodically take a timeout, relax and do nothing. It does not have to be for long periods of time, but it is most effective when done frequently and regularly. It could simply entail sitting down and enjoying a cup of tea without any TV, emails, internet, or things to do. Take the time to simply be. This gives the mind and body time to recharge. Try to start by incorporating a few minutes to do nothing during your day.

18. Massage

Massages help relax your muscle and joints while helping you relax. It utilizes the mind-body connection to relieve stress, especially if done regularly.

19. Yoga

I used to think that yoga was overrated and, consequently, I avoided it for the longest time. However, after practicing yoga at my local gym, I can attest to its health benefits and its effectiveness in alleviating stress. It improves your flexibility, posture, breathing, and overall fitness. It also incorporates certain aspects of meditation. There is a reason why yoga has been around for thousands of years. If you want to reduce stress while also becoming more fit, yoga is one of your best options.

20. Music and the Sounds of Nature

Listening to music has a soothing effect on stress, especially if the music is of the relaxing sort. Nature sounds also have the same effect (birds chirping, water dripping, etc) . When most people are stressed, they neglect to listen to music or the sounds of nature because they are not in the mood. Instead, we should do the opposite and turn on our stereos when we feel stressed.

21. Laughter

Laughter is another remedy for stress. It has been shown to relieve pain, boost our immune systems, and improve our moods. Research has shown that laughing actually reduces the levels of our stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, using the mind-body connection. Laughter also increases oxygen intake, facilitates muscle relaxation, boosts endorphin release in the brain, improves immune systems, reduces pain, and improves our moods. There even is a form of yoga called laughter yoga that people swear by. So read a funny book, watch a comedy, joke with friends, and have a sense of humor. Try forcing a laugh and see how you feel. It works.

22. Focus on the Positive

This may seem intuitive, but many people who are stressed forget to focus on the positive to alleviate stress. The more we view the world and our lives (are our glasses half empty or half full?) in a positive manner, the less stressed we get. Always try to look on the bright side of things, even in challenging situations. Know that tough times are temporary and do not last. Optimism plays a big part in maintaining a positive mood. Because of our innate negativity bias, human beings tend to focus on the negative rather than the positive. Our lives have so many positive aspects if we make the effort to look for them. Practice gratitude (see point 14) regularly.

23. Stay Active

Being sedentary does not help stress but being active does. Get active and move. Kinetic (movement) strategies for reducing stress include exercise, dancing, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, washing your car, bathing the dog, jumping on a trampoline, or just about anything that requires movement. During the process of writing this long blog post, I will make it a point to get up periodically, do some pull-ups, water the plants in my garden, make some green tea, and go for a short walk. I always feel refreshed and more relaxed when I return to my desk.

24. Touch, Hug, Kiss, Make Love

Human beings were made to touch and experience affection. It reduces blood pressure, lowers the heart rate, relieves pain, and encourages the production of feel-good hormones while lowering the levels of stress hormones. Affection even affects the survival rates of babies, according to the Scientific American. This is why it is important to be affectionate and touch, hug, kiss, and make love. Even cuddling with your pet has a positive effect

25. Nutrition

What, how much, and how often we choose to eat has a direct affect on our stress levels. Eating breakfast in the morning, as well as eating smaller but more frequent meals, will keep our metabolism up and our blood sugar levels steady, helping us get through our day more calmly. Choosing foods high in certain nutrients will also help. B vitamins, for example, can help to give us more energy during times of stress. Magnesium helps to relax muscles and reduce anxiety, while vitamin C helps to regulate cortisol and reduces spikes in blood pressure during stressful situations. Fruits, nuts, leafy green vegetables and whole grains are excellent sources of all these stress fighting nutrients.

26. Stop or Reduce the Consumption of Alcohol

Alcohol functions as a depressant. It actually slows brain activity and the processes associated with our central nervous system. It can also affect the neurotransmitters in our brains which are necessary for mental health. Ironically, many people drink alcohol to deal with stress. While alcohol may numb us in the short term, it has harmful effects in the long run. The more we turn to alcohol to cope with stress, the less effective it becomes. Over time, this leads us to consume more alcohol to have the same desired effect. It becomes a vicious cycle that has long-term negative repercussions. We become dependent on it without realizing its harmful effects on our brains. This dependency on alcohol eventually damages our health and causes us even more stress.

27. Stop Smoking

Many smokers claim that they smoke more when they feel stressed. However, smoking does not actually relieve stress. It might satisfy cravings for nicotine in the short-run, but it does nothing to alleviate stress levels. Smoking actually increases the heart rate and blood pressure levels. It also reduces the amount of oxygen that is available to the brain. The false perception that smoking reduces stress is due to the fact that it temporarily relieves nicotine withdrawal symptoms. It is a short-lived fix. We know it is unhealthy and can cause lung cancer and a whole host of other ailments, and this only increases our long-term stress levels. Giving up smoking is difficult, especially in the beginning, but it is worth it because it affects our health and stress levels in a positive way.

28. Be in Nature

Being in nature has shown to reduce stress but scientists are not entirely sure why. Fortunately, we do not have to wait until scientists find out the reason before we use nature to help combat our stress levels. Try to immerse yourself often in natural settings, go for walks in the woods, do some gardening, take up bird-watching, relax by the beach, go camping, etc. I use this method often to counteract stress and it always works for me. I go hiking, bird-watching, tend to my garden, and have also taken up nature photography.

29. Plan and Prepare Ahead

This is something I have struggled with in the past but have gotten much better at. When we plan our days and prepare for them in advance, we reduce a lot of the stress associated with hectic mornings. We can wake up and ‘just do’ rather than having to list and organize our tasks. I now decide in advance what I am going to do the next day so that I can get a running start in the mornings. It has made a big difference on my stress levels because I know exactly what I need to do.

30. Have a Routine and Get Organized

Closely related to the point above, having a set daily and weekly routine streamlines our activities and negates the need for extensive planning. There are so many advantages of having a schedule that we adhere to every day. It makes us more efficient and relieves us of the stressful burden of having to think about and prioritize what needs to get done. For example, my daily morning routine encompasses waking up at 6am, drinking a glass of water, making myself a cup of green tea, meditating, making a protein shake, juicing, going to the gym, taking a shower, and starting work. It has simplified my life. Having a set routine does not only address what we need to do each day. It also helps us avoid frivolous and non-productive activities. For example, I do not check my email until I start work and I refrain from mindlessly surfing the internet.

31. Recall Past Successes

When we are faced with stressful situations, it helps to recall past successes we have had in dealing with problems. Instead of staring at the seemingly insurmountable mountain in front of us and feeling daunted and stressed out, we can remember how we have successfully climbed other mountains in the past. This gives us the confidence to face current challenges and changes our mindset. It reminds us that we have what it takes to deal with the obstacles in front of us and that there is no reason to get stressed about them.

32. Watch Your Words

The words we use in speech have a powerful effect on ourselves and on others. When we speak negatively, we affect the psyche of others and ourselves. For example, I hear many people uses phrases such as, “I hate my life”, “I am such a clutz”, “f%#@ my life”, “life is so unfair”, “people are so mean”, etc. The words we choose to use regularly carve psychological patterns that affect our outlook. Nobody likes being around Negative Nancy unless they are negative themselves. Misery often loves company. Words are powerful and often self-fulfilling. Stop complaining, forget gossiping and speaking badly about others and yourself. Instead of using words like ‘good’, incorporate words such as ‘fantastic’ and ‘terrific’. When someone asks you how you are doing, do not say, “I’m hanging in there” or “okay”. Reply with, “I am doing great!” instead.

33. Have a Sense of Humor

People who have a sense of humor deal with stress better because it helps reduce the stress response. It is possible to find something funny in most situations. We will always experience some stress in our lives, but humor is a great way to counterbalance it, so laugh loudly and laugh often.

34. S.T.O.P.

This is a great tool to manage our stress. Remember the acronym STOP and use it anytime you feel overwhelmed by stress. S = Stop what you are doing. T = Take 4 deep breaths. O = Observe your body and how you feel. P = proceed with kindness and compassion for yourself and others. This is like a timeout to calm yourself and prevent your thoughts from taking over. It allows us to see that the problematic and stressful situation is almost never as bad as we think.

35. Stop or Reduce Caffeine Intake

Since stress causes our heart rates to increase dramatically, caffeine does not help because it has the same effect. If you feel stressed, reduce your caffeine intake or, better yet, eliminate altogether. Caffeine is a stimulant and can cause anxiety and induce worry. When we are stressed, caffeine only fuels the fire.

36. Delegate

Another effective way to reduce stress is to learn to delegate. Identify tasks and responsibilities that you do not enjoy or are too time consuming and delegate them to someone else. For example, I do not enjoy mowing my lawn so I hired a lawn service to do this for me. This has freed up time for me to do something else I enjoy. Of course, there are some tasks we cannot delegate and have to do ourselves, but there are many that we can. You can hire a cleaning service to clean your home, join a carpool to commute to work, take your car to the car wash, have someone do your grocery shopping for you, etc. This will greatly reduce the demands and stress on yourself.

37. Learn to Help Yourself First and Say No

It is amazing how many people are scared or reluctant to say NO to their friends, family, colleagues, and people at large. These people think that saying NO to others is selfish or inconsiderate, but that is not true. In order to be in a position to help others, we must help ourselves first. We need to place the oxygen mask on ourselves first before we attempt to help others. When do not harness the power of saying NO, we often take on too many responsibilities and get stressed, exhausted and overwhelmed. It is wonderful to help others and we should all lend a helping hand to those in need. However, it is equally important to know how and when to politely decline in order to preserve our own well being. You can say no to a dinner party invitation (you want to spend time with your family instead), to a night out of boozy drinking with friends (you want to wake up early the next morning and not be hungover), to a request for a monetary loan (you are saving to buy a new house), to a promotion at work (you are extremely happy with your current job), etc.

38. Block Out Time For Yourself

Just like the best car engine, computer, or TV, we need to ‘switch off’ in order to give ourselves a break. Our bodies and minds require rest in order to rejuvenate. One of the best ways to do this is to periodically block out time for ourselves. For example, we could designate 10 minutes each day to do nothing, enjoy a cup of herbal tea, or listen to some soothing music. It is important that we switch off completely during this time and not allow distractions. Our minds and bodies are often racing and this timeout allows us to slow down or stop altogether. Doing this helps to alleviate our stress levels,‘refill our tanks’, and prevent us from trying to run on empty. I block out a few minutes each day to simply sit and meditate or close my eyes and do nothing.

39. Focus on the Solutions and Not the Problems

Because of our inherent negativity bias, most people tend to focus more on the problems at hand rather than the solutions. We tend to be blinded by the scale of the mountain we face and fail to notice the paths that we can take to conquer it. I have been guilty of this in the past and still have to constantly remind myself that there is a solution to almost every problem. The next time you are stressed because of a trying situation, acknowledge the issue and try to focus on finding a solution. This is powerful because it prevents us from being a helpless victim and empowers us to take a proactive approach in our lives.

40. Focus on Your Core Competencies

All of us have skills and talents that constitute our core competencies. When we focus on our strengths, we become more productive and highlight what we are good at. This does not mean that we should not work on our weaknesses. It simply means that we do what we do best in order to get the most done. Too many people focus their energy on things that they dislike and are not very good at. For example, I focus most of my time on writing posts for this blog and marketing it. I do not spend much time on programming because I am not very good at it and know I can outsource that. That has made my life less stressful and afforded me the time to do what I love.

41. Remember that Nothing Lasts

One of the most important lessons I have learned about life is that everything is impermanent and does not last. It is important to remember that problems and difficult times never last. Whenever I experience a setback or disappointment, I always try to remind myself that this, too, shall pass. Remembering that tough times are temporary is encouraging and uplifting. It helps us to see the big picture and know that things will get better.

42. Help Others

Whenever you feel down and out, one the most counterintuitive and best things we can do is to take the time to help others who are less fortunate than we are. No matter how bad a situation is, it is more than likely that there is someone else worse off than you. Make the time to do some charity work and assist others who are suffering. Doing this will highlight the positive aspects of your life while also making you feel good about reaching out to the needy. Giving can be a powerful way to keep things in perspective, reduce stress, and solidify our connection to others in this world.

43. Do Not Bring Work Home

I know this is often easier said than done, but try your best to leave your work in the office and not bring it home. This becomes easier if you become better at time management and develop a healthy routine. There should be some clear boundaries separating the office from your home. Finish your work in the office and refrain from infringing upon your down time at home. This allows you to reduce the stress of always having to respond to work issues.

44. Stop Multitasking

As I have discussed in a previous post, trying to do multiple things at once never produces our best work and is stressful. Multitasking is really task-switching in disguise. It is more efficient and calming to focus on one task at a time. Not only will you get more done, you will also be less stressed.

45. Take Vacations, Including Short Ones

I am a firm believer in making the time to take vacations. These vacations can be short but, if taken periodically, they can greatly help your stress levels by allowing your body and mind to rejuvenate themselves. Keep in mind that these vacations do not have to be expensive. For example, I recently went on a 3-night inexpensive cruise. I also have stayed at a rustic cabin in the woods about 1 hour from my home. Make the time to recharge and relax.

46. Forget What Others Think of You

When you care too much about what others think of you, you are always at their mercy. Too many people try too hard to please others in order to win favor. You cannot control what others think, feel, or do, so the best thing we can do is to stop trying. Be your own judge and stop worrying how you look in the eyes of others. This one act can greatly reduce unnecessary stress in your life.

47. Reduce Technology

Cell phones, the internet, email, text messages, Facebook, Reddit, GPS, smart TVs, laptops, tablets, Apple watches, Fitbit, the list goes on and on. Technology is supposed to work for us and not the other way around. We should use technology as tools to enhance our lives rather than be a slave to it. We all know people who must check their cell phones and Facebook obsessively every 5 minutes. Perhaps you are guilty of this yourself. If you want to reduce the amount of stress in your life, reduce the impact of technology. Limit checking your email to twice a day. Do not check your cell phone during dinner or while watching a movie. Check Facebook once a day.

48. Manage Your Time

Many people claim that they do not have enough time to complete all their tasks and do things that they enjoy. Yet there are others who seem to manage their time in such a way that they accomplish great things while also having down time to do as they please. Do you really know how you spend the time you have been given each week? Audit yourself and you may be surprised at how much time you could be wasting on frivolous tasks and activities. Managing your time wisely is one of the best ways to alleviate stress because you focus on what is important and reduce time-wastage.

49. Forgive Others

Holding a grudge is akin to poisoning ourselves. We cannot control how others act, but we can certainly control how we react to the actions of others. If you are angry with someone else and have not forgiven him or her, you are adding unnecessary stress and disappointment to your life. Forgiving others who wronged you is not for their benefit, it is for your own. It does not mean you are condoning their actions. It simply means that you have chosen peace. Practice forgiveness because it will make you free. Forgiving others and myself for past mistakes has been one of the most powerful lessons I have learned in my life.

50. Simplify and Become More Minimalistic

Too many people are busy trying to keep up with the Jones’ instead and being overly materialistic. They are never satisfied with what they have and are always striving to attain more. They are running a never-ending race where the finish line is always being moved further and further away. Reflect on your own life and see if you can reduce the level of materialism. Become more of a minimalist and recognize the fact that material objects rarely bring lasting peace and contentment. People on their deathbeds never lament the fact that they should have accumulated more ‘stuff’. Becoming more minimalistic has really changed my life for the better because it has reduced the pressure of wanting and collecting more frivolous ‘stuff’.

Each and every one of the 50 methods listed above will help you to manage and reduce the amount of stress in your life. You may find certain methods more useful for you than others. Identify the ones that help you the most and use them consistently. The more methods you incorporate into your life and the more consistently you practice them, the more significant the positive effect. You deserve to have less stress in your life.