The way we are living our lives today is so much faster than it was just a couple of decades ago. The result? The stress becomes omnipresent in our lives. From the moment we open our eyes, we are faced with so many decisions, errands, and planning. This causes a lot of stress, which becomes dangerous over time.
But what if we told you that it is all about the mindset? Do we have your attention? Stay with us as we reveal what it takes to adopt the mindset where you won’t let stress get the better of you and what to do to achieve the zero stress policy mindset.
What It Takes to Adopt the Zero Stress Mindset
Achieving the zero stress policy is right between easy and hard. It will require some time, self-assessment, and dedication. Most importantly, it will require you to be honest with yourself.
Stop Managing Your Life 24/7
One of the main characteristics of people who over-stress is that they over-plan their days. They have to know what they will be doing and where they will be going every hour, and very often, every minute during the day. To adopt the desired mindset, you will have to drop your “I have to plan everything” ball and give yourself some space for improvisation and creativity.
Don’t Multitask Yourself to Exhaustion
The next thing on the prerequisites menu is multitasking. There is nothing wrong with doing several things simultaneously from time to time, but being exposed to it consistently will definitely over-stress you. In order to reach the stress-free state of mind, you have to be honest with yourself about how much you can take on your plate.
Cast off the Shackles of a Winner
Do you feel the extreme need to be the best and to leave every encounter or situation as a winner? This might appear as the hardest thing to do – getting used to losing every once in a while and be able to learn from it. Quite often, your only competition will be your own expectations and not some other people.
Work on Your Patience
People who experience stress on day to day basis look at all things with a sense of urgency. It all has to happen as soon as possible and everything has to be done in the same fashion. Even the thought about having to wait evokes strong emotions which inevitably leads to more stress. This is why you should start respecting the natural timeline of events and come to an understanding with yourself, especially with the hard-planning aspect we’ve already mentioned.
You Don’t Have to Work 24/7/365
People who are overcommitted to their careers tend to bring their work along wherever they go. Sadly, these people experience stress even more than others because they feel guilty for not working and not being able to enjoy time with their families. To reduce stress, you will have to learn how to make smart decisions.
5 Steps to Adopt the Zero Stress Mindset
Don’t let the requirements we mentioned above discourage you. Achieving a zero stress policy is not as hard as you imagined. Follow these steps on the road to a stress-free life.
Make a List of Priorities
The first step is the most important one. It will help you embrace responsibility. Once you do it, stress will be completely wiped off the board. Our suggestion is to make living as stress-free as possible your priority number one and build your list on top of it. Making this list will be much easier now that you know what it takes to reach this mindset.
Drop the ball for a second and assess your current situation. You cant be holding all the strings in your hands and possibly think of living a stress-free life.
Learn to Say No
Saying No to yourself and others is quintessential for your success. It will help you set boundaries and ultimately leave you with more time for yourself. The hardest part here is learning how to say no to your own expectations. Maybe you can reconcile with them by making them more real and designing a new timeline for them to be fulfilled.
Make Time for Relaxation
How many days have passed by so far without you giving yourself time to relax and enjoy life as it is in that very moment? Relaxation can help you reconnect with your thoughts, impressions, and past experiences. Every minute spent relaxing is a valuable teaching moment that you should pursue on a daily basis, especially if you lack creativity. It can help you identify the main stressors and come up with creative ways to combat them.
Optimize your Routine
A structure is good. It gives us a sense of certainty and stability. Structure comes from routine. This is why you should be a master of your own fate and create and keep on optimizing a routine of your own. Are your everyday tasks worth-while? If not, replace them with something new, experiment, and see how it makes you feel. What impact it has on you overall?
Make Amends WIth Choices – Consequences
Lastly, we come to the most difficult thing to do – making amends with the consequences of the choices you make. This is very important, as it will shift the perspective of how you perceive stress, resulting in a stress-free mindset. The very acknowledgment that your choices got you in a position to live a stressful life is stress relieving.
Making choices while being aware of the consequences connects you with responsibility. But this time, you are going to know that you are the one who is responsible for the way things are.
The Zero Stress Policy is closer than you’ve expected. Now you know what it takes to achieve it. It is important to note that this policy is not set in stone as your life circumstances might change. Feel free to revisit it anytime you wish to make it work even if something drastic changes in your life.
