April is National Stress Awareness Month, and it seems like a great excuse to consider our opportunities for minimizing the effects stress has on us.
As humans, we are bound to go through stressful events and circumstances many times throughout our lives, there is no way of getting around that. It is important to understand the stress you are feeling and know what you can do for yourself to help get you through it. Federal Occupational Health talks about the importance of learning the mind/stress/health connection and how it can help you better manage your stress and improve your health and well being. They suggest taking about 10-15 minutes everyday to take some time for yourself; doing so will decrease your stress levels.
In honor of National Stress Awareness Month, we would like to offer these Top 10 Stress Reliever Hobbies originally published by About Health.
- Gardening - helps by getting you out and in the sunshine and fresh air and also allows you to create a more beautiful surrounding
- Explore Photography - allows you to see the world from a different perspective
- Scrapbooking - can offer many social opportunities that allow you to create something that others can enjoy as well
- Maintain a Saltwater Aquarium - allows you to create something unique
- Puzzles - allows you to engage your mind so you can take it off of what is stressing you
- Drawing - can allow you to distract yourself and express your emotions
- Painting - allows you the same stress management benefits of drawing but through a different medium
- Knitting - can get you to experience 'flow' and create gifts for others
- Playing the Piano - creating music allows for creative expression
- Writing - relaxes you and allows you to create something to share with others
Everyone has different interests and the ideas for relieving stress are virtually limitless, however this list offers some brilliantly simple opportunities almost anyone can try.
We Can Help
- EAP Members: access resources through your VITAL WorkLife App or call 800.383.1908.
- Physician Well Being Resources Members: access resources through your VITAL WorkLife App or call 877.731.3949.