Reducing everyday stress: Approaches for a calmer mind

Stress is a natural and sometimes necessary response to the challenges and pressures we face every day. It can motivate us to react quickly or achieve our goals. However, when stress becomes constant or overwhelming, it can have detrimental effects on both mental and physical health. Learning to manage stress effectively is essential to maintaining balance in both personal and professional life. In occupational therapy, several strategies can be discussed to help reduce the effects of everyday stress and cultivate a better quality of life. In this article, some practical techniques are suggested for dealing with stress in a creative and functional way.

1. The thematic gratitude journal

Stress often causes us to focus on the negative aspects of our daily lives, amplifying our worries. To counter this, keeping a thematic gratitude journal is an excellent strategy. Each day, we dedicate a particular theme to our reflection, such as social relationships, personal skills, or even nature. For example, one day might be devoted to gratitude for friends and family members, while another might focus on the skills you’ve developed. By cultivating this habit, we reorient our minds towards the positive aspects of life, reinforcing an attitude of gratitude and well-being. This approach is particularly effective in reducing the intensity of everyday stress, as it helps to counterbalance negative thoughts with tangible positives.

2. Visualize positive scenarios

Stress is often exacerbated by fear of the unknown or anticipation of negative outcomes. Positive scenario visualization is a cognitive technique that involves visualizing optimistic outcomes in stressful situations. For example, if you’re worried about not performing well in an important meeting, you can imagine the scenario where the meeting goes well, questions are answered confidently, and the end result is positive. This type of exercise helps to create realistic expectations while minimizing anxiety. This strategy doesn’t aim to ignore the difficult aspects of situations, but rather to train the mind to envision positive outcomes, helping to reduce the impact of stress on everyday life.

3. Targeted digital detox

In the age of smartphones and social networks, information overload and incessant notifications can fuel stress. One effective solution is to practice a “targeted digital detox”, which involves reducing technology use at certain times of the day. By limiting access to screens during specific periods, such as morning hours or before bedtime, we free up mental space to refocus on calming activities. This helps to reduce technology-induced cognitive overload and to manage stress more effectively. What’s more, digital detox helps restore a healthier relationship with technology by regaining control over its use, rather than being overwhelmed by it.

4. Visualizing the “stress box”

Stressful thoughts can be intrusive, preventing us from concentrating on other tasks. Visualizing the “stress box” is a simple and effective mental technique for compartmentalizing these thoughts. When a concern arises, we can imagine placing it in a mental box and closing it temporarily. This symbolic gesture helps to “tidy up” stressful thoughts, making them easier to manage. This technique not only allows you to let go of those worries for a while, but also to focus more effectively on other priorities without being constantly distracted by anxiety-provoking thoughts.

5. Repetitive rhythmic movement

Stress can also be reduced by physical activities involving regular, rhythmic movement. Exercises such as jumping jacks or simple, rhythmic gestures promote the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones, while calming the mind. The repetition of these movements creates a form of active meditation, helping to distract the mind from anxiety-provoking thoughts. This type of activity can be performed in just a few minutes, and offers a welcome mental break for those feeling overwhelmed by stress. Integrating these micro-movements throughout the day helps to maintain emotional regulation and channel energy in a positive way.

6. Daily emotional check-in

Finally, one of the simplest but often overlooked strategies is the daily emotional check-in. Take a few minutes every day to sit down and take a look at your emotions, without judgment. This involves identifying how we feel, why we feel that way, and what thoughts dominate our mind at that moment. This moment of reflection helps us to become aware of our internal states and prevent the build-up of stress. By recognizing our emotions on a daily basis, we are better equipped to adjust our actions and take care of ourselves before stress becomes too overwhelming.

Occupational therapy support for effective stress management

In conclusion, stress management is not limited to universal strategies. Each individual needs to find the techniques that best suit his or her own needs and experiences. The original approaches presented here, such as thematic gratitude journaling, positive scenario visualization or targeted digital detox, offer practical and accessible tools for reducing stress on a daily basis. However, for personalized, tailored solutions, support from a mental health occupational therapist can be a highly beneficial option.

Occupational therapy enables us to analyze the specific sources of stress and their functional impact on an individual, and to develop customized intervention plans. It also provides emotional support and practical tools for integrating these strategies into daily life. If you feel overwhelmed by stress, or find it difficult to manage on your own, occupational therapy can help you regain balance and live more peacefully.

By Soëla Bandaly, occupational therapist at Clinique Physiothérapie Universelle de Fleury

References : 

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