Quick Stress Reduction Strategies for Busy Women: Learn to Pause

Busy, high achieving women tend to be hard workers who expect a lot of themselves. Stress, a crowded schedule, and a never-ending to-do list, are common side effects. Overload, worry, and too much to do can lead to stress eating and emotional overeating, weight gain, insomnia and sleep difficulties, and neglecting the healthy habits and routines that help you fight stress in the first place. This is obviously not a recipe for success.

To reverse the “too much on your plate” cycle, I recommend beginning with simple and quick stress relief tips that will help you break the pattern of reacting to your life (you know—that feeling of trying to keep up with your to-do list). Instead, this stress reduction strategy uses the power of transitions to help you get calm and focused and proactive. This is a recipe for effectiveness.

Begin practicing what I call deliberate transitions. Create a ten minute transition between your work day and your after-work routine. A client calls this “inserting a comma,” and I think this is a wonderful metaphor. Stop (really stop). Sit. Brew a cup of tea and drink it mindfully. Do some deep breathing and allow your mind to untangle itself. Let go of the work day and pause before you switch gears. Late afternoon/ early evening is a low point in most women’s energy cycles. It’s not unusual to be hungry and depleted, and, unfortunately, you may also find yourself in the company of others who feel the same way. This is a crucial time to claim a small bit of quiet and check in with yourself. Pay attention to how you are feeling and ask yourself what you need.

Too often when we get busy, we forget to include our own needs on the to-do list. That is a mistake with major negative consequences. Start using deliberate transitions to create more effectiveness and less stress.