Let’s face it, life is stressful!  Unfortunately, chronic stress makes us fat!  Stress is a common theme that often causes women to overlook the importance of making time for life-saving exercise.  We know that the effects of stress can be detrimental to our lives. Here’s how to live smarter.

Our attitudes can go a long way to shaping how stress affects our lives.  Being committed, feeling in-control, and challenging ourselves to reach goals can help us to remain positive and thrive when under stress.

We can also take steps to minimize some of the stressors in our lives.  What stresses you out?  How can your work toward minimizing your stress?  With a little effort and some small changes, we can minimize our stress.  Use the following tips to lessen the stress in you life:

  1. Give yourself a break; you can’t do everything for everyone!
  2. Prioritize, and only do the most important tasks.
  3. Seek efficient solutions to tasks and chores.
  4. Don’t take yourself so seriously and don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself occasionally!
  5. Get rid of the issues that weigh you down.
  6. Don’t be afraid to say no to new tasks or engagements.  Make sure you have time for the commitments that you make, and for yourself!
  7. Become a list-maker… it will help you keep track of yourself and your tasks!

Feeling stressed makes it easy to justify skipping a workout, to instead, sit on the couch and snack.  Earlier, we discussed the physical and chemical reactions that our bodies have during and after exercise, so we know that the great thing about exercise is that an intense workout can relieve our stress and give us more energy!

So, skip the couch and get outside for a walk or run.  Better yet, before you go, make a list of the things that you need to get done, and then go exercise.  See how good you feel and how much you get done after your workout!

Utilize these tips and read Chapter 7 of Dr. Vonda Wright’s Guide to Thrive for more ways to live smarter by keeping a positive attitude and minimizing stress, plus tips on becoming a productive list-maker!

Dr. Vonda Wright on Twitter and Instagram @DrVondaWright

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