In honor of National #StressAwarenessDay we’ve compiled a list of some of the best ways to beat stress while on a new assignment. Surely, traveling to a new city, meeting new people, working at a different facility and getting settled in your new home can be a giant ball of stress. Don’t let the stress get you down, check out these tips and tricks for making the best of your assignment:
1. Get out and Explore. No matter how small your new town is, there is bound to be sights to see and hidden gems to explore. Enjoying the change of scenery allows you to get out of your own head for a bit—get away from your stresses and just enjoy what lies in front of you.
It also gives you time to think, when you get out and walk around the blood flow to your brain is increased—so you’re able to come up with alternative solutions to your stresses and problems—creative ideas flow more easily.
2. Schedule time for YOU. Whether you schedule yourself a massage once a week or just a hair appointment to have someone focus on you for just an hour, scheduling time for you and your well-being is vital to stress reduction. When you’re busy and stressed, self-care tends to be the last thing that we all think about. However, pampering yourself has many benefits to stress relief.
Busy people have a hard time just doing nothing—they sit there and worry over all the things they could or should be doing. So, if you schedule this break to pamper yourself, and schedule it for a specific amount of time, you may be more apt to enjoy the break and spend it worry free.
3. Hit the Gym. Exercise is a really effective way to relieve stress, and it can work very quickly! Much like getting out to explore the new area, exercising is a great way to get out of your own head. It allows you to forget about your stresses and focus on the one specific task set before you—working out.
Exercising releases endorphins throughout your body, which increase your emotional well-being. While physical exercise can be an outlet for frustration and even just a distraction, the healthier you are, the happier you will be.
4. Cultivate New Relationships. Starting a new job, with all new people is difficult. Especially when you’re on a travel assignment, it’s difficult to create new relationships when you’re just passing through for 13 weeks. However, connecting and relating to the people around you, and cultivating new friendships is essential to happiness.
Social support is one of the most effective stress relievers. Taking time to cultivate and nurture relationships when you’re stressed helps to get you to a better place emotionally, meanwhile, you’re helping your friends’ well-being as well.
Take advantage of some of these stress relieving techniques today, and have a better outlook on the assignment ahead of you. Stress can be overwhelming, but taking a little bit of time for self-care and exploration can do you a great deal of good on this National #StressAwarenessDay!
Sources:
Elizabeth Scott, MS | Reviewed by Steven Gans, MD. “70 Highly Effective Ways to Relieve Stress.” Verywell, 25 July 2017, www.verywell.com/tips-to-reduce-stress-3145195.