Sometimes life can get overwhelming and we find ourselves overcome by the stresses of knowing all that we have left to do. When we are motivated to make great changes but we find that there is a lot of work to be done, it can cause us to sometimes stall out and freeze. The stress we feel from our lofty goals can be a huge obstacle and actually cause us to stop making progress.

It is almost as if our brains are focusing too much of our processing power in one place and they begin to get burnt out. Especially if we are not breaking our goals down into smaller pieces that are actually more manageable seeming and realistic to accomplish. When we are overloading ourselves with the countless tasks that we need in order to achieve the specific goals we have in mind, then it can actually be counterproductive.

Instead of letting your brain burn itself out, there is power in being able to take a break. Don’t get this confused with giving yourself the excuse to shut down and stop accomplishing anything at all. Rather, acknowledge to yourself that you need to take a time out for some self care and allow yourself the opportunity to relax and recharge for your next project.

Most of us don’t realize just how many different types of stimuli we are attempting to process at any given time. Because of this, it can be easy to fall into bouts of stress that we may not even notice we are dealing with. that is why, if you are beginning to feel a little bit frazzled, you will benefit greatly from taking a little bit of time for yourself.

We are always working on something. Some people even theorize that when we are dreaming, it is the brain’s attempts at problem solving and processing the information we are dealing with during our waking lives. It’s important to allow ourselves chances to relax throughout the day and try not to guilt trip ourselves for needing some down time. Sure, you could be using every single waking second of your day to work toward accomplishing your goals, but ultimately that can cause us to slow down our productivity and reach burn out that much faster.

If you want to maintain a high level of quality to your work, you would benefit from allowing yourself to clear your mind from time to time and enjoy yourself. We all need a chance to refresh our morale and unwind a little bit if we are going to perform at the best of our abilities. Instead of feeling like you are not getting anything done, try to remember that to do things at your highest level, you will benefit greatly from learning how to pace yourself and take the time you need to stop and smell the roses!

Avoiding Too Much of a Good Thing

One issue some of us may face is overworking our bodies. While it is true that staying active and getting regular exercise is incredibly important, there is also a dark side to getting too much activity. Sometimes becoming addicted to exercise, movement, and activity can actually put extra stress on your body and mind. This can be especially true if you find a sense of validation from trying to work toward a specific body image.

Stress from attempting to accomplish these types of goals can cause a lot of stressors, not only in our minds but physically as well once that drive goes into action. Most people fail to realize that there is such a thing as overdoing it with their physical exertion. If you aren’t visibly injuring yourself, then it may seem like there is no problem at all in exercising your heart out.

Unfortunately the things that we are experiencing in our bodies are often invisible. We do not get signs and symptoms of serious issues until it is too late, and constantly exercising releases stress hormones into the brain. It is important to make sure that you are not overloading your body with this type of stress, as it can ultimately be problematic for your heart and sometimes even your mood. Make sure that you are giving yourself a reasonable amount of rest so that your muscles can repair themselves and you are able to do things in a healthy way.

It is always important not to put yourself to extremes in any situation. While there can always be room for improvement, there is also a lot to be said for enjoying things in moderation. You can still maintain a healthy lifestyle. Just do your best not to obsess about it and if possible, keep in mind the fact that your physical fitness is not a total reflection of your worth. It is okay to take things easy once in a while and still find value in yourself.

While it is always important to stay active, everything that we do takes a toll on us. Constantly putting yourself through stressors that can easily be avoided is dangerous. Consider all of the stories you may have heard about people who are shocked by a loved one who is in peak physical condition having heart attacks or other health issues that we are often thought exercise is meant to avoid. It is possible those people are guilty of overdoing it with their exercise regimen.

The purpose of this article isn’t to discourage you from exercise. Being active is a vital part of living a healthy life. However, make sure that you are being active in a safe way, because too much of a good thing can easily turn into a bad one, no matter what it is!

Avoiding Processed Foods as a Stress Reduction Technique

Many people may not realize that when we eat, our levels of cortisol will rise. This is an occurrence that is relatively important; it helps our bodies to sort out the good things from the bad so that we know what we can use and which nutrients to absorb. Unfortunately, this is something that can actually be very bad for us when we are not consuming a proper amount of healthy foods.

When we eat processed foods, the levels of stress in our bodies will rise. It is dangerous because our cortisol levels will rise exponentially through the consumption of unhealthy and processed foods. It is important to try and remain conscious of the effects of each of the choices that we make. By consuming foods that will cause our stress levels to rise, whether we are aware of it or not, we are subjecting ourselves to major health issues, not only physically, but potentially emotionally.

Have you ever been in a bad mood without really fully understanding why that is? Did you ever notice that you are feeling poorly and then examine the food choices you have made and realize that it is possibly related to your food choices?

Another thing to look out for are food sensitivities. If you have any sensitivities to foods, or food allergies, these things can cause your body to release stress hormones as your immune system is activated in an attempt to fight off the problem. This can leave you feeling moody and irritable, and cause inflammation in your body that you may not be aware of because it is not always physically apparent.

When our bodies are under duress, our moods tend to take a hit. Our bodies are very sensitive and more often than not, irritability and mood swings are often indicative of serious physical problems. If you look at the symptoms for many diseases, irritability and mood swings are often early warning signs. Our bodies know when something is off, and when our brains are producing an overabundance of stress hormones, it is a sign that we should be paying attention.

Do your best to grocery shop in a smart way. Make meal plans that include fresh and healthy food options. Rather than going through every aisle in the grocery store right away, consider simply going around the outside and purchasing a majority of fresh foods before heading into the processed food aisles. It is much easier to make healthy choices if you are prepared ahead of time!

While processed foods may seem like a convenient choice, consider the future. It may cost you much more than that to try to reverse the damage that these types of foods can cause the body, while prevention is as easy as making better choices. When they say that one ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, they aren’t joking! Avoid stressing your body out with processed foods and enjoy a healthier lifestyle today!