Reed Vawter, MS, RDN, CSOWM, LD
Health Ed. Consultant
I don’t know about you, but the more stressful my workday, the more likely I am to stress eat an entire bag of chips when I get home. Excessive stress affects all parts of our life, so it’s important to have healthy strategies to cope. Luckily, we have many tools at UNM that can help us manage and reduce the influence of our daily work stressors.
- Use your vacation time: Sadly, about 55% vacation days go unused each year by American workers. Don’t be one of those people! Vacations help you rest and recharge. Schedule a day (or more) off and pamper yourself.
- Take a meditation break: Help your brain slow down with a short meditation session. Meditation helps calm negative emotions and, if practiced regularly, can reduce stress and anxiety levels.
- Step outside: Stepping away from your stress gives you a chance to breathe and escape the tunnel vision that it creates. It’s also an opportunity to be active and burn off any excess energy. Try a brisk walk on one of our Lobo Trails.
- Tackle a challenge: Sometimes, chasing a rewarding, personal goal is the best way to battle stress. It gives us a clear direction to focus our energy on. Try the Stadium Stair Challenge on April 29. This event will help you build strength and endurance while feeling like a superhero.
We won’t ever get rid of stress entirely; but we can manage it. Use these strategies to find your balance and to build long-term stress resilience.
