Tip#1: Practice self-compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend!
Stress Awareness Month has returned with this year’s theme being #LeadWithLove, encouraging us to try to approach stressful situations, ourselves, and others with compassion, kindness, understanding and acceptance.
Choosing self-compassion can help you ease the challenging situation, and make a difference to how you feel and react in the moment.
You may find this difficult to do at the beginning, especially if you’re prone to being hard on yourself, but with a bit of practice, you may just find that this is a technique that works for you.
We don’t always get to take time for self-care, but we can find tiny moments amidst challenging times when we can pause and choose to be compassionate towards ourselves. Even a minute can make a big difference.
How to practice self-compassion:
- Treat yourself with kindness. If this were a friend, what would you say to them?
- Acknowledge your feelings without judgement. They show up for a reason. What is that feeling trying to tell you?
- Don’t judge yourself. Mistakes are a natural part of our lives, especially when you are juggling multiple tasks. Mistakes are there to teach us. What can you do differently next time?
- Remember you are not alone. We all go through tough times, and it’s okay to ask for help. Who could you contact?
- Consider your needs. How can I help myself, what would make me feel better now?
We are all different, so not all techniques work for everyone. Should you give practicing self-compassion a try, please share your experience with us by emailing centre@centralcarers.co.uk or commenting on the Self-compassion Facebook, Instagram or X post.
Find more tips on how to manage stress here: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-health-issues/stress/
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Tip#2: Self-help techniques – find what works for you!
Self-help techniques are great for reducing stress, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all approach. We are all unique, and just because something works for some people, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the right technique for you, too. Therefore, it’s important to experiment so you can find what you like and what helps you.
Some things you could try:
- Meditations: https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/wellbeing-apps/bright-sky/calm-amongst-chaos/
- Breathwork: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/
- Regular physical activity and being outside when possible. What do you enjoy?
- Hobbies if your time allows
- Practical things NHS recommends:
- Splitting up big tasks into manageable chunks
- Planning ahead whenever possible
- CBT self-help techniques for reducing stress: https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/self-help-cbt-techniques/
