Destressing After a Working Day
The need to destress after a workday, or any day for that matter, is needed by every person. The modern age has many conveniences, but many are detrimental to the health of the average person. Moderation is key in every aspect, but it is very easy to get pulled into excess in just about any area.
When this excess is combined with alcohol, extremely negative ramifications will inevitably occur. Having set habits to fall back on for de-stressing after work is important, determining the best habits for you takes time, for everyone, addict or not. The average time for a habit to form is anywhere from three to five weeks. Setting an intention, then following through with proper actions is the only way to create a lasting positive pattern in one’s life.
Not only is it important to create positive patterns within your life, but ending the negative habits is the first step.
People at any stage in their life should take an honest look at their lives and determine what ways they can improve. This is especially important for people that are stressed after work, and even more so with a predisposition to substance use. Understanding what triggers a negative response in one’s life can help sidestep situations that have led down negative paths before. Bringing work home is a very easy way to get caught in the negative clutches of stress, which can lead to substance abuse if not curbed quickly.
Leave Work at Work
The first step to de-stressing after work is to not bring it home. Bringing negativity home and continually thinking about the stresses of work will just create a continual cycle within your life. It is imperative to not continually hold on to this energy, because the longer it is held, the more stress it will create.
With this created stress, life becomes much more difficult to deal with. The best solution to this is to just leave the stress at work. Doing this will instantly bring more peace into life, but is easier said than done.
Techniques for leaving the stresses from work vary from person to person, but having certain practices can help significantly. One practice is to have a post-work routine in which you literally practice leaving work in a different state of mine, perhaps by packing up a little early, organizing work for the next day, or doing some sort of breathing technique to release the energy/stress that accumulates in a normal workday. Another technique to try is to think of work only while there. Try and have a way to completely leave work where it belongs, at work!
Take back control of your life and start on the road to recovery now.
Have Habits Developed
Developing healthy habits is the best route to ensure life progresses in a positive manner. Once positive habits have been created and practiced for several weeks it is easier to consistently perform them. The neurological pathways that are formed with new habits enforced are capable of propelling people into extremely positive directions. But what are good habits, and how do you develop them?
Developing habits takes discipline, and there is even a necessity to develop discipline. When your focus is placed on developing character, discipline inevitably follows. A simple concept to practice is to simply attempt to develop this discipline.
Write out goals such as wake-up time, workout commitments, or intellectual pursuits to try. Once a list is created, try and work toward these goals earnestly. The more that discipline is developed, the more it will be used in different aspects of life, and the easier it will be to handle the stress that comes your way.
Have Ways to Have Fun Sober
Relying on drinking to relax is an easy way toward a negative path that is difficult to change from. Having hobbies that are not associated with drinking will keep anyone on a proper path.
There are so many different ways to enjoy life without alcohol, and once the benefits from a sober lifestyle are realized, many question what the draw to alcohol was in the first place. Perhaps the social normalization of chronic drinking has created the notion that it is a necessity to drink in order to have any fun. This is simply not true, there are plenty of hobbies that are not associated with drinking that will inevitably bring more joy than drinking ever did.
The list of positive outlets for de-stressing after work is plentiful, but it is important to find a path that is best for you. Determine whether doing a physical or mental activity after work is best for you. Sometimes just having a positive option to fall back on can make a world of difference in people’s lives.
Have a Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle leads people to live richer, fuller, and happier lives. The old adage that “you are what you eat” is repeated for a reason. A proper diet can be a huge proponent for positive change in people’s lives. Most who are struggling through addiction have a tendency to let the important issues fall to the wayside. When this happens, negativity is sure to follow.
Not only is proper nutrition important, but an exercise routine that inspires one to consistently improve is extremely beneficial to mental health. The human body is meant to move in dynamic directions, such as to stretch, twist, bend or lift. When these functions are neglected, there are noticeable ramifications, insignificant as stiffness in muscles, joints, or other body parts, manifesting as major health issues.
Another exceptionally important practice that can have a huge impact on the relief of stress is learning techniques of mindful meditation. Mindful meditation practices have been scientifically shown to encourage the parasympathetic nervous system to activate and bring the body into a more relaxed mode. There are many tutorials online or different options to practice to progress further in these areas.
Learning simple breathing techniques for example can dramatically change a person’s psyche. One easy yogic technique to balance the breath within the body is to exhale and inhale through one nostril at a time. The technique goes like this, with the right thumb, cover the right nostril and exhale completely through the left nostril. After a complete exhale, inhale through the open left nostril, then hold. Cover your left nostril after your inhale with your right ring finger, simultaneously releasing your thumb from the right nostril and exhaling. Completing the cycle from right to left and left to right in a cyclical and rhythmic pattern is said to balance the energies within the body. The best way to determine the truth in this is to try!
Have a Support System
The importance of having supportive people that can help you through difficult situations can not be overstated. When stress is really bringing one down, having the option to talk it over with caring and understanding individuals can make a big difference.
When stress is shared, it is spread and diminished within who it was originally afflicting, but doing this indiscriminately can place unwanted problems on those that are unable to help in any way. Having a trained professional to discuss issues with is always a good idea when there is an excess of stress in one’s life.
Though a therapist is an excellent option for discussing issues, it may not be the best or only route for everyone. Talking with friends or family about some issues surrounding work can shed new light on situations, or let you just blow off steam. Though this is fine in moderation, it should be again thought about unloading baggage onto someone else and expecting them to know what to do with the excess negativity.
Being cognizant of the effect of placing your issues on others, inevitably will lead to you understanding the negative issue of taking on others’ work stress as well. This is not to suggest keeping everything bottled up, or refusing to listen to people’s problems, just simply to be aware of their effects.
A proper support system is imperative to good mental health. Human beings are social creatures, and though society often exalts the idea of a self-sufficient individual, the reality is good social relationships help significantly.
If you lack a strong network of support, there are many avenues to find some. Whether joining a sports league, going to church or AA meetings, or simply searching for support networks online could be the best way to find positive people that can be there in one’s life.
Plan for Vacations or Adventures
Developing a plan to leave the area where most of your time is spent is a great way to get your mind off work. Even just the act of planning will make one’s mind look forward to the possibility of exploring the unknown.
Routines are essential for many aspects of our modern life but if there is an excess of stress involved, it could create a vicious cycle of more and more stress. Having an option to expand past the usual routine of life can help keep you motivated in everyday life.
How far away from your present life have you explored? There is a literal world of opportunity waiting to be explored. Look at a map or globe, even google earth and determine a location that is intriguing. Look up information about the culture, what there is to do at this location, places you would like to visit, what the dream vacation would look like.
Even if a trip to the most exotic location is out of the question, look to go to an area rich in nature where it would be easy to decompress. Having a local beach, lake, river, or park to unwind in is a great option many people do not take advantage of. When people spend time in nature, there is a relieving effect upon the psyche, and if people tap into this, there is a noticeable change in their mental makeup.
This can be a difficult journey, but you don’t have to go it alone. Let us be your guide and provide you the environment needed to regain control of your life and begin the path to recovery.
Be Honest About Your Career
If the above-mentioned Techniques do not do anything to curb the stress that comes from work, perhaps it is time to reconsider what you should be doing with your time for a career. If the amount of stress created from one’s job creates negative patterns in daily life, it may be time to make a switch.
This decision should obviously not be made too rashly, but the best time to look for a job is when one has one. Is there a specific career path that you believe would bring more joy? What are the practical steps to achieving this? Asking these questions may shed light on unrecognized feelings about one’s company, and may actually lead to pursuing something that is more positive in life. Again, this is not a suggestion to drop out of work rashly, but consider what is the best option in life for you.
Too many people get too attached to their company or job, feeling that it is necessary to give everything to the benefit of their company, even if it is to the detriment of themselves. This is just not the case, an individual’s mental health should be a top concern, not the bottom line of their company. As important as work is in life, balanced mental health is one of the best riches that can be developed in life. People pursue money as a route to buy peace, but in reality, the only way to peace is to develop it within oneself.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, reach out to us at ecosoberhouse.com. We have the resources to help get you started on the path to recovery.
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