April is National Stress Awareness Month and it’s time to unclench your jaw!

I’ve been acutely aware of my stress level lately.

I’m ramping up to launch a second business, BizLife360, to provide business coaching and consulting to solopreneurs and small business owners.

Yes, it’s stressful to work long hours on all of the new business startup activities while still serving my clients at Cambium.

So, how do I manage my stress levels?

Be proactive.

I’m a planner, so I incorporate stress management into my plan. In addition to blocking times on my calendar for meetings and work projects, I also block times for relaxation and stress-reducing activities. And I adjust my plan when I’m feeling overwhelmed and recognize that I’m taking on too much.

Be silly.

When my health coach heard how many hours I was working, sitting at my desk, she offered to help. Every day, she sends me an upbeat song via text and invites me to a “dance party.” Thankfully, there are no cameras capturing my silly dance moves in my living room! Although I do feel like my dog is judging me. Anyhow, this 3-minute dance party break always cuts through my stress and re-energizes me.

Be open.

Having a conversation with someone about your stress level can help you work through what’s going on in your head. This week, I had a great conversation with one of my coaching clients about the stress of returning to in-person meetings. My focus was to help her develop strategies, and through our discussion, I also discovered some new strategies for myself.

Be healthy.

It’s amazing how much our physical health impacts our mental health. We all know that eating healthy, exercising, and getting plenty of sleep is important for our overall health. And when you’re under stress, it might feel overwhelming to focus on these things. So rather than focus on big lifestyle changes, look for some small steps you can take. Here are some small steps I’m taking:

• Walking for 5 minutes on my treadmill every time I take a break to use the restroom or get something to drink or eat
• Drinking one more glass of water per day. This one also helps with the previous one!
• Using my phone to set a consistent sleep schedule

Be mindful.

We tend to take shallow breaths (or hold our breath) and clench our muscles when under stress. Noticing these signs of stress and taking a few minutes to re-center works wonders for me! One of my favorite and super simple mindfulness exercises is 4×4 breathing. Slowly inhale as you count to four, hold your breath while you count to four, and slowly exhale while you count to four. Do this four times, counting to four before starting the next repetition. The 4×4 breathing name makes sense, doesn’t it? I also focus on relaxing a part of my body when I exhale for added benefit. In a quick 64 seconds, I’m a new person!

Managing stress helps you be the “best version of yourself.” Stress affects us in all aspects of our lives – at home, at work, in our relationships, our decision-making abilities – you get the idea.

This week, I invite you to practice one new stress management technique and send me a note to tell me what you tried!

Wishing you the best!

Contact me with your questions about individual coaching, group coaching, talent development, and speaking engagements.