Want to Defeat Stress, Anxiety and Worry? Exercise, Say 'Thank You' a Lot and Use The Calm App. Incorporate these three simple tasks into your everyday life, and see how they reward you over time.
By Matt Mayberry Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Stress, anxiety and worry are three things that drastically interfere with millions of people unleashing their best work and tapping into their full potential. Some are better than others at minimizing the negative effects that stress, anxiety and worry can have, but at one point or another, all of us will experience some sort of discomfort from the killer three I like to call them.
I call them the killer three, because they not only stop people from unleashing their best work and tapping into their full potential, but over time they actually do a whole lot more than prevent us from achieving success. Heart attacks, strokes, suicides and many other social and physical impairments can be brought upon by the killer three if we aren't intentional about practicing mindfulness each and every day and working to defeat stress, anxiety and worry.
Related: We Want It All -- But Then We Stress About It. Here's How to Stay Ambitious and Stress-Free.
Here are three ways to help you defeat the killer three.
1. Start incorporating meditation into your life daily.
Meditation is a complete game-changer when it comes to defeating stress, anxiety and worry. Not only does it do a fantastic job of minimizing all of the side effects from the killer three, but the other benefits you reap when you invest in daily meditation is extraordinary.
At first, I thought I could never be someone who would sit down and relax for 20 to 30 minutes to meditate. There was just no way. I had too much to do, and there were never enough hours in the day to accommodate my strenuous workload. However, when things eventually became too hectic to function efficiently, I looked to meditation as my last resort -- and never looked back.
We hear about how important mediation is for brain power and overall health, but there are still too many who are reluctant to try it. A great way to get started is to use The Calm app, which has been invaluable, as I have it with me everywhere I go. It has guided and unguided mediation sessions and I really think it can add value to your life as it did mine. If you feel overwhelmed from your every day workload or stressed with life in general, meditation is a must.
Related: Calm Down and Take These 7 Daily Steps to Deal With Stress
2. Exercise.
There are plenty of productivity apps and all sorts of different gadgets that promise to increase productivity levels, but the most powerful productivity tool there is isn't an app or gadget. It's exercise. Not only does exercise release endorphins, positively impact your mindset and take your productivity to the next level, but it is an absolute must if you want to decrease the amount of stress, anxiety and worry in your life.
When I was an athlete, I never had the worry syndrome or let stress get the best of me, even though there was so much doubt and uncertainty looming ahead. When I analyzed what the difference was between the two, I noticed that when I was an athlete, there was never a day that went by without me investing back into my body and exercising.
Sure, that was a major part of my job as a professional athlete, but you don't have to be a professional athlete to exercise regularly. I took major notice as to how I would feel when I would go weeks or even months at a time not paying much attention to exercise or making it a priority in my life.
I made excuses, and in return, I felt like complete crap physically and mentally. Your health is your livelihood, and convincing yourself that you don't have time to workout or exercise for at least 30 minutes a day is adding more harm than benefit to your schedule. I promise you that you aren't freeing yourself up to get more work done or get ahead professionally. I don't know about you, but I am all for increasing productivity levels, defeating the killer three, and feeling wonderful all day long. Daily exercise does just that -- and much more.
3. Say "thank you' more often.
Saying these two words with conviction on a regular basis can powerfully change the direction of your life. It's important to set goals, create visions and think about what you want for your future, but often, we let what we don't have get in the way of all that we do have.
We spend time worrying and stressing about where we want to be and forget to have an attitude of gratitude for having the opportunity at all. There is nothing more harmful to our health than forgetting the importance of being grateful for what we have and getting in a daily routine of saying "thank you" more often.
I have a note card that I carry in my briefcase with the two words, thank you, written on it. Everywhere I go, I'm reminded to give thanks for waking up, experiencing life another day and having the opportunity to work towards my dreams.
When you really think long and hard about it, it's truly remarkable what a privilege and opportunity that each and every one of us has to wake up and live another day. It's up to us how we shape our minutes, days, years and lives. Saying "thank you" more often minimizes the negative effects of the killer three and increases your sense of fulfillment every moment of your life. It's so simple -- yet so important.
Related: Why Saying 'Thank You' Is More Important Than Giving Employees a Raise
Practicing mediation, exercising daily and saying thank you more often will not only reduce the amount of stress, anxiety and worry that you have in your life but also change the way you work and go about your every day life. I urge you to incorporate these three simple tasks into your everyday life, and see how they reward you over time.
