Why do things feel harder than they used to?!
Most people think they know when they’re stressed.
Because they feel overwhelm, anxiety or pressure.
The more common version of stress is much more subtle. And we can only recognise it’s there, by noticing the impact of it – with things like:
To-do lists piling up that you never get round to
Snapping at things that wouldn’t normally bother you
Overthinking simple decisions
Scrolling when you’re tired - instead of resting
Upping caffeine, sugar or snacks to keep going
Powering through, until things calm down. Which they never do
Feeling wired but tired - like you’re permanently ‘on’
These things can feel stifling. You frame them as bad habits, personality traits, or the inevitable outcomes of being really busy. But they can also feel frustrating – after all, things didn’t use to be this hard!
You can be coping - and still be under strain. Stress doesn’t always feel ‘stressful’.
If your capacity isn’t what it once was, don’t just assume it’s an age, mindset, motivation or discipline thing.
You see, stress isn’t just about how you feel. It’s a whole-body response. When your system is carrying more than it can comfortably process, it affects how your body functions. That can show up as any/all of the bullets above.
Which leads to The Big Problem: if your body is stressed – and if you try to fix these things by trying harder – that just leads to more stress. Vicious circle. Never ends.
So, instead, upgrade your recovery from stress. Instead of doing a massive thing once, do small thing(s) a massive number of times! For example, here are three that my clients have recently achieved:
Reducing high blood pressure into a healthy range just by 2 minutes of deep, slow breathing to start the day
Winning a huge promotion at work, through reducing anxiety by 10-minute lunch time walks
Improved sales results, by improving sleep, thanks to 5 minutes of journalling before bed
Outstanding, impressive stuff! Just by repeatedly spending a few minutes each day doing an easy thing.
You can do this too. You don’t need a perfect routine. Just enough structure to support sufficient recovery. Over time, these small anchors enable your body to reset and build resilience to cope with whatever you choose to take on.
Let’s make healthy simple
Upgrade your recovery. Do one/more of these actions – or something similar. You’ll be amazed how much better you feel:
Start the day on your terms – don’t immediately rush into tasks or tech
Get outside early – early exposure to natural light sets your body’s rhythm to support your sleep later
Take short breaks between tasks. And move about more
Enjoyed this Healthy Nugget?
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