Resolve Your Stress and Depression in Just 15 Minutes a Day

Do you feel stressed out and depressed? It could be that you’re just lacking the right tools to be able to get back on track again and feel happy and fulfilled in life. Luckily, there’s now a self-help program that will help you change your mindset in just 15 minutes a day, making it easier to fight stress and depression at the same time!

Write down your thoughts

In today’s fast-paced society, stress is inevitable. However, there are ways to reduce its effect on your life. One way is to take just fifteen minutes a day to yourself. Here are some quick tips for reducing stress in just fifteen minutes:

1) Take deep breaths – Breathing deeply can help relieve tension by providing oxygen which helps you think clearly and feel more relaxed.

2) Write down what’s bothering you – Journaling can help get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper where they can be dealt with or forgotten about later when you’re feeling better.

3) Exercise – A quick workout doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming; it could just be some pushups or jumping jacks.

Close your eyes and imagine yourself on a beach

Closing your eyes can help you relax. Imagine yourself on the beach with the ocean breeze caressing your skin. Watch as seagulls soar overhead, feeling their call echo in your heart.

You feel at peace as you listen to the sound of waves crashing on the shoreline, washing away any negativity that may have been weighing down upon you. Take deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth as you count to ten. Now imagine yourself back home again, refreshed by this short but sweet escape from reality.

Listen to relaxation music

Listening to relaxing music can help you relax from the inside out, as it lowers your heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Music therapy has also been shown to be effective at treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

A study found that patients who listened to music for two weeks experienced lower levels of depression. The music does not have to be instrumental or classical–whatever makes you feel good is what should be played. Some people find that listening to songs with lyrics is distracting, while others find them comforting. If lyrics are not your thing but you still want something upbeat, try playing some dance music!

Think about all you have accomplished today

It’s been a full day already, so you’ve accomplished plenty. I hope you’re feeling accomplished! What are some of the things that you have done today?

Maybe you went to the grocery store and stocked up on food. Perhaps you made it through your morning commute without being cut off by another car. Or maybe you finished your work before lunchtime – either way, these are all things that deserve a celebration!

It’s important to acknowledge what we’ve done because oftentimes we can get caught up in what we haven’t done yet or regret past mistakes. Don’t let today go by without recognizing all of your successes!

Remind yourself that you are only human

It can be easy to beat ourselves up with the I should have done this, or I could have done this better thoughts. But, it’s important to remind yourself that you are only human. You’re trying your best, and you deserve credit for that. It’s okay if you don’t do everything perfectly. You can still be proud of what you’ve accomplished, so give yourself permission to take a break from being hard on yourself.

Take up hobbies

You can start out by just reading about some of the hobbies. You will find that there are many different things you can do to relieve your stress and depression. For example, you could take up photography, knitting, scrapbooking, or any other hobby that is creative. You may want to try something more physical like running or biking. These types of activities can be very effective at alleviating stress as well as releasing endorphins which will make you feel better overall.

Think positively about the people around you

It is important to remember that there are many people around you who care about you. They may not always be able to help, but they want to. There will be times when things seem hard or hopeless. You might feel like you have no one on your side, but you do. You deserve friends and family who want the best for you and want to help with your problems.

Smile

Stress and depression can take over your life if you let them. This is the first step to getting back on top of your life. Sitting down for just fifteen minutes each day can make all the difference in how you feel. The following are some easy ways to combat stress, anxiety, or depression:

Exercise for at least 20 minutes every day by doing activities like running, swimming, taking a walk, etc.

Be kinder to yourself

One of the best ways to feel more positive is to be kinder to yourself. We are often our own harshest critics, but if we can learn to treat ourselves with more kindness and compassion, it will make us feel better about who we are as people. Learn how by considering the following:

• Learn to forgive yourself when you don’t do something well or fail at something.
• Don’t expect perfection from yourself or others.
• Take time for yourself every day, whether it’s meditating, going for a walk, or taking care of your skin (especially during winter).
• Be gentle with yourself when you make mistakes instead of beating yourself up over them.