Stress is the sine qua non of modern life and the leading killer in modern society. We all struggle to juggle work and life responsibilities. We worry constantly, and our brain wheels are perpetually turning in first gear, often in multiple directions. Mental chatter, which has become a deeply embedded habit in our everyday life, is the basis of stress and anxiety. You can, however, re-program your mind to immunize it against mental chatter and hence stress. Here are five steps to engineer a stressless mind.
1. Tackle stressors at the source
Identify stressors and tackle them at the source. Avoidance and procrastination are in fact the most powerful stressors. When I was working towards my Ph.D., for example, I often resorted to creative cooking to evade the stress of writing difficult thesis chapters. Consequently, anxiety started creeping into my life, making me less productive and more frustrated. It was a vicious cycle! Whether it's a strained relationship or a nagging task, it is more time- and cost-effective to deal with the source as soon as possible. Realistic short-term goals are more effective, as they are less overwhelming than comprehensive or long term plans. For example, aim to write one page every hour vs. eight pages per day or to lose one pound every week rather than four pounds per month. The sense of fulfillment generated by accomplishing short-term tasks creates positive reinforcement and mitigates stress.
2. Change your lens
Researchers found that "eustress" or good stress can yield beneficial results. From an evolutionary perspective, the stress response enables us to meet imminent demands and thus survive, by improving physiological and mental functioning. But "stress about stress" contributes to its debilitating impact. Recent research suggests that improving one's response to stress may be a matter of shifting one's mindset. Over one week, participants viewed three videos presenting examples demonstrating either the enhancing nature of stress (first group) or the debilitating nature of stress (second group). Those in the first group shifted their perspective into a "stress-is-enhancing" mindset quite readily, and were more likely to actively utilize the stress toward enhancing ends, such as getting more productive at work. Participants in the second group more likely held a "stress-is-debilitating" mindset, engaged in coping and avoidance behaviors, and experienced more psychological stress and less productivity at work.
Reading biographies or remembering stories of successful people who made it through stressful times, celebrities or friends -- for example that friend who finished her MBA while juggling work and pregnancy -- can help develop a "stress-is-enhancing" mindset. Think about those people and write their names or post their pictures on your board to channel the stress response, putting the brain and body in an optimal position to perform. Remember your own success stories, too. Remembering that I aced four Ph.D. courses after sustaining an almost lethal accident is my antidote for slacking!
3. De-clutter your mind
We live in hectic times. Work follows us home through emails and phone calls, and social media strips us from rest, privacy and sometimes productivity, night and day. A recent study from the University of British Columbia found that a higher frequency of checking emails is associated with higher stress hormones, irrespective of the number of emails received, read, or responded to. Individuals who limit checking emails to three times per day have better outcomes on stress measures.
You don't have to be socially aloof to de-clutter your mind though. Simply allow some headspace by stopping external factors from creeping in. Start by decreasing distractions during the day. Dedicate a specific time, preferably at lunch break, to check your social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Mute and disable notifications from instant messaging applications such as Whatsapp and Viber, and dedicate two time slots per day for checking and responding to those messages. With email, disconnecting is trickier if your work requires electronic communication. Power down after 8 p.m., and disconnect all devices (at least from the internet). Instead of being hostage to technology, spend some time having fun with friends or finish sorting that big pile of documents on the counter!
4. De-clutter your home
De-stressing your mind necessitates a less stressful environment at home. Research shows that individuals experience more stress at home than at work, because our homes are constantly cluttered with unnecessary items as well as piles of documents that need to be sorted. Donate everything you don't need (including extra clothes, bags, shoes, and toys). Several charities such as the Diabetes or the Kidney societies receive gently used items. Not only will you have a more relaxing and mentally conducive environment without stressing about tidying up, you will also have a sense of gratification from helping others.
While purging, make sure you remove things associated with bad situations or memories, like that pair of crutches you're keeping in the back of the closet just in case! Keep however pictures of good memories around the house. That is sure to make you smile! Open up your curtains all day. Sunlight, even indirect through windows, has been linked to boosted melatonin and serotonin secretion, the chemicals responsible for happy mood.
5. Live in the moment
To live in the moment in peace (Lau Tzu), without ruminating about the past (cause of depression) or worrying about the future (cause of anxiety), is easier said than done. But some simple ways such as mindfulness meditation can help you build more awareness of, presence in, and appreciation of the moment. Practicing gratitude is another way, and has been shown to induce happiness, by helping you accept the present. Be constantly grateful for your family and friends, for lunch breaks, for the rain for watering the earth, for the traffic, for everything and everyone. Express your thankfulness frequently to everyone in your life, including yourself.
Mental stress is powerful and sneaky. Remember that diamond is just charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well, and accept that there are things you simply can't control or change.
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HuffPost's GPS for the Soul app is based on two truths about human beings. First: We all have a centered place of wisdom, harmony and balance within us. Second: We're all going to veer away from that place, again and again and again. What we need is a great course-correcting mechanism -- a GPS for the Soul -- to help us find our way back to that centered place, from which everything is possible.
Because no one knows better than you what helps you de-stress and tap into that place of peace inside yourself, it's important for you to create your very own GPS guide -- a personalized collection of whatever helps you course-correct. Email us at GPS@huffingtonpost.com and we'll set you up with your very own HuffPost blogger account to share your guide on the site. If you're already a blogger, we encourage you to upload your personal guide today. We can't wait to see what you have to share.