Organising a Wedding is stressful, you’ll be dealing with suppliers, budgets and in-laws all while you’re working full-time, hitting the gym and cutting out carbs. So, when we read this Californian psychology teacher’s Brett Phillips 101 hacks for reducing stress, we knew we had to share with you.
- Wake up 15 minutes earlier
- Prepare for the morning the night before
- Avoid tight fitting clothes
- Avoid relying on chemical aids
- Set appointments ahead
- Don’t rely on your memory… write it down
- Practice preventative maintenance
- Make duplicate keys
- Say ‘no’ more often
- Set priorities in your life
- Avoid negative people
- Use time wisely
- Simplify meal times
- Always make copies of important papers
- Anticipate your needs
- Repair anything that doesn’t work properly
- Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
- Break large tasks into bite-size portions
- Look at problems as challenges
- Look at challenges differently
- Unclutter your life
- Smile
- Be prepared for rain
- Tickle a baby
- Pet a friendly cat or dog
- Don’t know all the answers
- Look for a silver lining
- Say something nice to someone
- Teach a kid to fly a kite
- Walk in the rain
- Schedule play time into every day
- Take a bubble bath
- Be aware of the decisions you make
- Believe in yourself
- Stop saying negative things to yourself
- Visualise yourself winning
- Develop your sense of humour
- Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
- Have goals for yourself
- Dance a jig
- Say ‘hello’ to a stranger
- Ask a friend for a hug
- Look up at the stars
- Practice breathing slowly
- Learn to whistle a tune
- Read a poem
- Listen to a symphony
- Watch a ballet
- Read a story while curled up in bed
- Do a brand new thing
- Stop a bad habit
- Buy yourself a flower
- Take time to smell the flowers
- Find support from others
- Ask someone to be your vent partner
- Do it today
- Work at being cheerful and optimistic
- Put safety first
- Do everything in moderation
- Pay attention to your appearance
- Strive for excellence, not perfection
- Stretch your limits a little each day
- Look at a work of art
- Hum a jingle
- Maintain your weight
- Plant a tree
- Feed the birds
- Practice grace under pressure
- Stand up and stretch
- Always have a ‘plan b’
- Learn a new doodle
- Memorise a joke
- Be responsible for your feelings
- Learn to meet your own needs
- Become a better listener
- Know your limitations and let others know them too
- Tell someone to have a good day in pig Latin
- Throw a paper plane
- Exercise every day
- Learn the words to a new song
- Get to work early
- Clean out one closet
- Play patty cake with a toddler
- Go on a picnic
- Take a different route to work
- Leave work early
- Put air freshener in your car
- Watch a movie and eat popcorn
- Write a note to a faraway friend
- Go to a ball game and scream
- Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
- Recognise the importance of unconditional love
- Remember that stress is an attitude
- Keep a journal
- Practice a monster smile
- Remember you always have options
- Have a support network of people, places and things
- Quit trying to fix other people
- Get enough sleep
- Talk less and listen more
- Freely praise other people
Images from Madeleine and David’s Wedding. Photography by Aleksandar Jason Weddings.
