Reading and writing are intense processes that require a lot of mental energy. As a writer and reviewer, you can subject yourself to strenuous schedules that are demanding not only on the brain but also on the body as a whole. There are quick and long term ways to deal with mental and bodily stress. This article deals with quick ways that you can easily make use of when feeling stressed.

Take a short walk

If you experience tiredness, an easy way to relax the mind is to take a short walk. While walking, take in what is happening in your surroundings. Listen to the rustle of the leaves and the breeze as it passes and notice the people walking around you. Do not fall into the temptation of thinking about work during this time. Concentrate only on what is happening around you as you enjoy the sounds of nature.

Have a glass of water

Dehydration has been known to raise stress levels. A sip of water taken periodically as you work will ensure that you do not become dehydrated and subsequently become fatigued and stressed. To avoid skipping on your daily amount requirement, keep the water at hand where you will not need to stand or walk to reach it. You could also take things a bit further by buying yourself an attractive water bottle that you will love having on your desk.

Note down five things you are grateful for

There are many times that we become stressed in the course of an ordinary week. It could be stress resulting from close deadlines, Monday blues or more serious matters such as an unnerving call from the doctor. While it is not always easy to instantly get rid of stress, we have simple tools around us that have the ability to reduce our stress levels if not eradicate stress completely. One such tool is gratitude. Being grateful for the good things in our lives shifts our perspectives considerably. Instead of viewing a day or week as completely bad, gratitude forces us to look at everything that has happened to us more closely and see the positive things in life.

A great way to be conscious of good things that have happened to us is by having a gratitude journal where we can make frequent entries of positive things that are happening in our lives. When you are discouraged, you can pull out this journal and remind yourself of what you are grateful for or list five new positive things to help change your outlook.

Have a go-to friend

Surround yourself with positive people and, more essentially, with that one person who you can have a conversation with no matter the time of day and who will be reassuring even when things go wrong. Having a conversation when you are stressed greatly relieves you of carrying the burden of the issue by yourself. Your friend could also help you see things from a different and more positive perspective than you had originally considered. However, keep in mind that your friend will need you too and you should also be available for them during similar times.