The Ultimate Blueprint for Stress-Free Life

In today’s world, stress is our shadow. We wake up to an onslaught of notifications, get through the day in an anxiety-filled environment, and then retire to bed thinking but incapable of turning off. There is an underlying conditioning here to believe that unless we're under stress, we're not doing our job.

But the reality is this: stress is not a factor in achieving success. On the contrary, stress is the number one factor that robs people of creativity, health, and happiness. You have had it up to here with being on alert all the time. It is time to change your lifestyle.

This isn’t a guide for things to do on a weekend, like a trip to the spa. This is a guide for creating a lifestyle in which peace is protected by all means necessary. This is the blueprint for achieving a lifestyle in which you can be totally stress-free.

The Psychology of Radical Essentialism

A great deal of stress is generated by realising that we have too much to do and not enough time to do it. This is because we want to be everything to others.

If you want a stress-free life, you have to develop an Essentialist mindset. This requires you to accept that you cannot do everything and it is actually okay. You need to accept this fact and stop trying to do everything.

Every time you answer yes to a social commitment you don't want to go to or to work when you don't have time for it, you are saying no to your mental health. Start practising the power of no with these phrases: I don't have the capacity to take that on at the moment.

Find what 20% of the things you do causes 80% of your anxiety. Is it a particular person, or perhaps a particular activity? Once you understand, you can find ways of either delegating, or eliminating the source of the anxiety.

Master Your Digital Environment

Our biggest source of stress is actually the device in our pockets. We are the first generation of human beings in history that has had to be on call to the entire planet 24/7. This is what keeps our Nervous System at High Alert.

Look at your phone settings right now. If it’s a notification that isn’t coming from a real-life human (a text, a call), turn it off. You don’t need a buzz in your pocket to alert you that someone liked a photo or that there is a sale.

Light emitted by the screen will prevent the secretion of melatonin and keep you wired. Schedule a Digital Sunset two hours before the actual sunset and give your brain something better to do while the lights are off, such as reading, writing, and talking. Inbox Zero vs. Inbox Calm: Avoid opening your inbox as the first thing you do in the morning. This is because, by doing so, you allow other people’s priorities to control the way you feel. Access your emails only at predetermined times in the day.

Biology of Calm; Fueling Your Nervous System

Your mind has to understand that when your body is locked in Fight or Flight, you cannot think your way out of it. A stress response is a biological process, and it has to be treated biologically.

Cortisol Flush: As you experience the sensation of anxiety, your system is overwhelmed with cortisol. Physical activity is the fastest way to eliminate cortisol. Taking a 10-minute brisk walk or performing 20 jumping jacks will convince your system that the predator is gone and will help normalise your heart rate. The 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise: This is the stress kill switch. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, and then breathe out forcefully for 8 seconds. This should be done four times to stimulate the Vagus Nerve, which makes your body relax.

Reclaiming Your Physical Space

Your outer world is a mirror of your inner world. Your cluttered, disorganised home or office translates into visual chaos, which is then processed in the brain.

To maintain your space clutter-free, you have to follow the one-touch rule. If an item takes less than two minutes (such as putting away your coat or loading your dinner dishes into the dishwasher), do it. This will save you from clutter and from having to spend your weekends cleaning. Pick a spot in your house or even a particular chair if you like, and declare it a stress-free zone, even if it is just for a particular chair. There are to be no phones, no work, or stressful talks allowed in this zone. Your brain will eventually link that particular spot with stress relief.

The Time-Blocking Revolution

One of the sources of our stress is the Never-Ending To-Do List. We feel stressed because of the amount of work before us and do not know where to begin.

Rather than spending all day doing emails, you could batch them into 30-minute intervals. Rather than spending three days a week grocery shopping, you could spend one day. This cuts down on switching costs. The mental effort of moving back and forth between different kinds of tasks.

It would be ideal if you could keep your Fridays or Mondays free from intense meetings. This is because having an extra day for catching up on administrative tasks and preparing for the week ahead prevents Sunday Scaries and ensures that you are not falling behind from the start.

Social Connection Vs Social Comparison

Human beings are social beings; however, in the social media age, we have become a people of comparison rather than connection.

The Comparison Trap

You are comparing your behind-the-scenes moments to their highlight reels when you scroll through their pictures and updates. This is causing you to feel inadequate and stressing you out.

High-Quality Connection:

Your stress will decrease greatly if you feel understood. You must share one quality, face-to-face conversation each week. Vulnerability is the cure for the belief that you have to deal with it all alone.

Power of the Micro-Sabbath

A year-long sabbatical is unnecessary if you are looking for peace. Micro-Sabbaths Small moments of unavailability for all things productive.

Simply taking a 20-minute break in a park or in the presence of trees has been shown to reduce stress hormones. Try something you’re not good at, for no other reason than for fun. From painting and gardening, all the way through playing an instrument, because there’s no goal and there’s no deadline, you allow your mind to achieve a Flow State, which is what your stressed mind needs, and that’s what a vacation’s all about.

The Journey to a Stress-Free Life

A stress-free lifestyle is not achieved without having a certain level of challenges in life. It is all about creating a fortress of mental health such that when faced with challenges, you do not break.

It’s as simple as making a choice: the choice to put the value of your peace above the value of your productivity. You are not a machine. You are a human. You are deserving of the life you are fighting so hard to create. Start today. Turn off your notifications, take a deep breath, and take back your time. The world waits; your well-being does not.