Stress can quickly creep up on you. One moment you might feel fine, and the next you will want to tear your hair out with tension or worry. Rather than allowing it to destroy your quality of life, you should look for different ways to soothe both your mind and body.

To rid your body of unwanted tension, read the below tips on how to successfully manage your stress levels.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

Do you regularly sip on coffee to get yourself through the working day? Maybe you enjoy a couple of glasses of wine or bottles of beer after work? If so, you must aim to reduce your intake of both caffeine and alcohol.

Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can actually increase your stress levels, instead of reducing them. While alcohol can turn into a depressant when consumed in large quantities, so do not use it as a way of alleviating stress, and it could cause your body more harm than good.

Keep a Stress Diary

A stress diary can be an effective stress management tool. As you will enter when you feel stressed each day, you can increase your awareness of the triggers that are causing you to feel strained.

For example, you should note the time, date and location of the stressful experience, and you should also note what you were doing, the people you were with, the food or drinks you consumed, and how you felt both emotionally and physically. By doing so, you could pinpoint a trigger to help you avoid a similar stressful experience.

Make Time for Yourself

It’s important to make time to simply unwind whenever you are struggling with your emotions. Set a little time aside to enjoy a hot bath, catch-up with friends, watch TV, or browse the internet. You could even embark on activities to help you take control of your stress levels. For example, there are many herbs that can help you indulge in a little relaxation, so you simply need to find the right bong that offers detoxifying bubbles.

Prioritize Your Tasks

Do you feel overwhelmed by your growing to-do list? It’s time to prioritize your task list. You must accept that it’s impossible to do everything in one quick swoop and start effectively managing your time. Make a list of all the tasks you need to complete and then number them by priority, one being the highest.

You also should note down what tasks you will need to do yourself, and the tasks that could be delegated to others. This will help you to identify how much time you have to tick each task off your list, and it can take some of the pressure off your shoulders.

Talk to Someone

Sometimes simply talking to someone is enough to make you happier and less tense. It can either distract your mind from nagging thoughts, or it could provide an opportunity to air your worries and remove some of the tension built up inside of you.

For example, if you’re feeling pressure at work, talk things through with a trusted colleague, who could put your concerns into perspective or help you to come up with a helpful solution to your problem. In addition to talking to a friend, partner or colleague, it might also be helpful to regularly discuss how you are feeling with a therapist.