6 Things I stopped doing to better manage my stress

Stress and anxiety can feel almost identical, even though they are two very different things. When it comes to improving your mental health, know which one you're dealing is pretty important.

I'm going to show you how to determine whether what you're feeling is stress or anxiety, and then give you some practical things you can do today to help each.

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[Nancarrower]

Quick summary

1. (4:22) Stop watching/consuming the news.
2. (7:54) Stop watching sports.
3. (11:30) Stop being disorganised - organise your material possessions.
4. (15:23) Stop buying stuff you don't need - declutter.
5. (19:51) Set personal boundaries, stop saying 'yes' to everything all the time.
6. (23:01) Stop skipping the gym. Do physical exercise regularly.

[JemRochelle]

YES the news is the WORST! I stopped watching the news several years ago, and it was SO helpful for my mental health

[joanfolds]

It's unfortunate that individuals who experienced a traumatic childhood don't learn healthy boundaries. Therefore, they haven't been able to gauge their limits. Many suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). We may be able to enjoy our lives after we deal with our trauma. But, we can't relive our childhoods. Thanks for sharing this information.

[jeankipper]

I'm now almost 74, and I live near Seattle, Washington State. I quit watching (and reading) the news about 40 years ago, when the central story on a slow weekend was a vehicle accident that killed a number of kids, IN MISSISSIPPI. "If it bleeds it leads" is their mantra. It keeps our whole culture in angst and upset. Too upset about things that don't matter or that we can do nothing about, to think clearly. Absorbing ALL of our attention and energy, so we can't do anything about what we DO care about.

Despite avoiding the "news" or at least the editor's version of it, it's really impossible to avoid knowing what is going on. Truly. It's impossible. But turning down or out the screaming hysteria really helps.

[janicesitzes]

Being organized is so important and I have struggled with it for years .

[nurshark]

I’m an RN, BS. Nursing is the worst. There’s always a staffing shortage, who will care for the patients because Sue called out. Mary is on maternity leave, Beth is on vacation! Can you please help us in your days off????
What days off?! You constantly call me in every day I have off!
Patients need care but mistakes are high when you work 7 - 12 hour shifts!!!! It’s always so.
The hospital doesn’t want to hire extra RNs ($$$$) but the other nurses are burned out.
I retired early!! I couldn’t do it anymore. I was suffering and patient care was suffering.
I’m done and very happy!!!

[SandySez]

Stimulation, period. Glad you discussed the 'watching sports' example. There's something to be said for going out, chatting with friends, socializing, etc to offset depression. But at some point, when I hit rock bottom, I realized that my nervous system needed a break from ANY stimulation. Even what is typically considered positive & therapeutic activities. Anything very stimulating & mentally or physically draining was setting me back.

[Praetoriaan]

7. Don't have toxic people in your life. Avoid emotional manipulation at all costs. Choose your partner and friends based on this principle

[amandachamberlain]

Disorganization is my big issue right now, but it's not simple to fix in my situation.

[InMyBrz]

YOU are 100% correct
I am stuck at home spending too much time online and at YT
Right now that is what I do
When I go out shopping or for a walk, talking to people, I feel 100% better
I need to limit my online and YT time and spend more time walking around people, walking on the beach, trying to get at least 5, 000 steps per day

[janicesitzes]

I had to stop watching the news, it was making my anxiety so much worse . I have felt so much better. If I want to know what is going on in the world I may pick up a newspaper and read it. It’s a boundary I can put in place to protect what I bring into my life.

[Yoshoggutha]

Watching the news is pure poison for the human mind. Sports aren't even entertaining anymore, and it's all the same boring nonsense that doesn't affect your life in any way. Put the damn phone down. DO NOT use your phone for the first two hours when you wake up instead of reaching for it the second your eyes open. Find a piece of nature and go hiking or walk with music on, and you'll feel infinitely better. Go to the gym for an hour each day, and you'll notice a huge difference in your mood.

[j.r.]

"It's a cultural thing to be a mild hoarder" (especially for all of us living in the US).
So true! I am from Europe, but my husband is American and we do currently live in the US. He definitely has an issue with owning too much and having a very hard time letting things go. It causes me so much (unnecessary) stress! I definitely want to go into a more minimalistic direction myself, it's just hard to start when it seems so overwhelming and you have to deal with resistance from your partner as well as your own.I started, but then gave up again because it's just so much.

[liam-rbeb]

It's SO important to also monitor your social media/digital consumption

[Yoshoggutha]

If you have too much frivolous crap, start selling it online. I've made over 5k selling my collectibles and books on Mercari over the course of a year. It feels great when you make a sale!

[charlottebronte]

A person only has so much room in their brain for anything. I’ve found that rather than watching actual sporting events much, I enjoy shows that analyze sports teams of the past, or sports movies.

[kimsnyder]

I grew up with two narcisstic parents so I struggled with hoarding. Of course I married a covert narcissist unknowingly. But I spent a huge amount of time organizing our lives and home including spending weeks organizing paperwork into a mainstreamed filing system. A year and a half later while I was going to school and working and taking care of the baby and taking care of the man child and doing all chores and maintenance I came home to find my husband dumped all the files in with all the papers to be filed and bills to be paid and all the other papers he could find into a big mixed up mess. I felt myself break that day. That was nearly three decades ago and I haven't been able to recover from it... yet. The husband is no longer in my life.

[andreah]

Congratulations on reaching your 100th podcast today, and on deciding the main focus of your second book! Thank you for sharing so much of your time, knowledge, experience, and encouragement.

[artsyladie]

I can so very much relate to what you are saying today! And I stopped watching TV news/MSM and internet headlines 3 years ago or so. I feel so much calmer in that regard. And I learned to limit my social media in various effective ways but to still enjoy and be in the know. Thanks Scott!!

[franification]

I am a Sociologist! And I had to change my professional career because I was only getting internships doing social research. They made me feel that I was lucky enough that they want me to work for free. I love sociology but I moved on to social work because I was always working for free....