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I chose this video to add to my theme of less stress, not only because being organized can help reduce stress but also allow you to find what you need, get things done on time, and much more. I like this video's advice and it stood out to me because many people who are in high school or college, or even out of school aren't organized. Those who aren't organized tend to lose, not get things done, etc. In this video, his advice on how to keep your organization maintained will help many of those who struggle to either get organized or remain organized. The organization helps to reduce the stress of feeling worried and can make people feel in control of what they have making their lives easier. I think that if people who stress a lot were to watch this video and take the advice, their lives would be way easier and either stress free or have less stress.

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How I Organize My Notes, Homework, and School Files - College Info Geek

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I chose this video to add to my theme of less stress because having a set routine can help limit and lessen the amount of stress put on someone. When you wake up knowing what your plan is for the day you don't have to worry about what is next. Having a set morning routine can get your days started on the right note and help you make sure that you are on time. I liked the advice in the video because like the guy said, it helps you have a well-structured and prepared day for what is to come for you. Not only has having a morning routine helped many people get through their day, but it has helped successful people grow and become how great they are today. By following this advice people can wake up on a positive note, know what is to come, and not have to stress and worry about not being on time or getting things done.

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How to Create a Morning Routine (and Stick to It Long-Term)

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I chose to include this video into my theme of less stress because in this video he states good tips on how to not feel overwhelmed leading you to feeling stressed. Often people feel overwhelmed by how much is on their plate each day. Each day the tasks build and build up which leads to feeling stressed and like you can't get anything done. This typically leads people to over-thinking and not getting anything done. I like the tips in this video because he states tips that can help anyone not feel overwhelmed like seeing what you need to do (most important things, and then making sure you have your routine down (having a routine set can help you stay organized and manage time to get everything done), and even knowing what your priorities are (what needs to get done first). These tips can help people not feel as though their plate is as full and can help them get everything done, leading to not stressing as much.

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How to Stop Being Constantly Overwhelmed

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I chose this article because having a strong and sturdy routine helps to limit stress and benefits many aspects of your life. The tips in this video can help others get things done when needed to be done and stay on task while managing their time. This video corresponds with my theme because having a routine helps to maintain a strong well balanced lifestyle while making sure that you know what you are doing when you are doing it.

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But not so fast. In recent years, there's been a quiet swelling of interest in what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle once called "the dull routine of existence." Researchers have found that routine can have far-reaching psychological benefits, including alleviating bipolar disorder, ADHD, and insomnia. Here's the lowdown on some other ways a routine might benefit you. Routine to alleviate anxiety and stress Dr. Steve Orma, a CBT clinical psychologist who specializes in treating insomnia, anxiety, and stress, tells me that routine is a big part of the work he does in all these areas. "To manage anxiety," he says, "you need to consistently check in with yourself about what you're worrying about, then address it. Just as we create routines with exercise for our physical bodies, we should do the same for our mental health. One way to do this is scheduling 'thinking time' to think through any problems or worries weighing on you instead of letting them build up." This is one reason that daily journaling can be helpful for those who struggle with anxiety. Orma adds: "Routine also helps with stress ... Create a set schedule for doing chores, work tasks, meetings, exercise, paying bills, and all the usual things you need to do. Put these into your schedule. Once this becomes your normal routine, it's easier to accomplish everything, because it becomes habit." As a paperwork-phobe, I identify strongly with this: since I started setting aside 20 minutes a day to keep on top of life admin, instead of letting it grow into a mountain I die on every few months, I sleep better and enjoy each day more.

Career coach and writer Marty Nemko points out another soothing effect: a routine is "something you know you can do well," he tells me, which can be comforting during tough times: "Modern life, increasingly defined by unpredictability, can be anxiety-provoking, and routines provide an anchor of predictability."

Routine for creativity and productivity

Look at the lives of famously gifted and creative people-including Freud, Beethoven, and Georgia O'Keeffe, to name but a few -and you'll see that many of them optimized their daily lives to get on top of their games. Routine was their secret weapon. Here's internationally bestselling author Haruki Murakami talking to The Paris Review: "When I'm in writing mode for a novel, I get up at 4 a.m. and work for five to six hours. In the afternoon, I run for 10 kilometers or swim for 1,500 meters (or do both), then I read a bit and listen to some music. I go to bed at 9 p.m. I keep to this routine every day without variation. The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it's a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind." This is an intense example-maybe even a bit frightening, depending on how you feel about swimming. But you don't have to wake up at 4 a.m. to reap these rewards. The key benefit of routine for creative people is its regularity: if you find what works for you and then turn it into a process that requires zero thought, you free your mind for more important things.

Making time for what matters to you

Here's another crucial bonus: routines allow you to carve out time to pursue your passion every single day. Once it's a routine, there's no more wriggling out of painting or writing or working on your business plan because you're too tired or the muse eludes you. Daily practice is a game-changer for creativity. Among other things, it keeps projects constantly percolating in the unconscious mind-and research shows just how powerful the unconscious mind is, helping us to reach better decisions than active thought.

As Marty Nemko told me: "Having a routine helps ensure you do things well. For example, if your routine includes a daily shower, you'll continually get better at it." Sure, it's harder to perfect your prose style than the way you wash your hair, but the same logic applies: daily practice is where the magic happens. And if one of the things you happen to incorporate into your daily routine is a meditation practice, you'll amplify all of the benefits mentioned here, since meditation boosts creativity and productivity while alleviating stress and anxiety.

How to create a great routine

Dr. Orma has some advice: "Sit down with a pad of paper and write out everything you do each day over the course of a week. See what you can cut or reduce. Then see what you can set as a normal routine, something you do at a set time each day or week. It has to work with your lifestyle. If you like to stay up late, getting up early as part of your routine may not work." Once you have your routine, give it a little time and it'll start to feel like second nature-but if you realize something isn't working, don't be afraid to change it. Sports psychologist Dr. Jim Taylor, an expert on the power of routine for athletes in training, tells me: "It can be worthwhile to alter routines periodically to keep things fresh and stimulating." This is another secret bonus of routines: once you've established one, the merest of tweaks can totally revitalize your day.

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The secret benefit of routines. It won’t surprise you. - Headspace

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I chose this article because exercising has been proven in many studies to help limit and reduce stress for many people. Exercise often leaves people feeling happy, positive, and motivated to get through their day and feel good about themselves. This article ties in with my theme of lessening stress because exercise is an activity that can help many prevent and limit the amount of stress they have each day.

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Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress

Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries.
By Mayo Clinic Staff
You know that exercise does your body good, but you're too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine. Hold on a second - there's good news when it comes to exercise and stress.

Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you're not an athlete or even if you're out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management. Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief - and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

Exercise and stress relief

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity may help bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, any aerobic activity, such as a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike, can contribute to this same feeling.

It reduces negative effects of stress. Exercise can provide stress relief for your body while imitating effects of stress, such as the flight or fight response, and helping your body and its systems practice working together through those effects. This can also lead to positive effects in your body - including your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems - by helping protect your body from harmful effects of stress.

It's meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball, a long walk or run, or several laps in the pool, you may often find that you've forgotten the day's irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements.

As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you stay calm, clear and focused in everything you do.

It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, improve your mood, help you relax, and lower symptoms of mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All of these exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

Put exercise and stress relief to work for you

A successful exercise program begins with a few simple steps.

Consult with your doctor. If you haven't exercised for some time or you have health concerns, you may want to talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Walk before you run. Build up your fitness level gradually. Excitement about a new program can lead to overdoing it and possibly even injury.

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Examples of moderate aerobic activity include brisk walking or swimming, and vigorous aerobic activity can include running or biking. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits.

Also, aim to do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week.

Do what you love. Almost any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Examples include walking, stair climbing, jogging, dancing, bicycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming.

And remember, you don't need to join a gym to get moving. Take a walk with the dog, try body-weight exercises or do a yoga video at home.

Pencil it in. In your schedule, you may need to do a morning workout one day and an evening activity the next. But carving out some time to move every day helps you make your exercise program an ongoing priority. Aim to include exercise in your schedule throughout your week.

Stick with it

Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or refreshing a tired workout:

Set SMART goals. Write down SMART goals - specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited goals.

If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week. Or try online fitness videos at home. Or, if needed, find a babysitter to watch your children so that you can slip away to attend a cycling class.

Find a friend. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to show up at the gym or the park can be a powerful incentive. Try making plans to meet friends for walks or workouts. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member often brings a new level of motivation and commitment to your workouts. And friends can make exercising more fun!

Change up your routine. If you've always been a competitive runner, take a look at other, less competitive options that may help with stress reduction, such as Pilates or yoga classes. As an added bonus, these kinder, gentler workouts may enhance your running while also decreasing your stress.

Exercise in short bursts. Even brief bouts of physical activity offer benefits. For instance, if you can't fit in one 30-minute walk, try a few 10-minute walks instead. Being active throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits. Take a mid-morning or afternoon break to move and stretch, go for a walk, or do some squats or pushups.

Interval training, which entails brief (60 to 90 seconds) bursts of intense activity at almost full effort, can be a safe, effective and efficient way of gaining many of the benefits of longer duration exercise. What's most important is making regular physical activity part of your lifestyle.

Whatever you do, don't think of exercise as just one more thing on your to-do list. Find an activity you enjoy - whether it's an active tennis match or a meditative meander down to a local park and back - and make it part of your regular routine. Any form of physical activity can help you unwind and become an important part of your approach to easing stress.

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Show references

1. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity/current-guidelines. Accessed Aug. 10, 2020.

2. AskMayoExpert. Physical activity (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2020.

3. Working out boosts brain health. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/exercise-stress. Accessed Aug. 10, 2020.

4. Seaward BL. Physical exercise: Flushing out the stress hormones. In: Essentials of Managing Stress. 4th ed. Jones & Bartlett Publishers; 2017.

5. Bodenheimer T, et al. Goal-setting for behavior change in primary care: An exploration and status report. Patient Education and Counseling. 2009; doi:10.1016/j.pec.2009.06.001.

6. Locke E, et al. Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist. 2002; doi:10.1037//0003-066x.57.9.705.

7. Olpin M, et al. Healthy lifestyles. In: Stress Management for Life. 4th ed. Cengage Learning; 2016.

8. Laskwoski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 12, 2020.

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Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress

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Discover the connection between exercise and stress relief - and why exercise should be part of your stress management plan.

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