Take a break from stress with a quick mindful activity

We all struggle with stress at some point, regardless of our financial situation or lifestyle. It can be triggered by many different factors, from a stressful job to family issues, illness to social obligations, or even as a result of other mental health problems.

Stress can be triggered by a specific event or task, or it can be an all-consuming result of other worries in your life. While it’s not easy to eradicate stress from your life completely, the key is finding balance and working on your well-being.

What is wellbeing and how is it linked to stress

Wellbeing means different things to different people, but you can break it down to simplistic terms– how well are you at being? This could mean how you're feeling, how well you're coping with daily life, or what feels possible in this moment.

“You may live with a mental health problem, but have good wellbeing right now. Or you might not have a mental health problem, but be struggling with your wellbeing at the moment”. - Mind.

It’s sometimes easier to describe and notice signs of poor wellbeing. Here are some of the most common signs: 

• Feeling like you can’t cope
• Constantly overwhelmed
• Low motivation
• Becoming increasingly isolated socially
• Not enjoying the things you used too
• Not eating properly
• Not getting enough exercise 
• Having poor sleep

Feeling stressed doesn’t necessarily mean you have poor wellbeing. In fact, small amounts of stress can help us feel energised and motivated to complete tasks. We might then experience a feeling of reward which gives us a release of dopamine (one of the happy hormones).

But feeling stressed all the time isn’t sustainable, and sooner or later it’ll start to take its toll on your wellbeing. When we get stressed, we naturally go into ‘fight or flight’ mode. This prehistoric instinct prepares us to tackle the problem head on, or make a quick getaway from it. 

When this happens, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol (often called the stress hormones). These two hormones effectively ‘pump you up’ to deal with the problem, giving you a boost of energy and blood sugar. Your heart beats faster, your blood pressure rises, your muscles tense up, and your immune system goes into high alert. 

In the short term, this helps us to deal with the immediate threat, but if you are continually stressed, you’ll remain in this state. The body’s response becomes detrimental. High blood pressure, fatigue, aching, lower immune system, stomach and digestive problems… and that’s just some of the physical effects.

Chronic and prolonged stress can also take a huge toll on our mental health. This can lead to anxiety, depression, mood swings and irritability, difficulty concentrating and making decisions, forgetfulness, headaches and insomnia.

---

How to combat stress and improve your wellbeing

The key to combatting stress is to find balance and make space to focus on improving your wellbeing. However, if you’re struggling to cope with your stress, you should talk to your GP or alternatively you can find lots of helpful information in Mind’s guide to seeking help. 

Different things work for different people, but if you’re in a stressful situation the simplest and most immediate thing you can do is take a break. This might not always be possible, especially if you are in a position of responsibility. If it is safe to do so, removing yourself from a stressful environment or a situation for a few minutes can provide you with enough of a distraction to calm down and regain control.

Similarly, taking time to try and relax will also help, be it just having some quiet time or doing meditation. Doing something that releases that rewarding dopamine can also help to give you that extra confidence to go back and tackle the stressful subject.

Going outside is a good idea too, especially if you’re able to get somewhere with nature or trees. A study in 2019 showed that spending just 20 minutes in nature was enough to significantly reduce cortisol levels. 

But by far our favourite stress-combatting solution is to do something you enjoy – especially if it involves an element of creativity. 

All sorts of hobbies have been shown to be beneficial to well-being, providing not only a welcome distraction from stress but also a sense of achievement and self-worth. You don’t have to be a master craftsman or a professional musician; pretty much anything that requires a bit of dedicated focus can be helpful. Be it drawing, baking a cake, planting a seed or completing a jigsaw puzzle.

The tricky thing is, when you’re overwhelmed with stress and a mile-long to-do list, it can be hard to separate yourself and justify ‘you-time’.

---

Regular wellbeing – Straight to your door with Pause

The mental health charity Mind has loads of helpful advice on how to manage stress, as well as a wealth of information on mental health problems and how to get help. 

But information isn’t all they do! Their Pause subscription box makes mindfulness more convenient than ever, by bringing you wellbeing delivered to your door every month.

The Pause subscription box is a brilliant monthly service where supporters receive a Pause box through the post. Each box contains an activity designed to encourage creativity, relaxation, a new skill, or simply to offer a moment of calm.

They keep the contents of each box a surprise (although you can often find clues on the Pause Instagram), which we think helps to make it that bit more exciting and engaging. Previous examples of box activities include origami, quilling, colouring, and flower pressing.

It costs just £8 to sign up (although you can of course choose to donate more if you're able to), and you'll receive a box every month for the first 12 months of your subscription.

This fabulous subscription service not only enables you to get a monthly activity and an opportunity to set aside some dedicated wellbeing time, but you’ll also be supporting the important work of Mind. 

This vital charity does far more than just offering information on their website and support phonelines. Mind speak out against unfair treatment and campaigns for change in healthcare, work and legal systems. They also connect individuals and communities with mental health services and peer-to-peer support.

Give the gift of calming craft

The Pause subscription box is a great way of improving your own wellbeing and makes a thoughtful gift for someone you care about.

We all struggle with gifts on annual occasions, but giving the gift of a subscription box is a great way to treat your friends or family the whole year round. 

Your high-flying friend in that intense job or your stressed-out sister with two small kids might not have the headspace to try each box as soon as it pops through the letterbox, but it’s there for them to reach for when they need it. It might just provide a precious five minutes of peace.

Plus, you can be happy in the knowledge that you’re supporting one of the UK’s leading mental health charities.

Terms & Conditions:
By signing up, you agree to a monthly donation of £8. The Pause subscription box will be sent each month for the first 12 months. After this period, the monthly donation will continue unless cancelled. You can cancel at any time. See the Mind website for full terms and conditions - www.pauseformind.org.uk/terms