I really never considered myself to be high stress or anxiety-filled. And then 2020 happened. The last year has done a number on my stress levels, and one of my biggest goals this year is to reduce the stress in my life drastically.
A lot of stressors are valid. Things like jobs, pandemics, politics, and finances are all things that we can’t fully control, which is where many peoples’ stress stems – lack of control. But there are plenty of things that we can do on a daily basis to balance our lives and regain some semblance of regulation.
Reducing stress shouldn’t ADD more things to your plate. When I started thinking about what I could do this year to help manage, I wanted to have small, daily tasks that would truly bring some relief.
I’ve partnered with OLLY today to share these amazing, everyday stress relievers with you and all of the supplements I am going to be taking throughout the year.
This blog post is sponsored by OLLY. All opinions are my own.
FIVE THINGS I DO EVERY DAY TO REDUCE STRESS
CREATE A ROUTINE
All of this work from home, kids in and out of school with distance learning, and not much on our agendas has made routines fly out the window. But something that has helped me so much in the last few weeks has been to reset my sleep schedule and get back in a routine.
Making sure I in bed at the same time each night helps me to have good mornings and more brainpower to get through the day. I find my hormones and stress much more even when I am well-rested.
CUT DOWN CAFFEINE
I know, I know. This one is actually kind of hard. But caffeine has been linked to heightened cortisol levels, which in turn can elevate stress. While you don’t have to cut out caffeine entirely, I highly suggest getting down to just one cup of coffee a day and swapping to decaf tea in the afternoon. Since cutting out coffee in early pregnancy, I haven’t had any of those afternoon slumps like I used to.
SUPPLEMENTS
Everyone should be taking a daily vitamin, but there are supplements that are designed specifically to help aid in stress reduction like the OLLY Goodbye Stress Gummies. Goodbye Stress Gummies are formulated with three key actives that help manage and balance stress.
GABA ( is a naturally occurring amino acid that can quickly support a more relaxed state of mind. L-THEANINE is another amino acid commonly found in tea leaves that helps support relaxation without any grogginess. And Lemon Balm is a lemon-scented herb that has been used to help quiet the mind for centuries.
All vitamins are best taken regularly to see the most benefits, but I was able to feel an automatic calming when I first tried these. I take these before I do my skincare, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed, and by the time I hit the sheets, all the stress has melted away.
I’m also going to be trying out Active Immunity and the Collagen Rings. I’ll be sure to report back with updates!
MEDITATION
I’m a little behind on the mediation train, but I was honestly such a skeptic. I just didn’t think it would really be for me. Over the winter holidays, I really found myself needing to calm my mind and relax a bit, so I decided to try out the HEADSPACE app.
When I tell you I wanted to cry from relief after my first three-minute session, I am not exaggerating. It has become one of my favorite daily routines that I do every afternoon to take my mind from work mode to mom mode. It leaves me feeling peaceful, refreshed, and open to whatever is thrown my way. You can choose what types of mediation you want to do, length, and even your focus!
GET OUTSIDE
A little fresh air and sunlight do everyone wonders. Especially during these winter months when our vitamin D levels are low. I walk to pick my son up every day, and I look forward to that 45 minutes so much. But beyond that, I make it a point to stay outside as long as possible whenever I’m walking the dog, checking the mail, or even running an errand.
Sit outside to drink your coffee or scroll through your socials. Soak up a little sunshine and remind yourself of how good it feels to just be.
I would love to hear of any additional tips you may have to help reduce stress, create a positive environment, and keep your anxiety in check. Drop them below in the comments!
Elizabeth says
I love Olly! I take the Sleep ones right before bed and they help me fall asleep and stay asleep better than anything else I’ve tried!
Madeline Gutierrez says
They are on my list to try out!