Life in 2018 is undoubtedly stressful, with one in five people in the UK taking time off due to work related stress. Managing stress clearly should be more of a priority for most people, to avoid health problems, whether they are physical or mental.

Today we’re offering a few ways you can cut down some stress in your life, and feel a little brighter and more alert into the bargain.

Embrace Minimalism

Scientists have proved that clutter actually causes stress. If you’re coming home to a house where you can’t find what you need because your most necessary possessions are obscured with mess, where your brain is overstimulated with an overpacked house, and you’re constantly reminded of your previously failures to tidy and organise wherever you look, you won’t be able to relax.

You need a home that you can come back to and relax in whatever way you need to, and step one is making some space. If you near to clear away a lot of furniture to give you space to tidy or make room by getting a collection out of the house, it’s worth looking into a storage unit. If you search for storage companies, London has plenty to offer and this gives you an extra margin of space to help get your home in order.

Exercise

Finding time to exercise is important to maintaining both physical and mental equilibrium. Even moderate exercise helps you feel better on a day to day basis, which cuts stress, and helps to reduce background medical conditions which also helps you function at your peak.

Getting exercise doesn’t necessarily means spending an inordinate amount on a gym membership, or expensive running shoes. You need to fit your exercise routine comfortably into your life, around your budget, work commitments and physical needs: if it’s a burden, it makes it very hard to stick to that routine – witness the number of people who sign up to a gym in January, stop going by February and pay for the rest of the year!

The right exercise routine for you might simply be getting off the train a stop early to walk the extra distance home, or swimming a few lengths at the weekend. The important thing is that it’s something you can do sustainably, that it benefits you by raising your heartrate and that it meets your physical needs. If you can find something that satisfies those conditions, you’ll find yourself calmer, healthier and happier!