What are the best ways to take the sting out of the pressures and strains of a day on the tools? The advice is that best short-term stress relief comes with things that can be performed anywhere, take very little practice to master, are free and provide immediate relief, according to this month's column from the Dart Centre.
Working as a news journalist can be especially hectic at times and, if any extra stress isn’t managed and relieved, this may lead to burnout or worse.
Maintaining a healthy diet, ensuring adequate hydration, having good sleep habits and taking regular exercise all can help deal with the usual life and work stresses.
However, if you struggle to eliminate at least some stressors from your busy life, there are things you can do to relieve built-up tension and stress, both in the moment and in the longer term.
What follows is a smorgasbord of no-cost and usually low-cost, constructive actions that can be taken immediately to help restore and maintain equilibrium and, over time, help sustain your career. Links to more information are provided for each suggestion.
Everyone is an individual – with a unique background, experiences, expectations and preferences – so you may want to try a few to find the one/s that work best for you.
It’s perfectly fine that some people de-stress through physical activities, either alone or with others, some prefer quieter pursuits, while others again might mix it up from time to time.
You’ll probably find the best short-term stress relief comes with things that can be performed anywhere, take very little practice to master, are free and provide immediate relief.
An important note, however: If you are already experiencing disruptive symptoms after exposure to one or more traumatic stories, while these activities may help, the Dart Centre Asia Pacific strongly recommends that, should your symptoms persist for more than a month, see a trauma-trained medical practitioner as early as you can. (Delaying help-seeking can prolong and potentially worsen traumatic stress symptoms, eventually interfering with your personal and professional life.)
Free, short-term relief
- Head outside your office or working space to get some daylight, even 5-15 minutes three times a week can be beneficial
- Sample some breathing techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation, and use these whenever you feel tension or stress levels rising
- Give (and receive) hugs – this releases oxytocin, a feel-good hormone
- Try one of these free guided meditation apps and learn to practice mindfulness
- Consider trying guided imagery, which can also help relieve chronic stress
- Explore tapping, an emotional freedom technique, it might seem a little odd but it is easy to learn and do
- Acknowledge gratitude for things that are going well for you and others – write these down or, like a colleague did, take a positive photograph every day, perhaps posting on social media
- Practise positive affirmations and here are a few to get you started.
Other, usually low-cost options
- Go for a long, relaxing walk outside in nature – Victoria has plenty of great options – remembering to prepare wisely
- Journal your thoughts and concerns so you can track how you are travelling over time – this can be in form of words or even drawings, if you have that gift – on paper, your computer or your smartphone
- Leisure activities that reduce stress include gardening, reading, listening to music or a podcast, playing an instrument or with a pet, swimming, floating, group exercise classes, creating art or crafts, enjoying a hobby, doing puzzles, dancing, cooking, photography, yoga, tai chi, playing sport, fishing, spending time with good friends, even taking a long bath ... take your pick
- Reduce alcohol consumption by trying some of these alternatives
- Try aromatherapy, which can be readily done by
- taking deep breaths from an open essential oil bottle (see link for suggestions)
- placing few drops on a cotton ball and positioning it nearby as you relax
- putting a few drops in hot water, leaning over the bowl with covering your head with a towel, then breathing in that scented steam
- While it can cost a bit more, a massage can quickly lower the amount of the stress-induced hormone cortisol while releasing serotonin, a neurotransmitter hormone known as the “happy chemical” – together these can bring immediate emotional and physical benefits.
TIP: Before resorting to any over-the-counter stress relief supplements, it’s wise to consult your medical practitioner who can advise on any potential counterindications with any prescription medicines you take.
Journalists are typically pretty focused people, so while it might be tempting to think that you’re “too busy” to do any of the above, be honest when you consider just how disruptive untreated stress could become.
It will be worth your while spending a few minutes now to potentially stave off hours, days, weeks or months of time where you are unable to work to your potential, or even at all.
Caveat: The above suggestions and links are provided for information purposes only and should not be considered professional medical or psychological advice. Never disregard advice from a medical or allied health professional, nor delay in seeking advice because of something you read here or elsewhere on the internet.
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By Trina McLellan, the chair of the Dart Centre Asia Pacific, a Melbourne-based charity that works with journalists and newsrooms to mitigate psychological injury among media professionals, their audiences and subjects. For further information, email admin@dartaspac.org
Alt text for Image files:
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Pixabay – mickey970 – A busy woman in a white blouse opening the lid of a copying machine in a busy office with a mobile phone up to her right ear as she holds documents and a pen in her left hand. Pic by on.
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Unsplash – Dan Gold – A spread of healthy foods displayed individually in dishes as well as in circular platters
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NSW National Parks – Two people wearing jeans, jackets and backpacks hiking up stairs amid forest greenery in a national park.?
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Unsplash – Gabin Vallet – A group of at least seven people in workout gear, shot from behind, with a male instructor in the centre as they do their outdoor exercise class.
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Unsplash – Logan Stone – A bearded man floating in a calm pool of water, his head just out of the water.