8 Ways to Stay Sane When The Pressure Is On

By Naomi Muthoni

Amidst the chaos of the hustle, it is essential to remember to pause, breathe, and applaud yourself for showing up every day.

What’s your go-to hack when things get stressful?Here are 8 simple and low-effort hacks I use to reset and stay sane even on the busiest days!

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Positive affirmations ni uplifting statements zenye zinakukumbusha you are worthy, capable, and strong.

Reciting positive affirmations every morning as you start your day ni kitu inaweza boost your confidence and motivation.

Inakusaidia kulearn kufocus on the good things in your life, hata kama unaface challenges.

The best part about this hack is that you can say the affirmations ukiendelea na morning routine yako.

For example, as you brush your teeth, you can recite your affirmations, kimoyomoyo. Unajikumbusha:

● “I am good and getting better.”

● “I am capable of balancing ease and effort in my life.”

● “I am growing and going at my own pace.”

● “I am optimistic because today is a new day.”

No excuses, just start! Mimi huprefer kumake up affirmations zangu ndio nizifanye specific to my life and the things I deem important in every season.

Lakini, kama you’re just starting your mindfulness journey, unaweza tumia apps kama Gratitude, which has a list of affirmations you can read out loud or listen to, ndio uanze siku yako in style!

Meditation ni a simple practice ya kubreathe, kufocus na kukua in the present.

As a hustling youth with a busy schedule, unaweza incorporate micro-meditation kwa daily routine yako kusaidia kurelieve stress na tension.

Practising micro-meditation would look like this: ukiwa umeketi kwa mat ukienda job, unaplay a 5-minute guided meditation session on YouTube.

Such videos hukupea instructions za what to do, ndio uweze kufocus on the present and appreciate the simple things life offers us.

Smart hack if you are offline! Anytime nimeskiza a guided meditation, mimi hufind a sense of calm and relaxation, even if I have an extremely long day ahead.

Alafu, I save my micro-meditation sessions on YouTube (by pressing io button imeandikwa “download”) ile time I have access to bundles/Wi-Fi, ndio ata ile siku bundles zitakosa, naweza skiza the saved version.

Umefika kwa shop yako, or you have just arrived at your office. Unajua siku itakua mrefu coz uko na vitu mob za kufanya, and you can’t help but feel stressed and anxious about the day ahead.

In such a case, unaweza jaribu mindful breathing kuregulate feelings zako.

Ukigoogle “mindful breathing,” utapata techniques kadhaa zenye unaweza try. But, ile nimetry na ikawork ni the 4-7-8 technique.

To apply it, you start by finding a comfortable place to sit and closing your eyes. Alafu, breathe in through your nose and count to 4. Then, hold your breath and count to 7.

Finally, breathe out through your mouth and count to 8. Repeat hio cycle 4 times to get the maximum effect.

Make that minute count! Imagine hii ni a simple trick that would only take 1 minute and 16 seconds of your time.

So, even if you are drowning na pressure za life, mindful breathing ni a low-effort hack unawezatumia kureduce stress, kuimprove focus, na kuregulate emotions zako.

Try it today❗

On busy days, mi hujiipata sijasonga from my desk apart from ile time I need to get something to eat ama to visit the washroom—na najua I’m not alone.

While the hustle is important, I also know that all work without breaks turns a sharp mind dull.

So, one of the mindfulness hacks nimekua nikijaribu kuongeza kwa my busy daily schedule ni movement breaks.

Since I work from home, movement breaks zangu huinvolve kushuka stairs, hadi ground floor, alfu climbing them again as I go back to the house after every 3 hours of work.

Every time I engage in this under-five-minute hack, mimi huridi kwa desk yangu nikifeel more focused na nakua more productive.

Shake it off, literally! Another movement break you can try ni “shaking out the tension.” Find a private space, pahali it’s just you—ata kama ni in a restroom—and shake your body, letting it move however it deems fit.

Hii hukua fun and it can even make you smile in the middle of a chaotic and busy day. Most importantly, inakusaidia kurest mood yako na kuboost your energy.

One-line journaling ni another mindfulness hack unaweza jaribu to keep yourself sane on extremely busy days.

All you need is your phone na the Notes/Keep app. Alfu, answer the following question in one sentence: “How do I feel right now and why do I feel that way?”

That one line you write can help you understand the challenge you are facing better, allowing you to come up with more effective solutions.

Check in, don’t check out! Unajua, on busy days, we tend to get overwhelmed.

Ukiwa overwhelmed, your brain is not at maximum capacity to solve problems effectively.

One-line journaling can help you check in on yourself in under five minutes on high-pressure days, allowing you to clear your mind, track your day’s progress, and gain a better understanding of your situation.

Our phones can be the source of a lot of the stress we face daily.

For example, kama wewe unauza vitu online, simu yako ndio source ya customers wako, but pia, on high-pressure days when orders ni mingi than expected ama client complaints ni mob, inaweza kua the source of a lot of stress.

Kwa hivyo, ni important kuongeza tech timeouts kwa mindfulness practices zako on busy days. Put your phone on flight mode for 10-20 minutes during your lunch break.

Enjoy your lunch, bila stress za customer orders or complaints as you breathe and slow down during a busy day.

Unplugged = Recharged! Afterward, you can get back to resolving customer complaints and dispatching orders ukiwa in a clearer headspace, with a better capacity to offer good customer service.

Hio 10-20 minute break can be a secret weapon that helps you improve your productivity and grow your hustle.

Siku imeisha, and you are in the matatu heading home, anticipating for the rest you will get.

Hapa, you can incorporate mindfulness by listing 3-5 things you’re grateful went well on such a high-pressure day in your Notes/Keep app.

Count wins, not worries! Hii practice ya “gratitude on the go” itakusaidia kukeep track ya all of your wins na ishift focus yako from the things that didn’t go well, to the things that did.

Pia, itakusaidia kureduce work-related stress na ikupatie motisha ya kuface kesho!

Umefika home, umeoga, umekula, and you are now ready to go to bed.

Lakini, bado unafeel the day’s tension, making it difficult for you to fall asleep.

A mindfulness practice that can come in handy ni the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

Hii ni grounding technique yenye inakusaidia kureconnect na the present moment by focusing on your 5 seses.

Start by naming 5 things you can see around you, then name five things you can touch. Next, name 3 things you can hear and 2 things you can smell.

Lastly, name one thing you can taste.

Time to unwind! Hii practice ni simple, lakini ni effective. Itakusaidia kurelieve the day’s tension, allowing you to get a good night’s rest.

Including mindfulness kwa daily schedule yako doesn’t have to be time-consuming.

Unaweza jaribu hizi bite-size hacks uone venye zitamake a big difference kwa life yako.

MESHers, this is your reminder to take a break—even on busy days!

Kujipea a few minutes kubreathe ama kumove your body in the middle of a busy day, haitafanya hustle ianguke. If anything, it will make it run smoother.

Jaribu one mindfulness hack leo na utambie how it made you feel in the comments💬👇🏾.

Stay mindful, keep thriving❗