Ward Off Urban Stress with these 6 Healthy Lifestyle Changes
February 16, 2018
The urban grind has a way of, well, grinding you down sometimes. But if you find yourself high on stress and low on time—especially in these cold and dark winter months—there are still a number of healthy lifestyle changes you can adopt to help conquer the seasonal blues and dislodge any lingering stress. From Scandinavian-style coffee breaks and not-sad desk lunches to calming nature walks, these tweaks are straightforward, flexible, and quick enough to fit seamlessly into your routine.
1. LUNCHTIME POETRY READINGS: Poet Frank O'Hara famously used his lunchbreaks, while working at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to draft many of his acclaimed verses—and we too find a midday break is the perfect time to decompress with a bite-sized poetry reading. Begin with O'Hara's
Having a Coke with You, or sign up for the Academy of American Poets
Poem-A-Day newsletter, which sends you one new composition every day. Time and again,
reading has been shown to benefit your mental and emotional well-being—but when there isn't time for a novel, there's always time for poetry.
2. MEDITATION APPS: If taking up meditating was one of your
New Year's resolutions, then adding an app to the mix can help you refine your technique, stay on track, and make a daily habit of it. Of the slew of meditation apps available these days,
Headspace is an excellent all-rounder.
Calm, meanwhile, helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep with its
Daily Calm meditations, and
The Mindfulness App lets you make the most of living in the present.
3. FIKA: Right now, the zeitgeisty, Danish-born concept of hygge is taking over the internet. And while lighting candles and snuggling under fleece blankets is certainly a positive lifestyle tweak, it's time to try on another Scandi-inspired ritual. This year, make like the Swedes and try on fika for size. An untranslatable word that encompasses a coffee break (with friendly socializing, plenty of snacks, and, most importantly, an emphasis on slowing down and appreciating your surroundings built in), it's the perfect way to inject some convivial stress-relief into your busy routine.
4. BYO-LUNCH: Okay, so this lifestyle tweak does require some advanced prep work—but making your own tasty lunches is certainly time-saving in the long run (especially when you consider that you won't have to loiter by the vending machine, picking between Doritos and a granola bar, come midday). Food52's
Not Sad Desk Lunch series has all kinds of advice for those looking to up their culinary game, from simple
Mason jar salads for the time-pressed to more
adventurous cooking projects. The one commonality? All are tasty, portable, budget-friendly, and way healthier and more satisfying than that handful of M&Ms you were gonna swipe from the office snack stash.
5. GET YOUR GREENS: No, we don't mean eating them (though that's important, too). Carving out time every day—even just 10 minutes—to walk in your nearest park or public green space is enough to make a big difference to your well-being. In Japan, the concept of "forest bathing"—or immersing yourself in a lush, natural environment—
has been proven to lower your heart-rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. All the more reason to go for a quick stroll in the fresh air.
6. EXERCISE ON THE GO: Exercise is known to produce endorphins and decrease stress, but the pace of our busy, urban lives means gym trips can be tricky to squeeze in. But it's easier to stay fit on the go than you might think.
This video has compiled a number of quick tips for toning up (and helping combat the everyday anxiety of commuting, too), from hopping on your bike and getting off the train a stop or two early to using your backpack as an ad hoc weight. It only takes a small amount of time to make this healthy lifestyle change a permanent fixture.
1. LUNCHTIME POETRY READINGS: Poet Frank O'Hara famously used his lunchbreaks, while working at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to draft many of his acclaimed verses—and we too find a midday break is the perfect time to decompress with a bite-sized poetry reading. Begin with O'Hara's
Having a Coke with You, or sign up for the Academy of American Poets
Poem-A-Day newsletter, which sends you one new composition every day. Time and again,
reading has been shown to benefit your mental and emotional well-being—but when there isn't time for a novel, there's always time for poetry.
2. MEDITATION APPS: If taking up meditating was one of your
New Year's resolutions, then adding an app to the mix can help you refine your technique, stay on track, and make a daily habit of it. Of the slew of meditation apps available these days,
Headspace is an excellent all-rounder.
Calm, meanwhile, helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep with its
Daily Calm meditations, and
The Mindfulness App lets you make the most of living in the present.
3. FIKA: Right now, the zeitgeisty, Danish-born concept of hygge is taking over the internet. And while lighting candles and snuggling under fleece blankets is certainly a positive lifestyle tweak, it's time to try on another Scandi-inspired ritual. This year, make like the Swedes and try on fika for size. An untranslatable word that encompasses a coffee break (with friendly socializing, plenty of snacks, and, most importantly, an emphasis on slowing down and appreciating your surroundings built in), it's the perfect way to inject some convivial stress-relief into your busy routine.
4. BYO-LUNCH: Okay, so this lifestyle tweak does require some advanced prep work—but making your own tasty lunches is certainly time-saving in the long run (especially when you consider that you won't have to loiter by the vending machine, picking between Doritos and a granola bar, come midday). Food52's
Not Sad Desk Lunch series has all kinds of advice for those looking to up their culinary game, from simple
Mason jar salads for the time-pressed to more
adventurous cooking projects. The one commonality? All are tasty, portable, budget-friendly, and way healthier and more satisfying than that handful of M&Ms you were gonna swipe from the office snack stash.
5. GET YOUR GREENS: No, we don't mean eating them (though that's important, too). Carving out time every day—even just 10 minutes—to walk in your nearest park or public green space is enough to make a big difference to your well-being. In Japan, the concept of "forest bathing"—or immersing yourself in a lush, natural environment—
has been proven to lower your heart-rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. All the more reason to go for a quick stroll in the fresh air.
6. EXERCISE ON THE GO: Exercise is known to produce endorphins and decrease stress, but the pace of our busy, urban lives means gym trips can be tricky to squeeze in. But it's easier to stay fit on the go than you might think.
This video has compiled a number of quick tips for toning up (and helping combat the everyday anxiety of commuting, too), from hopping on your bike and getting off the train a stop or two early to using your backpack as an ad hoc weight. It only takes a small amount of time to make this healthy lifestyle change a permanent fixture.
