1. Identify Your Stressors: The first step to managing stress is understanding what triggers it. Take a moment to reflect on what situations, people, or habits leave you feeling overwhelmed.

Get your journal and write down your trigger. Is it a looming deadline, a difficult colleague, or a tendency to catastrophise (great word isn’t it?)? Once you pinpoint your triggers, you can start to develop strategies to avoid or manage them.

Note: I know I talk about journaling all the time, but I’m not talking about the “Dear Diary” type of journaling where you pour all your secrets into a little book with a crap heart-shaped padlock that keeps no-one out and ends up in your sibling’s hands being aired over dinner to all and sundry at Christmas. I’m talking about the kind of journal kept by Virginia Woolf, General Patton or Che Guevara - it is a sounding board, a way to process thoughts and keep a record of events that can later help you identify patterns. It is a tool to track and analyse your performance.

2. Breathe for Calm: Taking a few deep breaths might seem simple, but it's a powerful tool for calming the nervous system and reducing stress hormones.

Try this: inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, hold for a count of two, and exhale slowly through pursed lips for a count of six. Repeat this for a few minutes whenever you feel stressed.

Read more about Box Breathing

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3. Schedule Self-Care, Not Just Work: Treat self-care like an essential appointment, not a luxury. Schedule time for activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. Whether it's a brisk walk in nature, a relaxing bath, or spending time with loved ones, prioritise activities that bring you joy and a sense of calm. My favourite self-care is a deep-tissue massage - give it a try.

4. Challenge Negative Thoughts: Stress often stems from unhelpful thought patterns. When you find yourself dwelling on worst-case scenarios, challenge those thoughts with more realistic and positive reframing. Is the situation truly as dire as your mind makes it out to be? Where’s that journal? Notice any patterns?

5. Reconnect with What Matters Most: Sometimes, stress can blur our sense of purpose. Take some time to reconnect with your core values and what truly matters to you. Aligning your actions with your values can create a sense of direction and reduce stress.

6. Move Your Body: Exercise is a powerful stress reliever. Even a brisk walk in nature can work wonders. Find an activity you enjoy, be it dancing, weightlifting, running or swimming, and incorporate it into your routine.

7. Prioritise Sleep: It's hard to manage stress when you're running on fumes. Prioritise getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night. Create a relaxing bedtime routine and establish a consistent sleep schedule. You can read a book (remember those) before lights out but no TV, no screens at all. No, you can’t watch TikToks before bed, because next thing it’s 2am -you’re just going to have to trust me on this.

8. Connect with Supportive People: Bottling up stress only makes it worse. Talk to a trusted friend, coach, therapist, or join a support group. Sharing your struggles can lighten the load and offer valuable perspectives.

9. Practice Gratitude: Take a few minutes each day to reflect on the things you're grateful for, big or small. Shifting your focus to what's good in your life can have a surprisingly calming effect.

When we are really stressed, it can be extremely hard to find something to be grateful for, or something good in your day, when days like this happen I choose trees, I can always be grateful for trees - they provide shade, oxygen, a home for wildlife, sometimes fruit, they change through an array of beautiful colours etc - as you can see, trees then give me many more things to be grateful for. Maybe your daily gratitude is your kid or your spouse or your car. It’s a process.