Stress. No one likes it, no one asks for it, and probably all of us would vote to eliminate it from our lives as much as possible, if we got the opportunity. And yet, stress happens, and from time to time, we all end up in situations where stress seems to be the primary feature of our everyday existence. You need to take time out and focus on centring yourself sometimes.

Small and acute doses of stress are usually pretty manageable, and can even bring certain benefits. But, chronic stress – the type that hangs over you day in, and day out, over a prolonged period of time – can be absolutely devastating for your health, your sense of well-being, and your ability to live a productive life, as well.

If and when you find yourself caught in a “stress vortex,” it’s extremely important to find the time and space to take a deep breath, and to focus on centring yourself. So, here are a few tips for successfully centring yourself.

Go analogue

Minimalism has been a popular trend for some years now, largely because it suggests a way to avoid excess stress and anxiety, by cutting back on the number of things you own, and therefore freeing up space and energy to focus on the things in life that really matter.

But the minimalist trend doesn’t just end with paring down your overall number of belongings. Recently, books such as Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism have made a pretty compelling case that spending less time “plugged in” to high-tech tools and gadgets can work wonders for your overall sense of well-being.

Among other things, spending too much time surfing the web, playing with apps on your smartphone, and toying with other digital devices, means that you naturally have your attention dragged in a dozen, if not a hundred, different directions at once. There’s good evidence that this contributes to stress and anxiety. The research is pretty clear, for example, that people who spend more time on social media are generally more depressed and anxious. Try spending more of your time going “analogue” instead. Books, notebooks, and board games may be a great alternative way forward.

Get some isolation time

In order to really let go of the stress that we all chronically carry around with us, it’s important to get some “isolation” time now and then, where you are free to relax with only your own thoughts as company. You could consider going on a weekend-long meditation retreat, spending some time in floatation tanks, or even just going on a long hike, in order to achieve this “isolation.” In any event, removing yourself from the world at large for brief periods of time can really help you to hit the “reset” on your thought processes, and regain a healthy sense of perspective, in so doing.

You could also research into alternative methods which may be helpful, there are a variety of products available online such as capsules or creams from Blessed CBD. Always consult with your doctor or medical professional before using CBD products.

Plan out your days on a timetable

When most people think of “timetables,” they think of school, restrictive jobs, and general-purpose stress-generating situations. And, of course, if you force yourself to stick to a hyper-regimented routine that you hate, you are likely going to be more stressed, rather than less.

On the other hand, though, if you plan out your days in advance on a timetable – but plan them out in a way that you are likely to find fulfilling and uplifting – you can actually reduce your stress levels significantly, by reducing the sense of uncertainty and background anxiety that comes with not really knowing what the immediate future holds.

Try this out for a while. Plan your days out the night before, including time for your necessary obligations, but also plenty of time for rest, relaxation, and entertainment. After a couple of days, you may find that the benefits become self-evident.