15 Micro-Improvements to Help You Manage Stress (Even When You Don't Have Much Time)
I used to spend most of my time thinking about BIG goals and extensive changes I could incorporate into my life.
I wanted to jump my way to growth and improvement, rather than take little steps to get there.
And sometimes, this approach resulted in burn-out and disappointment. I struggled to manage all my goals and when I didn’t reach them quickly, I tended to give up altogether.
So now, I try to focus more on creating consistent micro-improvements.
A micro-improvement is a small effort that helps you improve something. It’s about asking
“What can I do to be just 1% better today than I was yesterday?”
It can be great to focus on big goals and meaningful habits, but micro-improvements can be particularly powerful during stressful times because they don’t add too much pressure on you to make big changes.
In this article, you’ll discover 15 micro-improvements that can help you manage stress in the categories of mind, physical health, and relationships.
MIND
1: Start each day with a mindfulness technique
Mindfulness is about being present in the moment with an open-minded attitude. Rather than waking up and jumping out of bed feeling rushed and overwhelmed, take an extra minute or two so you can focus on a mindfulness technique.
There are quite a few different techniques that can help you practice mindfulness, but here is a simple one to get you started:
Place one hand on your chest and feel your breath moving in and out of your body. Pay attention to the sensation of your chest rising and falling with each breath and if your mind starts to wander, re-focus on the feeling of your breath. Continue for as long as you like.
This practice might sound simple, but if you haven’t practiced mindfulness much before, you’ll probably notice your mind wants to wander a lot. That’s normal, and it will gradually start to settle as you become familiar with the practice. Perfection is not the goal of a mindfulness technique. It’s about being present and open-minded, and being non-judgemental - even when your mind wanders.
2: Defuse self-criticism
Self-criticisms can be helpful when they show you meaningful ways you can grow and improve. However, they can also become cruel stories that don’t actually add value to your life – they just cause pain and disappointment.
In his book, The Happiness Trap, Dr. Russ Harris described an exercise to help defuse upsetting thoughts. When you notice a self-critical thought, you can say to yourself “thanks, Mind!” and notice how this helps to create some space between you and your thought.
Rather than hearing a self-criticism, believing it to be true, dwelling on it, and letting it grow stronger, you can say “thanks, Mind!” to remind yourself that it is just a thought. You don’t need to take it seriously if you don’t want to.
3: Do a regular social media detox
There are so many ways that using social media can trigger more stress. You might start comparing yourself to others and feel like you’re not good enough. You might see advertisements that make you feel like you should buy certain things, even if you can’t afford them. You might see images or videos that kick-start your stress response.
Social media can be wonderful in a variety of ways, but it can also be stressful to use it, sometimes. Taking regular breaks can be really important! Here are some ways you can do regular social media detoxes:
Avoid using social media first thing each day and for the last hour before you go to sleep
Choose one day of the week to avoid using social media
Delete the apps from your phone to break the habit of automatically picking up your phone and checking social media
4: Take a few minutes for “personal thinking time”
Take five, ten, or fifteen minutes to sit down quietly, close your eyes, and just let your mind and feelings do what feels natural at that moment. The aim is simply to observe what happens.
Does your mind keep getting pulled in a particular direction?
Does a feeling unexpectedly rise to the surface that you might have been suppressing?
Does the same thought keep popping up over and over?
Do you feel calm and peaceful as your mind naturally focuses on your senses or your breath?
Any experience is completely ok, and that’s what I love about this practice. Taking some personal thinking time is a great way to slow down for a few moments and check-in with yourself. And it can be helpful in managing stress because it gives you a chance to actually process things you’ve been struggling with or give yourself some safe space to feel emotions you might have been avoiding.
5: Write down one positive memory from each day
At the end of each day, write down one positive memory in a journal or notebook. If you prefer, you can focus on little moments, like laughing with a good friend, finding a new leaf on an indoor plant, or reading a beautiful quote.
This practice takes only a minute or two each day, but it can be a great way to practice gratitude and develop a keepsake of meaningful memories you can look back on.
If this journaling technique doesn’t resonate with you, below you can grab your free copy of my Free Journal: 19 Prompts for Your Dream Life. Choose one of the prompts each night until you’ve tried them all!
PHYSICAL HEALTH
6: Get a dose of natural light
Melatonin is a hormone that influences your circadian rhythm, also known as your “body clock”. When the sun goes down, the levels of melatonin in your body start to rise, signaling to you that it’s time to slow down and prepare for sleep. During the day, sunshine suppresses melatonin to help you stay awake.
Making the most of the natural light each day can help your body regulate melatonin so you can sleep better, which can help to reduce stress. And not only that, but research has shown that sunlight can also help reduce stress, boost your mood, and increase productivity.
7: Go to bed at roughly the same time each night
Good quality sleep can reduce levels of stress. When you go to bed at the same time each night, you can help your body’s sleep-regulating processes align themselves so you can experience better sleep.
I’ve had a similar bedtime routine for several years – I go to bed around 9pm, relax for an hour, turn out the light at 10pm, and I’m usually asleep within a few minutes. While the same routine won’t resonate with everyone, it can be important to determine what feels best for you, and then try to be consistent.
8: Listen to a calming song
This is a micro-improvement that can have a big impact! When I’m feeling overwhelmed and I decide to play a relaxing song, I often notice that my mood shifts and my body starts to let go of tension.
I really enjoy listening to meditation music by Tahlee Rouillon, who incorporates binaural beats to potentially aid further relaxation. You can find out more about Tahlee’s meditation music at Seekers’ Sanctuary.
9: Relax with each exhale
Physically release tension from your body with this simple breathing technique. Take a lightly deep breath in. As you exhale, consciously release any tension you might be holding in your body. You might feel your shoulders drop, your muscles unclench, and your facial muscles soften. Continue with this breathing technique for a few breaths, letting your body soften more and more with each exhale.
10: Move (quickly) for a minute
In a 2016 study, researchers found that just one minute of intense exercise (and 9 minutes of low-intensity exercise) achieved similar results (in terms of peak oxygen uptake, insulin sensitivity, and the content of mitochondria in skeletal muscles) as 50 minutes of moderate exercise.
Exercise is a well-known stress management strategy, but many people don’t have the time for long workouts on a regular basis!
However, a great alternative might be to include at least ten minutes of low-moderate intensity exercise each day, with one minute of fast movement. For example, you could go for a ten-minute walk and sprint for 20 seconds three times.
RELATIONSHIPS
11: Think positively about your important relationships
In his book, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, psychological researcher John Gottman described the concept of Positive Sentiment Override as positive thoughts about your spouse that are so pervasive they outweigh negative feelings.
You can cultivate Positive Sentiment Override by deliberately thinking positive thoughts about the people you care about and focusing on the reasons why you love them. For example, you might think about your partner and the qualities they display, the good things they’ve done during your relationship, and the benefits they bring into your life.
The more positive you’ll feel about your loved ones, the more likely you might be to engage with them in playful, meaningful, and open-minded ways. You might even notice yourself trusting them more and feeling increasingly satisfied with your relationship.
12: Avoid assuming negative things about your loved ones
Whenever you notice yourself making negative assumptions about your loved ones that make you feel stressed, try asking thoughtful questions to understand their perspective better. You might not always like what you hear, but at least you’ll both be on the same page!
13: Listen, rather than speak
Active listening is a skill that can help your loved ones feel heard, validated, and supported. You don’t always need to fix other people’s problems or jump in with your own opinions. Instead, create space for your loved ones to talk so you can listen. Now that I’ve been practicing mindful listening for several years, I often find it to be quite a stress-relieving experience. It gives me a break from my own thoughts, worries, and challenges, and focus on understanding someone else’s perspective.
You can learn more about mindful listening strategies, like using open body language and refraining from “fixing” on episode 24 of The Mindful Kind podcast called Mindful Listening.
14: Ask for help
I used to think that asking for help meant I was burdening my loved ones and showing weakness. Now, I know that being vulnerable actually helps me feel more connected and supported in my relationships.
Next time you have a challenge or you’re feeling overwhelmed, reach out to a trusted loved one and ask if you can talk about it with them.
15: Practice assertiveness
Learning to say “no” when you want to helps you avoid taking on too much and experiencing stress, but it can also help you strengthen your relationships. Clear boundaries help prevent bitterness and resentment and when those boundaries are expressed compassionately, your loved ones can learn more about you, your needs, and your values.
Not sure how to start being more assertive? In my FREE Mindful Communication Guide below, you’ll find an entire section dedicated to assertiveness tips and prompts to help you apply it in your own life. I hope you enjoy it!
