Stress is a part of everyday life. It is common for tension to arise from schoolwork, responsibilities at home, hectic schedules, other people’s expectations, disappointments, deadlines, and social problems.

In such a case, everyday stresses can quickly pile up. You can avoid becoming overburdened by stress by incorporating these five simple actions into your routine. For the benefits to last, you have to make sure you continue implementing these routinely:

• Balance your responsibilities 

Ensure that you balance your duties with your interests. The balance is everything: all work and no play is unhealthy. It can become stressful if you have too many activities and not enough time for leisure.

• Get enough sleep. 

You may think that this is an obvious decision. Everyone loves to sleep, right? Getting enough sleep still needs to be a priority, since it’s not hard to let deadlines, talking to friends, or binge-watching prevent us from slumbering.

• Eat healthily.

Stress, mood, and energy are affected by what you eat. It’s the balance thing again – eating healthy does not mean avoiding all treats.

Even if you ate a salad or turkey on whole-grain at lunch, you can treat yourself to ice cream now and then. In contrast, if you rely solely on sweets and ice cream for fuel, you will likely crash or feel cranky.

• Spend time exercising each day:

Taking deep breaths while running or feeling the rush of a downhill bike ride is a great way to escape anxiety. The chemicals released in our brains by exercise do more than just take our minds off stress, they are also good for us.

• Manage your responsibilities

Organize tasks, chores, practice, and other commitments using a calendar or planning app. You can’t manage stress unless you keep your plan.

Regular study, staying on top of your schedule, and overcoming procrastination are integral parts of stress management. Take a few minutes every day to reflect on how things are going. Are there any areas that you should improve?