Stress Busters for Tax Day…or in my case Taxes and Moving!
It’s that time of year again: tax season, everyone’s favorite!
If you are a normal functioning human being (ei, normal), you are likely feeling an increase in stress due to the April 15 deadline…no pun intended. I personally and I am sure most of you can relate to the increased tensions of getting the right forms, filling them out properly (which takes me forever), actually getting them filed on time and then coming up with the funds to actually pay the tax bill…also everybodies favorite activity (angry bad words, pick your favorites : ).
All that being said, you owe it to yourself to keep your stress under control as much as possible. When your body is under stress, unhealthy changes occur in our body at the chemical level, and these changes can lead to food cravings and weight gain…as if it couldn’t get any worse.
How does your body react to stress?
When you experience stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol (think of cortisol as Darth Vader, he started out a good guy and then when fueled by the “Dark Side” aka stress, he became a evil throat choking jerk). In small amounts, cortisol does not present a problem. But when the stress is ongoing, such as during the weeks surrounding tax season (or building a private training studio and moving), the concentration of cortisol (The Dark Side) in your body stays elevated with undesirable results (even though it would be cool to use the Force Choke like Vader at times, that is not one of the perks).
When your cortisol levels are elevated and your body is under the influence of the Dark Side, you will crave foods that will give you quick energy, such as candy bars and potato chips. Not bueno! Plus, the presence of cortisol will cause many of these extra calories to be stored as abdominal fat. Double not bueno!
As if things couldn’t get any worse while being consumed by the Dark Side, you may also find it hard to eat in moderation while stressed (eating more calories), because cortisol can interfere with the chemicals in your body that control appetite. Yes, we are at triple no buenos and counting.
And now for the good news…and it is not Luke Skywalker
You will never be able to get rid of all the stress in your life, but there is much you can do to keep the Dark Side under control and temper its effects on you. I suggest you try the following “Jedi,” Hoda approved tips to outsmart stress in your life.
1. Exercise. You can reduce cortisol levels in your body by exercising just thirty minutes each day. To get the biggest “bang” out of your workouts I suggest intervals. Alternate between lower and higher intensity periods of effort, this allows you to achieve an overall more challenging workout than exercising at a consistent pace, plus it will burn more calories and won’t be as boring…or at least that is my opinion : )
2. Eat Well. During times of stress, when the Dark Side is really putting a pounding on your body, fuel your body smartly. Be intentional about eating nourishing foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein and nuts. If you eat these foods, you will keep your blood sugar level steady, and you will be less likely to give in to the cravings that cortisol causes.
3. Don’t skimp on sleep. By getting at least eight hours of sleep each night you can reduce
your cortisol level by more than half of that of people who get less than six hours. So get 8 hours of sleep and skip the extra episode on Netflix, it will still be there tomorrow!
4. Identify your stress. Generalized, not knowing, anxiety can be paralyzing. Take the time to sort out exactly what is causing you to feel stressed. Rather than saying, “My taxes are causing me so much stress,” figure out the specifics. Perhaps you are stressed because you can’t find a form that you need or you are trying to do your taxes alone without the skills that you need to pull it off. Once you pinpoint exactly where the stress is coming from, you can take steps to take care of the problem.
5. Make time to relax. I will be the first to admit that I suck at this, but that does not mean it is any less true. Taking time to unwind is not a luxury; it is a necessity if you are going to master your stress. Find something that makes you laugh and smile, get a massage or just breathe deeply.
Use these stress-busting tips to get you through the 2017 tax season unscathed from the Dark Side!
Looking ahead
Why not get a head start on the 2018 season?
Begin forming a plan to reduce the stress of next year’s tax time. Decide where you will keep the necessary paperwork throughout the year, gather phone numbers and addresses that you will need, check with your tax preparer to see if your withholdings are optimal, and start a list of notations that you will need when tax day rolls around again. Make sure this is the last year that
Tax Day causes you anxiety!
That’s my plan!
What do you do to relieve stress in your life? I’m always interested in new stress-busting tips!
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