Community Health & Wellness

Wellness Wednesday | Self-care strategies for stress management in 2025

Posted on January 7th, 2025 By: Scot Fleshman

For some, the New Year may seem like a fresh start. However, for most people, their current stressors don’t vanish simply because the calendar date has changed.

How can you address stress management heading into 2025 while incorporating sustainable self-care practices?

You need a strategy that outlines areas of focus and a plan for putting those strategies into action. Gig Harbor Primary Care is here to help! Keep reading for inspiration to create a self-care strategy for your stress management this year.

Create a routine

Having a routine for your daily and weekly activities creates predictability and a sense of control. Both elements are missing when someone is experiencing great stress in their life. Giving yourself predictability and control over when and how to accomplish tasks in your life will aid in managing stress levels. Using a paper planner or digital calendar and time-blocking your tasks helps you visualize your routine and feel less overwhelmed.

When creating your routine, consider your non-negotiable tasks first, like work, school, extracurricular activities, etc. Next, move on to the activities that are easier to control, for example, scheduling appointment times, when you can exercise, journaling, meditation, or completing tasks around the home. Finally, slot in the tasks and activities left over, like running errands or meeting up with friends.

You can also have mini routines for different times of the day. In the morning, it could include not checking your phone for 30 minutes after waking up, drinking a large glass of water, brushing your teeth, making breakfast, and writing in your journal. The goal is to create a routine that you can stick to that builds positive habits to support stress management daily.

Practice mindfulness

Being mindful doesn’t have to be about sitting down and engaging in a meditation session, although it can be. Mindfulness is more about shifting your mindset to be more intentional with your decisions and actions as you go about your daily activities. This can look like not picking up your phone and scrolling as soon as you wake up each day. Or turning off notifications during meal times, sitting at a table to eat, and focusing on enjoying your meal from start to finish. It can also include setting a timer to remind you to get up from your desk and stretch or go for a short walk.

Prioritize physical activity

Maintaining a regular physical activity routine is essential to maintaining healthy stress levels and giving your body the best chance at managing stress effectively. What you choose to do for physical activity does not need to look like anyone else’s movement routine. Find activities you enjoy first and then work those into your daily and weekly schedule. Here is a list of possible exercise ideas:

Pilates
Yoga
Walking outside on trails
Jogging (indoor or outdoor)
Cardio machines at the gym
Swimming
Water aerobics
Barre class
Cycling outdoors
Spin class
Stretch class
Weight lifting
Personal training
Dance class

Finding a family member or friend as an accountability partner for your physical activity will make you more likely to maintain your routine.

Prioritize sleep

Sleep is your brain’s reset button. Don’t neglect having a healthy sleep routine every day! You can help support your sleep by going to bed around the same time each day and avoiding electronics (blue light) an hour before bed. Create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere in your bedroom with supportive pillows, a good-quality mattress, layered bedding, blackout blinds, and even a weighted blanket. Some people also find a light-blocking eye mask and ear plugs are helpful to get a deeper and more restful sleep.

Nourish your body

There is truth in the saying, “You are what you eat.” Focus on a healthy, varied, balanced diet with lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, and nourishing produce. It’s important to stay hydrated, too, so drinking those 8-10 glasses of water a day, as well as limited caffeine and alcohol, will go a long way in supporting your body’s physical ability to manage stress. If you need support in making healthy dietary changes, please ask your primary care provider at your next visit for help or a referral to a nutritionist.

Schedule regular health check-ups

How will you know if your efforts at self-care for stress management are working? Booking and attending regular health check-ups with your primary care provider can give you the answer to that question. They can also help identify any new health concerns through regular screenings and give trustworthy treatment options. If you find your stress level unmanageable, please contact Gig Harbor Primary Care for additional support. We are here as a part of your self-care strategy for managing stress. Cheers to a healthy 2025!

The Wellness Wednesday column is written by Scot Fleshman, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and board-certified family nurse practitioner. Fleshman and his wife, Jessica Hopkins, own Gig Harbor Primary Care.