Managing Stress 101 {The 3 Essentials You NEED}

I don’t know what is it lately, but I’ve been super exhausted. I’ve been going to bed at a normal time, actually earlier than usual, and I’m still super tired when my alarm goes off in the morning. It’s really annoying. My saving grace has been a 16oz cup of coffee pretty much daily. 

Along with being tired, my stress levels have been off the charts. It’s a mixture of stress regarding moving, blog contracts and deadlines, and just juggling all responsibilities in my life. I go through phases when I get really stressed and anxious and then one day I’ll wake up and I’m completely fine. It’s weird. I get stressed out pretty often, so I’ve added three things into my routine that really help me manage it all. I know that I’m not the only one who goes through this, so please comment below and let me know how you deal with stress!

1. Peppermint Tea is my Jam

Okay, first up is peppermint tea, which is basically the only tea I drink. I’m super specific. I really dislike basic black tea because it’s boring and can taste a bit bitter. Anyone else agree? My all-time favorite kind of tea is anything minty. Peppermint tea has SO many benefits. It helps with bloating, indigestion and your immune system, but also anxiety since it’s a mood booster and can help you relax! 

I keep a box in my desk at work and have a cup of peppermint tea almost every afternoon. I drink it black with no added sugar. It’s caffeine free, so it doesn’t give me afternoon jitters + it keeps me hydrated. {Extra tip: If you have a headache, peppermint oil is AMAZING. Just dab a bit on each temple and on the back of your neck.} 

2. It’s Face Mask Time, Baby! 

I talk about face masks a lot here on the blog, because there really isn’t a night that goes by that I don’t use one. {Remember my TSA incident?} There’s nothing more relaxing, in my opinion, than chilling on the couch in a face mask and sweats while watching The Bachelorette. That’s legit my Monday night routine. Every Monday night.

I have sensitive acne-prone skin, so I have to be really picky with what I put on my face. I don’t test out many beauty products for this reason, and I RARELY allow companies to send me face products. Before I say yes to any kind of face product, I do a LOT of research. I read about the ingredients, how the product is used, and what former customers say in reviews.

When the Joanna Vargas team wanted to send me the Forever Glow Anti-Aging Mask I was instantly intrigued. First off, the Forever Glow mask is a sheet mask, and sheet masks are completely new to me. Although they’ve been out for quite some time now, I never had the urge to try one out. The ones I found in stores always looked like they had the crappiest ingredients in them. So why would I want that crap sitting on my face for 10-15 minutes?! No thanks. So after I did some research about the Joanna Vargas one, I was pleasantly surprised and very interested in trying it out. 

Here’s what I found in my research:

• Joanna Vargas is a celebrity facialist. Julianne Moore, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone and Maggie Gyllenhaal all go to Joanna to get their skin in tip-top shape for award season. 
• Joanna’s products are all natural and organic. 
• The Forever Glow mask helps firm and smooth skin to diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• The ingredients include cabbage rose extract {improves circulation}, gingko rose extract {anti-inflammatory}, kelp, olive leaf extract, niacinamide {evens out pigmentation}, penta-peptides, and hyaluronic acid. 

If you’re following me on Snapchat, you know that I’m OBSESSED! You just remove the backing of the sheet mask, and then place the sheet on your skin for 10-15 minutes. I won’t lie – I usually keep it on for at least 30 minutes. The serum under the sheet will soak into your skin and have a cooling effect. It feels SO good. I don’t know why it took me so long to try out sheet masks, but there’s no going back now! 

3. Adult Coloring Books for the Win

I’m so late to the adult coloring train. It’s not even funny. Many of you already know this, but coloring is a great way to manage stress and elicit a relaxing mindset, similar to meditation. Coloring really forces me to switch off my brain from worrying about my to-do lists {yes, plural} and focus on the moment. If you’re a multi-tasker like me and really want to slow down, I HIGHLY recommend purchasing a coloring book. This is one that I have. It was the best $10 I’ve ever spent. 

I’m trying to get Bryan on the coloring train, so I’ll keep you posted on that progress. Slow but steady wins the race! 

// Comment below: How do you manage stress?