The world is a stressful place. If you don’t know how to manage your stress, you’ll end up absorbing all the negative energy in your surroundings. What’s worse is that focusing on all your problems can take your attention away from how beautiful life truly is.

If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, here are a few things you can do to help ease your mental burden.

1. Take it Slow

Life is hectic as it is. There are loads of responsibilities to take care of, and plenty of dreams to chase. Plus, there are many aspects of our lives that need our attention every single day: health, family, career, friendship, love, spirituality, and society are only some of them.

Take a deep breath and assess whether you are doing more than you can handle. All your commitments are important, sure, but your mental health also needs to be taken into consideration.

Including some time for yourself into your busy schedule will allow you to accomplish more things. In the end, you will have the energy to tackle your problems head on.

2. Clean the House

I know what you’re thinking: cleaning sounds like a chore and you don’t want to do stressful things. But look at it this way: cleaning the house allows you to de-clutter, eliminating physical objects that are ruining your environment. While cleaning, you feel more productive, and the task helps provide moments of clarity. Cleaning may even serve as a moment of reflection, while letting you create a space of relaxation and peace.

Yes, this is indeed a chore. But it’s also a reminder that sometimes the cause of our stress is our own inaction.

3. Say No

It’s always good to say yes to things that can help us live the life we want. We say yes to opportunities, to new challenges, to new experiences. But there are things that need to be rejected.

If you have toxic friends and they keep draining your energy, you can say no to them. If you are in an abusive relationship, you can say no to it and start anew. If you are being overworked, you can say no to that too.

In fact, saying no is a liberating experience. It lets you know that you still have control of your life. Tell yourself right now that you are rejecting stress. Say no to those thoughts that plague your mind.

You will feel emotional freedom once you learn to love yourself enough to say no.

4. Pay off Your Debts

The thing is, everyone goes through financial problems—even those who are making more money than they could spend. And the primary reason people can’t calm down is because they’re thinking about money, where to get it, and how they can hold onto it longer.

You will definitely be unable to hold on to your money if you have unpaid debts. Not to mention that these debts will keep nagging your brain until you’ve gotten rid of them.

Living in debt adds stress to our lives, so try and change that as soon as possible. Perhaps spending money wisely will allow you to move with more financial freedom sooner.

5. Disconnect from the Digital World

Yes, the internet has a lot of benefits. Social media offers a great way to stay on touch with people from all over the globe. The advantages of having this type of connectivity are undeniable. But just like any other community, the digital world can also be toxic.

If you want peace of mind, disconnect for a few hours, or even a few days. Take this time to connect with the people around you. Appreciate nature, appreciate the experiences you can have that are tangible and enjoyable. Appreciate the gift of life, and you’ll find peace of mind.

Say goodbye to your online friends for a little while so you can talk to your friends in person.

6. Look in the Mirror

There’s no need to be vain. You simply need to take care of yourself and your needs. Are you eating a balanced diet? Are you sleeping enough? Are you healthy? Are you getting enough exercise?

Take a look at yourself and see if your needs are being fulfilled. Are you following your dreams? Are you accomplishing your goals? Are you happy with your relationships?

Taking care of yourself has great effects on the mind, and it goes beyond calming it down.

7. Help Out

Sometimes, it’s not enough to be happy and positive. Sometimes we need to spread this positivity. If you need to calm your mind, you will find it easy to do so by serving others. You will get a sense of purpose and fulfillment by contributing to the bigger world surrounding you.