Life is more stressful than ever. Daily, ever more is being asked (or even demanded) of us. Work follows us home everyday (and keeps us up at night!) The pressures of paying the bills, raising a family, and fulfilling commitments to employers, communities, etc. is leading to ever-increasing tensions. This in turn is putting a greater strain on our health. And when our bodies are under stress, health problems increase. Hypertension, digestive problems, nervous disorders, headaches, and countless other maladies can be created by heightened stress levels. Now more than ever before, it is critical that we develop and follow strategies for stress relief. We truly can’t afford not to.

It’s important to note that there are countless ways to reduce stress at little or no cost. Just as we schedule in time for work, eating and other essential daily activities, we can also schedule in time to reduce our building pressures. This can be hard to do, especially when it seems that there are more pressing, time-sensitive responsibilities that demand our attention. Stress-relief should be thought of as a pot of water on a stove, slowly building to a boil. If we don’t turn the temperature down, the water will eventually require our full attention, and in a much more serious way.

Here are three common-sense ideas for relieving our daily stresses. But remember what they say about common sense? It’s not as common as we might think.

1. Prioritize your tasks. Careful planning can make an enormous difference in how in control you feel about your life.
2. Talk a walk for lunch. Most of us get at least a half-hour lunch break during the day. Instead of heading to the local burger joint, take a walk through the local park instead. Or even just around the building.
3. Exercise. This is one of the very best ways to bring our stress-levels down. It makes us feel good, and is good for us.