Have you ever had those days where you just can’t seem to stay focus on anything? Even the simplest tasks make you feel overwhelmed because you already have a million things on your mind. This distraction is usually caused by chaotic surroundings, scattered thoughts or a lack of a clear plan. When you’re distracted, you are not working at an optimal level.

The best way to deal with the distraction is to find a quiet place to think and plan. Grab a note pad and pen and make a list of the things you really need to get done as soon as possible. Try to organise your thoughts by putting them down in written form. If your distraction is caused by chaotic surroundings you may need to find a quieter place to work. It is important to have a plan of action; a clear idea of what you need to get done and how you’re going to go about completing it.

Believe it or not, poor health habits can have a powerful negative impact on your life. When you don’t get enough rest, don’t eat nutritious food or when you try to live on caffeine and sugar, your body and brain cannot function at an optimal level. They just don’t have the fuel necessary to meet the demands that your busy schedule places on them. As a result, you end up feeling fatigued, cranky, distracted and mentally foggy. In a very real sense, poor health habits create a big hole through which your energy consistently drains, leaving you with the inability to meet the demands of your life.

Make it a priority to get adequate sleep each night, schedule in time for exercise and proper meal, and don’t forget to make time for fun and recreation. Though it seems like these activities will take away time from your already-overloaded schedule, you’ll find yourself with much more energy and stamina to accomplish more than you would otherwise have.

If you’ve ever had an emotional burden weighing heavily on you, you’re all too familiar with the way it can drain your energy. Unresolved emotional issues can range from anger and resentment about current problems to grief and guilt from past experiences. Avoiding dealing with these issues will cause you to feel like you’re moving underwater. You’ll feel sluggish, weighed down and held back from creating a more balanced life.

It may sound overly simplistic, but working through these emotional issues is the best way to resolve them once and for all. If you still hold a lot of anger toward someone in your past and refuse to forgive them, you’re only going to keep harming yourself.

Likewise, if you feel angry or resentful toward someone in your life right now, avoiding the issue will only make it worse. Instead, make a strong effort to work through these situations. There are numerous ways to do so, from having a heartfelt talk with the person you’re angry with, to penning down your feelings, to talking to a trusted someone. The most important thing is to work through any pain, trauma, anger or resentment you are holding inside, so that you can finally release it and achieve closure. Once you do that, you will find yourself feeling much lighter and freer – which will provide the space you need to better balance your life.

Coping with emotions involves recognising emotions in ourselves and others and how emotions influence behaviour. Being able to respond to emotions appropriately is important because intense emotions (like anger or sorrow) can have negative effects on our health if we do not react appropriately.

Similar to unresolved emotional issues, you may need to achieve closure on situations that no longer serve you. This might include relationships that have become empty and unproductive, a job that no longer fulfils you or even financial habits (like clubbing) that are causing greater expense than they need to.

To clear such stagnant situations, we must be willing to LET GO. Endings are hard, there’s no doubt about it. But by being willing to let go of what no longer serves you, you make room for circumstances that do. The process becomes easier when you keep that in mind. Rather than focusing on what you’re losing by letting go, acknowledge what you stand to gain. Then take a deep breath and do some heavy pruning in your activities, habits and relationships. It may not be fun while you’re in the process, but afterwards you’ll marvel at how energised you feel.

How we perceive a situation and how we react to it is the basis of our stress. If you focus on the negative in any situation, you can expect high stress levels. However, if you try and see the good in the situation, your stress levels will greatly diminish.

Stay positive, stay stress free.