For the past five years, I've been working at the same institution. And that institution happened to be my alma mater. I was comfortable and content. I loved it there. But in order to grow, I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone into a new role of a place that's wonderful. Because of the change, (and let me tell you - I hate change) I am stressed, okay. Not to mention, having to recreate this comfortable space that becomes mine. I mean, you're at work almost more waking hours a week than at home, so that space should feel good, right?

So I've been trying to get into this new space with things that make me happy. And I've been trying to gauge those feelings of stress and anxiety in a happy, healthy way. Keep reading for what I've been doing to alleviate stress and what I've added to my list of work day must-haves.



Stress Relief Tactics 

I've been walking. The new institution I'm working out is gorgeous, so I'm having a fun time exploring it and discovering all it's little quirks. The city is new to me, as well, so I'm getting tons of outside walking in, which has been wonderful. I've been closing my Apple Watch rings every day, which never used to happen. I've definitely got to keep up the momentum.


Making new connections, and keeping up with old connections. Thank goodness for the internet - I've been able to keep up connections with my old colleagues, who are my friends. I've also purposely been trying to make new connections with my new colleagues. I am a whole-hearted believer in the feeling of belonging and how important it is to the space you're in. So I'm working on that.


I've also been keeping some new Stressballs Day in my desk drawer. These new gummies are so cool - they're an all-natural herbal supplement product rooted in stress management. They're a drug-free, habit-free herbal blend remedy. Stressballs Day provide the opportunity to destress naturally, while also helping me to focus. They also keep me energized without needing anymore caffeine on top of all the coffee I drink.




Thankfully, there are also Stressballs Night, which are perfect for those nights when my brain will not stop. I tend to get pretty bad anxiety, and sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night without the capability to get back to sleep. My mind races and I get so jittery. The Stressballs Night calm my nerves and help me get a good night's sleep without any next-day grogginess.

Interested in learning more about Stressballs? Hover over the picture below to link straight over to the products on Walmart.com.







Work Day Essentials


Salt-stone lamp. It's one of the first things I set up/plugged in when I moved into my new office. They're natural air purifiers and can relieve headaches, which I'm prone to when staring at a computer all day. The one of have plugs straight into my computer via USB, but you can find them in all sizes!





Books. All the books I bought for grad school reside on my office bookshelf. It screams, "hello, I know what I'm talking about," but also I have read those books - so I am smart and I know what I'm talking about.


Credentials and awards. I still haven't received my Master's diploma yet, but once I do, I'll have my undergraduate and graduate degrees hung up, alongside several awards I've won over the past few years.






Personal touches. From miniature Harry Potter figurines to family photos and memorabilia from my previous job, these fun pieces make me feel at home and make me feel so happy. My job also relies on me building rapport with different individuals and sharing with them about myself so we can relate on more personal levels. This definitely helps with that.


A water bottle, tea, and a mug. Most places these days try to be sustainable, so reusable water bottles are preferable to plastic ones. And tea is a great pick-me-up mid-afternoon.






And as mentioned above, I definitely keep my Stressballs in my desk to get me through any slumps or nervous spells. Keep in mind they're only available at Walmart, online or in-store on the vitamin aisle.