Podcast on self help and meditation

Jenna discusses self-help methods to de-stress when busy. She recommends regular exercise for releasing endorphins and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Time management helps with productivity and enjoying free time. Mindfulness and meditation, practiced through apps like Headspace, promote relaxation and reduce stress. Implementing these practices improves happiness, reduces stress, increases energy, and enhances focus. Hi, my name is Jenna, and welcome to my podcast on self-help methods to help you de-stress when things get busy. I'm a full-time college student and a full-time employee, so I've done a lot of research on this, and the first thing I want to talk about is regular exercise, and I know what you might be thinking. I'm already so busy. How will I make time for the gym? Well, it's possible, and it is worth it. This is linked to the release of endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural mood lifters. This means you will be happy throughout the day and also release some stress. Physical activity is also associated with reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. This is alongside the more obvious benefits, such as just being healthier in general. It also increases your energy level, so you'll be more productive, and improves your sleep and helps regulate your sleep patterns. My next self-help method, I suggest, is time management. Time management can truly make or break your daily routines. What I struggled with the most when I began to manage my time was feeling restricted to the schedule, but once I stuck to it, I realized it actually made me more free. I organized my schedule with a whiteboard calendar and choose to stick to it no matter what. This gives me peace of mind that I will get certain tasks done on time. It also prevents me from procrastinating a certain task and wasting my time dreading doing said task. Instead, I get the tasks done when I'm scheduled to do it, and that way I can actually enjoy my free time. The last self-help method I'm going to talk about for this podcast will be mindfulness and meditation. These are techniques that involve paying attention to the present moment, promoting relaxation, and reducing stress. The best way I've practiced this is through an app called Headspace. This app has hundreds of audio recordings of guided relaxation methods to help calm you and bring you back into the present moment. It has guided relaxation audio recordings to help you with anything from panic attacks to falling asleep at night. You can even choose to listen to a bedtime story if that's what helps you fall asleep. Besides the app Headspace, there are so many other ways to practice mindfulness and meditation. You can start by simply noticing when you are feeling overwhelmed. When you feel this way, take a step back, recognize it, and take a deep breath. Pay attention to your breathing and take a moment to focus on that alone. Close your eyes. YouTube also has a lot of good options for mindfulness exercises without the hassle of downloading an app, and all you have to do is search for it. And all you have to do is search for exactly what you're looking for. Then find a comfortable place to relax and practice mindfulness. The app Headspace overall has helped calm me and grab me to the present moment. And it's been one of my favorite self-help methods so far. Implementing all of these self-help practices I talked about can be hard, but it really is worth it. After adding these practices to my daily routine, I am happier, less stressed, more energized, and focused. And I know I can help myself, and you can help yourself, too. Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy my podcast.