An ER Doctor's 4 Nonnegotiables To Manage Stress (Even On The Busiest Days)

We know that managing stress is key to optimizing overall well-being, but let's be honest: It's much easier said than done. Sure, you may have the best intentions to keep stress levels in check, but identifying when and how to incorporate calming practices into your daily routines can feel...murky. The good news? Sometimes the smallest lifestyle interventions can make a difference—ones you can rely on without overburdening your schedule. 

First and foremost, Harry prioritizes starting her day with a calm mindset. As soon as she wakes up, she practices some form of mindfulness: "Sometimes it's short—sometimes it might be five minutes because my day's already gotten ahead of me," she explains. "I like to do meditative things. Sometimes, that's actually meditating; other times, it's a form of yoga that I do to help me get centered."

After a grounding morning routine, Harry identifies breathwork as her best in-the-moment stress-relieving practice: "What always initially steadies me is my breath," she explains. If possible, she temporarily removes herself from the situation and focuses on her breathing. "When I finally recognize that things are overwhelming me, my chest is so tight and I'm barely breathing," she adds. "[I'm] in that tense, fight-or-flight response. So, ultimately, I do things to try to break that cycle, and my immediate [go-to] is some breathing exercise."

These exercises don't have to take very long—in fact, research shows you can reap the mental and physical benefits in just a few minutes. In one study, 20 participants with hypertension practiced just five minutes of spontaneous breathing, followed by four total minutes of controlled breathing. The results showed that slow breathing (six cycles per minute, in particular) helped reduce the hypertensive patients' blood pressure.

In addition to breathwork, Harry lauds the benefits of incorporating "micro-moments" into your day. These short periods of mindfulness can actually have a huge impact on managing stress (and the best part? They take no time at all). Examples include finding a space to meditate for 10 minutes, mindfully enjoying a cup of green tea with lemon (Harry's beverage of choice), or listening to calming music.

"Put it in your schedule and say, 'At 12:30, I will be taking 10 minutes to relax,'" Harry adds. "If that means going in [your] car and eating [your] sandwich there, or listening to some meditative music—whatever it means, it needs to be scheduled in your day." If a more physical practice is available to you, five minutes of yoga or strength training, or simply opting for stairs over the elevator are also great options.

Harry's final practice for stress management? Cultivate meaningful relationships. "It helps us manage our stress more," she says (and research backs it up1, too!). "It helps us feel that it's being shared. It helps us to feel loved. All of those things make a significant difference in our quality and quantity of life." On the subject of longevity, research shows social integration—having a romantic partner, having friends, or being connected to your community—can lower your mortality risk2.