Dealing with financial hardships and working to overcome credit debt can be stressful. This stress can build up over time and lead to negative health effects. Taking time to understand and alleviate sources of stress can go a long way toward maintaining a positive financial future, and a healthy one, too! Let’s look at some ways to cope with stress while recovering from debt.
Plan Instead of Worry
By tracking your spending habits and making a budget, you will no longer feel adrift in a sea of bills and expenses. By trimming the fat and cutting out unnecessary expenditures, you will find your money going farther than before. And being able to pay your bills on time will give you the confidence you need to build a better future financially. Make a plan and then focus on sticking to it instead of worrying about getting derailed.
Leave That Emergency Fund Alone
Your emergency fund is for real emergencies. One of the greatest benefits of having an emergency fund is the peace of mind it gives you. More than being able to pay for an unexpected repair, it’s the assurance that you have a safety net that makes the difference in your mental state. If you find yourself dipping into the fund for anything less than a true emergency, your peace of mind will soon disappear along with your safety net.
Stay Active
One of the greatest relievers of stress is physical activity. When you are focused on a task, you are using your mind for something other than worry. Whatever you enjoy doing, physical activity will break the cycle of worry and negative thoughts. Once you have your plan for dealing with your debt in place, try to stay active whenever you find yourself worrying about things you can’t control. Whether it’s running or walking or just cleaning the house, get physical and stick to the plan!
Stop and Smell the Coffee
Stop and smell the coffee. Or the roses. Or your favorite fragrance. Pause and take a deep breath and enjoy something you love. When you are working to overcome debt, it is easy to lose focus of the things that make you happy. Take a moment to ground yourself and remember what you are working so hard for.
Take Time for Yourself
In addition to individual moments in the middle of a stressful day, be sure to also take real time each day to unwind and relax. Give yourself a break, you deserve it! By taking the time to reset both mentally and physically, you will give yourself the energy you need to move forward. Exhaustion will only lead to more worry, more stress, and less happiness overall.
Breaking the Debt Cycle with CreditGUARD
CreditGUARD has nonprofit debt solutions that can help you deal with financial problems and lower your stress level. If you are trying to manage your debt and the mounting stress that goes along with it, give our certified credit counselors a call today!