Are you a procrastinator who waited until Easter weekend to finish up your taxes?
If so, the stress is no doubt mounting and will only increase as this year’s Tuesday tax deadline nears.
During tax season, healthy habits and extracurricular activities are some of the first things to fall off your plate. However, those normal routines are some of the most important for keeping stress levels under control.
U.S. HealthWorks offers these tips to cope:
• Get some fresh air. Take a break from the paperwork and head outside. A walk, short run or even sitting on a bench for a quick breather can make a difference.
• Avoid mental fatigue. Step away from your desk and read a few pages of an interesting book or magazine, or perhaps chat with a family member, neighbor or friend. This will help take your mind off the demands of Uncle Sam’s paperwork.
• Stay hydrated and nourished. Guess what? Coffee doesn’t constitute a balanced meal. Drink lots of water and don’t skip lunch or any meals. Your mind will stay sharper if it’s not on caffeine overload and you maintain good eating habits.
• Unplug for a moment. Staring at a stack of paper or your computer screen is not a healthy endeavor. Short breaks are a wonderful stress reliever. They provide a terrific rest time for your eyes and brain. And your neck and back will probably applaud the move.
• Don’t remain stationary. Sitting down for too long can create added stress. Merely getting up and doing a few quick stretches every hour is good for mind and body. If you have more time to spare, spend it doing whatever type of exercise you love – running, walking, biking. Investing in a very simple self-care routine can pay big dividends.
• Enjoy the delay. The traditional April 15 tax deadline is always postponed when it falls on a weekend or legal holiday. Since Monday is Emancipation Day in Washington D.C., the holiday pushes tax return day back to April 18.