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Stress Management8 min read

Practical Ways to Manage Everyday Stress

Everyone feels stressed sometimes. Everyday strategies can help you manage ordinary stress. They aren’t a replacement for professional support when stress feels overwhelming or doesn’t ease.

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Need help now? If you’re in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (Canada), any time. In an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Look after the basics

Health Canada’s tips for taking care of your mental health start with everyday foundations:

  • Rest. Getting enough sleep can help you feel more alert and better able to cope. Strategies for better sleep.
  • Move. Staying active and spending time outdoors can help ease stress. Build an exercise routine.
  • Eat well. Nutritious food supports body and mind. Balanced eating.
  • Connect. Family, friends and community activities build meaningful connection.

In-the-moment strategies

  • Slow your breathing. Breathe in gently through your nose, then breathe out slowly for a little longer than you breathed in. Repeat for a minute or two.
  • Take a short break. Step away, stretch or walk around the block.
  • Name it. Simply noticing “I feel stressed right now” can create a little space to choose your response.
  • Ground yourself. Notice a few things you can see, hear and feel around you.

Day-to-day strategies

  • Break tasks into steps and focus on the next small action.
  • Write it down. A to-do list or a few lines in a journal can help clear your head.
  • Set boundaries where you can, including time away from news and notifications.
  • Make time for things you enjoy — hobbies, nature, music or time with others.
  • Talk about it. Health Canada encourages talking openly about mental health and reaching out for support.

When to reach out for more support

Consider talking to a doctor, nurse practitioner or mental health professional if stress or worry:

  • lasts for weeks or keeps getting worse,
  • makes it hard to sleep, work, study or look after yourself,
  • leads you to rely on alcohol or other substances to cope, or
  • comes with persistent low mood, panic or thoughts of harming yourself.

Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.

References and further reading

  1. Health Canada. Taking care of your mental health (described video). www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/video/taking-care-mental-health-described-video.html
  2. Public Health Agency of Canada. Are Canadian adults getting enough sleep? Infographic (2019). www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-adults-getting-enough-sleep-infographic.html
  3. 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline (Canada). Call or text 988, 24 hours a day. 988.ca/

Links were checked on 28 October 2026. External sites may change their content.

Written by the PreppingForHealth.ca editorial team. Reviewed against the sources listed above. Named author and professional reviewer details will be added only when verified. Author to confirm

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