When I take a break from work and leave town or in some other way detach from my everyday life routines and responsibilities, I usually experience a moment of clarity about what is important in life. In those moments, I begin to see that most of the things that cause me to feel stress and anxiety on a daily basis are not all that important.

In these moments, I gain perspective. This perspective allows me to better connect with what is most important to me and reprioritize those things over the other stuff that occupies my time and fills my mind most days. Sure, I have responsibilities at work and home that are not among those life priorities that are most important to me. But, as I engage in those low priority activities I try to simultaneously keep in mind what is most important to me.

However, I cannot always leave town and detach from the everyday world in order to defuse stress and rediscover what is important to me. Fortunately, there are a number of tools I (and you) can employ at any time to gain that perspective. According to an article published by wellandgood.com (which you can access by clicking on this hyperlinked text), therapists consulted by the author recommend 13 strategies for gaining perspective. Those strategies include the following:

  1. Think beyond this moment in time.

  2. Be aware that you actually have to change your perspective to feel better.

  3. Don't treat your inner monologue as fact.

  4. Name your emotions.

  5. Flip the script on the emotion you've named.

  6. Remind yourself that you've done this before.

  7. Practice the "5-Why's" method.

  8. Get up and move.

  9. Think about the best case scenario.

  10. Talk it out.

  11. Meditate regularly.

  12. Be more creative on the side.

  13. Try therapy.

Learn more about these strategies at wellandgood.com (which you can access by clicking on this hyperlinked text) and try to put one or more of these strategies to work in the coming week.