Everyone will deal with stress at some point in their lives so with National Stress Awareness Day taking place this week, we share some easy ways to tackle stress head on. With the root of most stressors coming from busy schedules, content overloads and social or work anxieties, sometimes the most simple of solutions can bring about a state of calmness, and as a result, help to boost creativity and curiosity where it may have been lacking. 

We caught up with Clare Barry, a writer, speaker and podcast host who is on a mission to help busy people slow down. She shares her story of how complete burn-out taught her that doing something as simple as walking brought moments of much needed calm, and in turn increased creativity. Here she shares some tips to slow down, truly unwind and open your eyes to things you may never have seen before:

"Many of us live in cities addicted to speed. We walk, talk and text simultaneously. We socialise, network and date via touchscreen technology. We track our sleep quality and calorie intake. We go to bed with our smartphones under the pillow and tap out replies to pals, bosses, clients or colleagues in the middle of the night. Urban living in a hyper-connected world can be stressful.

Did you know that 'inspirare' means to inhale in Latin? Think about it. We race through our days thinking about to-do lists, ruminating over past conversations or fretting about the future. Inspiration doesn’t strike when we race from here to there without a moment to catch our breath.

I used to wear my busyness as a badge of honour but I felt frazzled and creatively unfulfilled. Burnout hit and I had major back surgery. The day after my operation, the neurologist sent me home with minimal pain relief and instructions to take a daily walk. Dawdling along my residential west London street changed my life. I didn’t know it then but researchers at Stanford University reported that walking boosts creativity by up to 60 per cent.

So why not unplug, slow down and spark ideas with a walk. You might find that you'll see things a little differently:

TAKE A BREAK

It’s so easy to work through your lunch break or decide not to leave the house because it’s a struggle when you have responsibilities. Claw back time from your busy schedule – even if you work on an industrial estate or it’s threatening to rain. Ten minutes can help, one hour is better. Do what you can.

PAY ATTENTION

Notice how you are feeling in your head and think about where your body is holding that sensation. Pay attention to that first step as your heel strikes the ground and the arch of your foot curves. How do your toes feel in your shoes?

TAKE A DEEP BREATH

Inhale from the bottom of your belly and let your shoulders drop as you breathe out. What can you smell and hear in your environment? Notice how the air feels on the back of your hand and compare this with how it feels on your cheeks. Swallow: what flavors and aromas linger on your tongue?

TUNE IN

Go on a colour hunt: search for the colour red in the cityscape. Notice shades and tones of it in clothing, shop signs, graffiti. Take the first letter of your surname and search for it in the street: on advertising hoardings, street signs, shop windows. Look for shapes and lines; think about textures and materials in the urban environment.

PERSPECTIVE

Get out of your head and into your body for a moment. Crouch down and look up at a ghost sign. Cross over the road and spot differences you’d never notice on your usual route. Changing your point of view can be rewarding in many ways.

OBSERVE

Who is around you? Pick a person and give them a name. Fire up your imagination. Where are they from and where are they going? What drew you to them? How would you describe them to the police in the event of an incident? Notice their facial expression, clothing, accessories, footwear. Make eye contact with this person or another citizen. Smile.

Choose slow over speed and cultivate your curiosity. Take a walk today and get more time and headspace for what matters to you in real life." 

Clare Barry is founder of Urban Curiosity, a creativity and wellness company that helps busy people slow down and see things differently. She leads Urban Curiosity Walkshops, designed to help you explore streets and roads with a whole new perspective, she also does writing for wellbeing courses.

Clare Barry, founder of Urban Curiosity 

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