'I was chronically stressed for years until one change helped me relax'

We all encounter significant pressure in our daily existence. From fretting over bills to caring for our loved ones and perhaps even enduring demanding careers, there's constantly a great deal weighing on our thoughts, and it can severely affect our mental health.

However, one woman who received a diagnosis of chronic stress revealed how she succeeded in managing her anxiety after years of battling with it.

Milly Evans explained that not only would GPs need to sign her off work due to her stress, but she actually developed "multiple disabling chronic illnesses" as a consequence of being overly anxious.

Convinced that stress would be the "thing that killed" her, Milly took measures to attempt to reduce her anxiety levels. She now describes herself as "one of the calmest people" she knows, and said many of the strategies she attempted were "fairly enjoyable" and didn't cost a penny to implement.

Milly has recently launched a TikTok series where she shares the methods that worked to diminish her stress. Although she maintains her journey involved "a lot of trial and error" and not everyone will have the same outcome, she hopes she can assist other anxious people take a breather with her clips.

In her initial video on the subject, Milly highlighted one activity many of us are guilty of doing, which she said dramatically reduced her stress levels when she finally eliminated it - multitasking.

She explained: "I get it, people's lives are so busy and we live in this time where people are obsessed with optimising everything that they do, but you have no idea how bad multitasking is for your brain until you stop doing it.

"As well as making you feel much more stressed, multitasking is asking your brain to focus on multiple things and to remember multiple things and attempt to get enjoyment out of multiple things at the same time. It just can't process that."

Milly even revealed that multitasking doesn't have to involve completing two chores simultaneously, or responding to a work email while also taking a business phone call.

Even activities like browsing on your phone while watching television can place additional strain on your body.

She added: "One of the most common examples, and one of the easiest places to start, is with double screening. So, going on your phone while watching TV. There are times when multitasking is unavoidable, but this is generally not one of them. You probably can put your phone in a different room while you're watching TV.

"It will be difficult at first because you'll want that extra stimulation, that extra division of your attention, but over time you'll realise you're actually able to focus better on what you're watching, you'll enjoy it more, you'll remember more, and your body won't be this scrunched up ball of stress and tension.

"One of the big benefits of this is that you can turn watching TV into actual restful time, rather than constant overstimulation from either mind-numbing social media or trying to catch up on work or the news at the same time."

Get help with stress

Most people feel stressed sometimes, but if you feel like stress is affecting your life, there are things that might help. The NHS recommends the following lists of dos and don'ts when it comes to stress:

Do:

• Try talking about your feelings to a friend, family member or health professional. You could also contact Samaritans, call: 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org if you need someone to talk to.
• Find out more about 10 stress busters - including getting started with exercise and setting aside time for yourself.
• Use easy time-management techniques to help you take control.
• Use calming breathing exercises.
• Plan ahead for stressful days or events - planning long journeys or making a list of things to remember can really help.
• Consider peer support, where people use their experiences to help each other. Find out more about peer support on the Mind website.
• Listen to free mental well-being audio guides.

Don't:

• Do not try to do everything at once - set small targets you can easily achieve.

• Do not focus on the things you cannot change - focus your time and energy on helping yourself feel better.

• Try not to tell yourself that you're alone - most people feel stressed at some point in their life, and support is available.

• Try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve stress - these can all contribute to poor mental health.

When to see a GP

You should see a GP if:

• You're struggling to cope with stress
• Things you're trying yourself are not helping
• You would prefer to get a referral from a GP

If you need help urgently but it's not an emergency, call 111 or make an urgent GP appointment. However, if you or someone you know needs immediate help, call 999 or go to A&E.

For more information and support, visit the NHS website.