how I manage stress - maudy ayunda

Summary

In this episode of 'Maudy's Thoughts,' the host discusses the importance of stress management, highlighting her personal experiences with high-stakes projects. She shares her journey of self-awareness to identify stress signals early and suggests seeking 'flow' activities for stress relief. The host also emphasizes the value of creating action plans to regain a sense of control. Amidst making a matcha latte with oat milk, she provides practical tips and ends with a relatable and casual vibe, encouraging viewers to manage stress effectively.

Takeaways

• 😌 Stress management is a crucial topic for the speaker due to the high-stakes projects and stress they've experienced in recent months.
• 🍵 The video features a personal touch with the speaker making a matcha latte using oat milk, adding a casual and relatable element to the discussion.
• 🔍 The speaker emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in recognizing the early signals of stress to prevent burnout.
• 💡 Identifying personal stress signals, such as feeling drained or irritable without clear reasons, is key to managing stress effectively.
• 🌱 Engaging in activities that induce a 'flow' state, such as reading or sewing, can help alleviate stress by promoting presence and focus.
• 📚 The concept of 'flow' is explained as activities that require full attention and immersion, providing a sense of peace and reducing stress.
• 🚫 The speaker points out that using a phone does not constitute a flow state, as it often leads to mind-wandering and increased stress.
• 🗓️ Creating action plans and setting achievable goals can empower individuals, providing a sense of control over their lives amidst stress.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Scheduling activities like workouts can serve as a simple yet effective action step to regain control and reduce stress.
• 😅 The video concludes with a light-hearted moment where the speaker's camera overheats, adding a humanizing touch to the content.
• 👋 The speaker signs off in a casual and friendly manner, encouraging viewers to apply the shared stress management tips in their daily lives.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Maudy's Thoughts episode discussed in the transcript?

The main topic discussed is stress management and how to cope with it.

Why does Maudy feel the need to talk about stress management?

Maudy feels the need to talk about stress management because she has been experiencing stress due to her high-stakes work projects over the past couple of months.

What drink is Maudy making during the episode?

Maudy is making a matcha latte using oat milk.

What is special about the matcha latte Maudy is making?

The matcha latte is special because it uses oat milk instead of regular milk, and the process of making it is done in a casual, conversational manner.

How does Maudy suggest identifying stress signals from one's body?

Maudy suggests being self-aware and recognizing when one feels mentally tired, drained, or more irritable than usual as signals of stress.

What are some examples of activities that Maudy considers as 'flow' activities?

Examples of 'flow' activities Maudy mentions include reading a book, sewing, knitting, coding, and gaming, which require full focus and presence.

Why does Maudy believe being on the phone is not a state of 'flow'?

Maudy believes that being on the phone is not a state of 'flow' because even though one may seem focused, the brain tends to wander and think about unrelated things, which can add to stress.

What does Maudy suggest doing to regain a sense of control when feeling stressed?

Maudy suggests making an action plan or doing a mini audit of one's situation to identify actionable steps that can help regain a sense of control and reduce stress.

How does Maudy feel about the matcha oat latte she made?

Maudy is very pleased with the matcha oat latte she made, finding it flavorful and rich without needing any additional ingredients.

What does Maudy plan to do after the episode ends?

After the episode ends, Maudy plans to grab another Oatside, this time in chocolate flavor, for an on-the-go snack.

How does Maudy handle the situation when her camera overheats and dies?

Maudy acknowledges the camera overheating incident, makes a light-hearted comment about it, and then proceeds to wrap up the episode.

Outlines

00:00

🍵 Stress Management and the Art of Matcha Latte Making

In this segment, the speaker introduces the topic of stress management, which they find highly relevant due to their personal experience with stress from high-stakes work projects. They share their approach to recognizing stress by paying attention to their body's signals, such as mental exhaustion and increased irritability. The speaker also demonstrates how to make a special matcha latte using oat milk, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness in managing stress before it escalates to burnout.

05:01

🧘‍♀️ Embracing 'Flow' Activities for Stress Relief

The speaker continues the discussion on stress management by sharing their strategy of engaging in 'flow' activities to alleviate stress. They explain that these activities require full focus and presence, such as reading or sewing, which can help one feel recharged and less stressed. The speaker contrasts this with the distracted state induced by using a phone, which can exacerbate stress. They also touch on the importance of creating action plans to regain a sense of control, which can be as simple as scheduling a workout, to counteract feelings of helplessness.

10:04

🏃‍♀️ Taking Action and Simplifying Life on the Go

In the final paragraph, the speaker acknowledges the challenges of managing stress in an overwhelming world and hopes their personal experiences can be helpful to the audience. They share their intention to simplify their life by grabbing an Oatside chocolate drink for an on-the-go situation, emphasizing the need for practical solutions. The video ends with a casual and relaxed departure, as the speaker heads out with their bag, offering a friendly farewell to the viewers.

Keywords

💡Stress Management

Stress management refers to the process of identifying and coping with stressors to reduce their impact on one's mental and physical health. In the video, it is the central theme, as the speaker discusses their personal experiences with stress due to work and high-stakes projects. The script emphasizes the importance of recognizing stress early and taking steps to manage it.

💡Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the conscious knowledge of one's own character, feelings, motives, and desires. It is crucial in the context of the video as the speaker highlights the need to recognize the body's signals of stress, such as mental tiredness and irritability, which indicate that one is experiencing stress. The speaker uses self-awareness as a first step in managing stress.

💡Burnout

Burnout is a state of chronic stress characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. The speaker mentions the term to caution against waiting too long to recognize stress, as it can lead to burnout, which is a severe state that can be more difficult to recover from.

💡Matcha Latte

A matcha latte is a popular beverage made with matcha powder, a type of powdered green tea, and steamed milk. In the script, the speaker uses the process of making a matcha latte with oat milk as a metaphor for taking a break and engaging in a calming activity, which can be part of stress management.

💡Oat Milk

Oat milk is a plant-based milk alternative made from oats. It is used in the video as an ingredient for the matcha latte, symbolizing a choice for a healthier or more comforting option, which can be related to the broader concept of making healthier choices as part of stress management.

💡Flow

Flow is a state of deep immersion and focus in an activity, where one is fully present and engaged. The speaker discusses the concept of flow as a way to alleviate stress by engaging in activities that demand full attention, such as reading or sewing, which can provide a sense of peace and helplessness to stress.

💡Irritability

Irritability refers to a state of being easily annoyed or provoked. In the video, the speaker identifies increased irritability without clear reasons as a signal of stress, suggesting that changes in mood and temperament can be indicators of underlying stress.

💡Action Plan

An action plan is a series of steps or measures intended to be taken in order to achieve a particular goal or solve a problem. The speaker mentions creating an action plan as a way to regain a sense of control and reduce stress by setting clear objectives and taking proactive steps.

💡Control

Control, in the context of the video, refers to the feeling of being in command of one's own life and circumstances. The speaker finds that a lack of control can exacerbate stress and suggests that taking action and making plans can help restore a sense of control.

💡Oatside

Oatside appears to be a brand of oat milk mentioned in the script. It is used as an example of a product that can contribute to a comforting and enjoyable experience, such as making a matcha latte, which can be part of a self-care routine to manage stress.

💡Content Creation

Content creation is the process of producing various forms of content, such as videos, blogs, or podcasts. The speaker mentions the challenges of creating content alone, which can be a source of stress, and uses this as an example of a high-stakes project that has been stressful for them.

Highlights

Introduction to the topic of stress management.

Personal experience of stress due to work and high-stakes projects.

Decision to make a matcha latte using oat milk.

Importance of self-awareness in recognizing stress signals.

Identifying personal stress signals such as mental tiredness and irritability.

Advice on catching stress signals early to prevent burnout.

Process of heating oat milk for the matcha latte.

Discussion on the concept of 'flow' and its role in stress management.

Examples of activities that can induce a state of flow.

Differentiating between flow and mindless scrolling on a phone.

The significance of action plans in regaining a sense of control.

Suggestion to make small, empowering action steps to combat stress.

Mention of the camera overheating and the end of the main discussion.

Casual sign-off and appreciation for the viewers.

Final note on grabbing a chocolate Oatside to go.

Transcripts

helloo~ good morning!

here we are, with another episode of maudy's thoughts!

today, I wanna talk about something that

I personally feel is

really relevant,

and that is, stress management.

why do I wanna talk about this?

because... hmm... honestly,

these past couple of months

have been really stressful for me,

in terms of work

it's exciting, but stressful at the same time

because like I said earlier,

there are couple of ongoing projects

and they're all

high-stakes projects

oh, while we chat,

as usual, I wanna make myself a drink

this time, I'm gonna make

matcha latte

but it's special

because we're gonna use oat milk!

okay wait. we gotta find the ingredients first

okay!

we got a foamer,

pure matcha,

and Oatside!

honestly, I'm also gonna play this by ear

because I'm not really sure how to do this

okay, firstly,

I'm gonna heat up the oat milk

because I want my

matcha latte to be hot, obviously

gonna take you guys with mee~

you can also heat up your oat milk in a kettle,

or any other ways

to make it hot

but I'm gonna boil it

alright, while we wait,

I wanna talk about

stress management

for me,

the first step

is to read the "signals" my body is giving me

so like self-awareness

ideally, I need to know first

whether I'm stressed or not

because, usually, if we waited too,

we'll learned that we're stressed when we're already burnt out

when actually, our body have given us signals

for me, those signals are

one, when I'm

out and about, in a meeting

or something

and I feel mentally tired when I get home

like I can't do anything else,

I don't have the energy to exercise

or cook

or do things that usually make me happy

if doing those things already make me feel drained,

at that point,

I'm already mentally drained

and if I force myself to do it,

I'll be really really stressed

or...

if I start to

get more cranky without reasons

this requires some self-awareness

because usually, if we're more irritated, especially us women,

we always

blame it on other things, when really

sometimes we have to acknowledge that

we tend to overreact when we're feeling irritated

or we

feel crankier than usual

that for me is also another signal

that I'm more irritated than usual

so, everyone has their own signals,

but I think it's so important to just know your signals

know when you're getting stressed

because ideally,

it's better to find our stress signals as early as possible

so we don't get burnt out

and feel really stressed

so that way,

we're aware of it much earlier,

and we can find the solutions way earlier too

okay, the oat milk's warm enough

I don't need it to be super hot

alrighttt~

we foam!

alright

what's next ya?

okay, so...

let's just do

1 cup

oh, this is actually perfect

because we only need 3/4

cup

then we'll transfer it to the instant frother

okayy

we will instantly froth you later~

I think... hm...

let's just put more (matcha)

okay

I just grabbed some hot water

and now we mix!

ooh!

here's the matcha that I just

mixed

alrighttt~

hmm... how do we do this?

okay, we'll do it extra frothy!

Oatside is frothing~

okay

there are still 2 things that I wanna talk about

but I'm a bit distracted

with making this matcha, oh noo :(

okay, wait

here we goo~

yeayyy!

my cute little

matcha

oat latte

alright, let's have a drink

okay, we gotta find a spot

the hurdles of making content

because I always shoot my maudy's thoughts content

alone, just me, myself and i

okay!

we got ourselves a spot

I also have my cup

I'm excited! okay, let me try

oh my god

soo good!

and like, I didn't put anything else besides matcha and oat milk

but Oatside

is already so tasty and creamy

so, with just matcha

and this (Oatside), it's the perfect flavor

and it's already so flavorful and rich

so we've talked about the importance of being self-aware

in managing stress

and so, after we acknowledged those signals,

usually when I feel stressed or down,

I seek out activities of "flow"

so I try to find activities

that give me "flow"

what is "flow"?

from literatures and books that I've read,

it says,

when we do activities that give us flow,

we are being present

usually, these activities

"forces" us to be fully focused

so, like... some examples,

reading a book is usually considered as an activity of flow because

if we're not focused,

we won't understand the plot completely

or... sewing

there are people who got into knitting

because...

it gives them a sense of peace

and that type of flow

for some people,

coding

or even...

gaming

or other things, give them a sense of flow

and when I'm really, really present in my activity

and I feel like I'm not thinking too far ahead or thinking about the past

I feel like my stress kind of heals

and I feel recharged during those moments of flow

when I'm stressed,

I kinda have to "escape"

and be present in some other world

and, you know, I think, the reason why being on your phone isn't a state of flow

is because, even if we feel like we're focused

in seeing our phone's screen,

our brain actually wanders off

like for example, we're scrolling through someone's post

we ended up thinking about their lives

and comparing it to ours

or maybe we're thinking about the regrets or thoughts we have in our heads

that only adds to my stress

and that only makes me feel even more scattered

and the last point...

I honestly just want to talk about

action plans

sometimes, I feel like

when I'm stressed,

it's mostly because

there are a lot of things that I'm working on

so many things happening,

and under so much pressure,

yes

but the one thing that really makes me spiralling

or makes me even more stressed,

is losing a sense of control

of the situation

so, every time I feel unempowered,

or feel

helpless

I get so frustrated and stressed

even though, we actually

have the power to do something,

have an influence

towards the situation that's happening,

but we just feel helpless and that we don't have control

and that really stresses me out

so usually, what I do is,

I make an action plan

or like do a little mini audit

of where I am and what I'm going to do

like the action steps that I'm going to do

to improve

this may sound weird, but sometimes, when I feel really down,

or when I'm stressed or tired or something,

doing things as simple as

I'm going to book a work out slot tomorrow

okay,

let's do some exercise

at this time tomorrow

and I put it in my calendar

although it's unrelated

to the things that's giving me stress,

but just, scheduling something,

doing something that makes me feel

kind of empowered and in control of my own life

is so relieving

especially if the actions

are related to the things that are making us stressed

whaat...

okay, my camera just died because it overheated

it's like self-heated

anyway, I hope that was useful

for you guys

the world can be a little overwhelming, as we all know

so...

hopefully by sharing my experiences and what's useful for me

can be helpful and applicable

in your daily life

okay

now, I actually have to go

please don't make fun of meee

please, pleaseee~

but I'm gonna

grab another Oatside

to go

the chocolate one!

this time, because I'm gonna be on-the-go,

and I want things a little bit simpler,

we'ree...

grabbing one with a straw!

alright

off I goo~

let's say bye-bye first

I got my bag

it's a very casual,

chill look today

that's that

byeee

thanks for chatting with mee!

wait, wait, wait

properly covering you up

one, two, three...