We need to talk about stress.

Busy is the new normal for most Australians, with professional and personal lives equally as overwhelming as we try and cram as much living into as little time as possible. It’s fun, until we fall over. It’s during the times when we are flat on our faces we might take the time to wonder how modern life became so craz-ee!

If busy is the new normal and stress our constant companion, we can either run away and live on an island, feasting on coconuts achieving nothing, or we can learn how to deal with our jam-packed schedules.

The good news is that a major life overhaul is not required.

Think of modern life as an over-inflated balloon. All we need to do is let out a little bit of air, give ourselves a small breather, and it all becomes so much more manageable. Suddenly we are better able to cope and appreciate our lives for what they are. Busy and challenging and full.

Life hacks: Six soothing solutions to de-stress. Article cotninues after this video.

Bronwen Sciortino, former financial work and author of SheIQ Life told the Huffington Post Australia there are a number of ways Australian workers can relieve everyday stress. All it takes is a few minor adjustments.

1. Make a list

Sciortino’s top tip is to make a list of all the things you enjoy doing, and one of all the things you find to be a bit of a drag. She then says to look down the list of things you don’t enjoy, and try and get rid of one.

She told The Huffington Post, “The things that we want to be doing unnaturally are the things that increase our energy. Those are the things we should be spending our time on,” she said.

2. Align your job

If we end up in a job that doesn’t suit us or goes against our principles, it can make our worklife even worse. That’s why Sciortino suggest we choose our jobs carefully.

“I spent twenty years of my career trying to work in an environment that didn’t fit in with my values,” she told The Huffington Post. “I tried and tried to make it work.”

3. Positive friends

Spending time with positive people is a key de-stresser and sometimes means distancing ourselves from those who are negative, toxic or draining in any way.

"Your friends should be people who help you to re-energise, but they should also be those who help you to grow and develop." she told The Huffington Post.

4. Manage your energy

Nobody knows better than you do what it takes to energise you and recover from difficulties. Figure out how and when you need to re-energise and make time for it. The rest of your life will benefit.

"Understanding who you are and how you re-energise is critically important," Sciortino said.