If you are used to be your own worst critic, it can be hard to even realise you are doing it. One thing you can do to reduce your own stress is simply be kinder to yourself.

Acknowledge when you’re awesome!

Part of the reason making lists is useful in so many areas of mental health support is because you can produce a record of all the things you managed to get done. Be proud of that. Use it as evidence against yourself when being self critical. Not only that – reward yourself. Buy yourself a present when you do well.

Forgive yourself

Mistakes are allowed. There is a reason so many successful people talk about the importance of failure:
“success is 99% failure”
“fail quickly and often”
“good choices are the product of experience and experience is the product of bad choices”
…Doing things wrong is normal. So resist the urge to be to hard on yourself when things don’t go to plan.

Take a holiday

Take timeout when you feel you need it. Whatever your are doing will likely be done better and faster if you are more relaxed and refreshed.