In my last post, we started talking about stress and the symptoms that can arise from the body’s exposure to long-term stress. This post, I’m going to show you how to us effective stress management:
In general…
1. Avoid Unnecessary Stress – While it is true that stress can’t be avoided, there are a number of things you can do to eliminate stressors. Not only is it a good idea to try avoiding people whom you know cause you stress, trying things like proper time management, and saying “no” to something that you know you’re not capable of doing will also go a long way to keeping you healthy.
2. Altering Stressful Situations – If there’s no way for you to escape stressful situations, the only thing left to do is alter them. By saying “alter”, I mean do things that can help ease and alleviate your stress. For example, express your feelings instead of keeping them to yourself. Try to compromise and be more assertive when it comes to dealing with your problems. I also recommend anticipating the worst, so that you will be more prepared.
3. Adapt to the Stressor – As they say, if you can’t beat ‘em, join em. Same goes for stress. If you can’t beat the stressor, you might as well adapt to it. This will allow you to gain composure and a sense of control. You’ll also be able to think of more lucrative, sound ways to properly deal with the stressful situation.
4. Don’t try to control the uncontrollable – Yup, though you might feel like a Superhero some days, remember you are just human and you are entitled to your own weaknesses. No matter how much you want to control things in your hands, there will always be certain situations that can’t be controlled. You can only do so much. Accept the fact that there some things that cannot be controlled, such is the death of a loved one. This is the greatest gift you can give yourself. When you are in your trying moments, learn the art of acceptance. Have a positive perspective and always look at them in their best possible light.
5. Take a Breather – It’s okay to pause for a while and breathe in. Nobody told you to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. See, we are just humans; we get tired, we get weak, and we thirst for some time to relax and enjoy a stress-free life. Everyone should learn to take a step back and try worrying about nothing.
6. Practice a Healthy Lifestyle including meditation or Yoga– Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, drinking eight glasses of water a day, and getting enough sleep can help you have more energy needed to keep up with the stressors that accompany your everyday life.
I’d love to hear what you’re doing for effective stress management in your life and the impact it has had on the quality of your life.