Ten Tips on How to Manage Stress

Stress is our brain’s reaction to external pressures and we all know that too much pressure can be bad for us and, eventually, we will end up cracking under it. In small amounts, stress can be good as it keeps you motivated and safe in a dangerous situation. BUT, at times, it can be extremely overwhelming, both, emotionally and physically, and as well as draining.

And it is a common fact that ongoing stress can take a serious toll on your overall health. External pressures like meeting a deadline, losing your job, or the feeling of helplessness in an emergency can stress you out, but it’s a normal part of life and you should not let these stressful moments bring you down.

A human being goes through many stressful situations every day, be it at work, school, home, or in any relationship of life. And to survive, we have developed the senses to recognize and react to the threats posed to us. For instance, the fight-or-flight-or-freeze response is a reaction our mind gives to our body and that takes place in response to a potential threat.

How to Manage Stress?

While you can ignore some stressors, others just can’t be ignored, and never a good idea to avoid a situation or problem that needs to be addressed. So, I have prepared a list of 10 tips that helped me manage my stress, efficiently. Let’s take a look at them.

1. Let Go of Unnecessary Stress

Learn to say NO, be it in your professional life or personal. We should not take on more than we can handle and should be able to tell someone when we have had enough. To do this, you should sit down to analyze your daily tasks and prioritize them by the level of urgency. This leads to taking control of the situation i.e., once you have figured out the situations that put you under stress then you can come up with a way to minimize that stressor.

For example, if going to crowded places stress you out, just like me, then what you can do is prepare a list of all the things that you need to get done and do just that without any distraction. It will take less time as well as lessen your stress levels.

2. Alter the Situation or your Reaction to it:

Now, this is the core of stress management which is about taking control of your situation and if you cannot do so then you must change your reaction towards it.

To alter the situation, you’d have to take a front seat in your life and deal with problems head-on. Try to come up with solutions to anticipate, prevent, and resolve the situation. Be assertive.

Try to communicate your feelings. Refrain from bottling up your emotions. Make your feelings and thoughts known.

Now, if you cannot change the situation then try changing your attitude towards it. This means, you can adapt to stressful circumstances by regaining your sense of control and that can be done when you change how you approach a stressful situation.

● Give yourself some space.

● Be open to asking for help.

● Try seeing the ongoing situation from a different perspective. For example, instead of fuming over a traffic jam, see it as an opportunity to enjoy some alone time and relax.

● Set reasonable standards for yourself.

● Focus on the brighter side of the picture.

3. Accept the Unchangeable:

A few of the stressors cannot be changed and so you will have to live with them. To make it easier for yourself, you can practice the following things:

Do not try to control or manipulate the stressful situation and instead focus on the things that you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

Look at a stressful situation as a challenge for you to experience personal development.

Accepting the situation and accepting does not mean that you have to like it, but rather it is about making room for imperfection and the unpredictable. It’s better than fighting against it.

4. Take a Break from Social Media:

This is one of the most beneficial techniques that always helps me manage my stress levels. I know that for some people being painfully aware of what’s going on and using social media can be extremely stressful as well as harm your brain’s health. So, consider taking a break from it as a way of effectively managing stress.

5. Exercise Regularly & Eat Healthily:

Make exercise a part of your everyday routine. It does not matter whether you are going to a gym or exercising at home, or whether you are doing it for a shorter period or longer period. What matters is moving your body, even if you simply get up and go for a walk or dance inside your room.

A lot of us are stress-eaters. And we mostly find ourselves reaching for the candy and cookies jar in our kitchen cabinet. Though it’s perfectly fine to enjoy junk food, eating healthy can help fight stress.

6. Spend Time in Nature:

There is something extremely peaceful about nature. It brings an overall sense of calm to your entire being and makes you feel relaxed even when you are going through some darkest times in your life. So, if you want to reduce your stress and improve your overall happiness and well-being, spend some time in nature.

7. Get Quality Sleep:

You should start paying attention to your doctor when they tell you to get 8 hours of sleep every night. Why? Because getting quality sleep can lessen your stress levels and boost your energy and mood. It is important to start the day with a fresh and healthy mindset, but if you lack a good quality sleep then you are more likely to have a rough and stressful day and even the smallest of the things can set you off.

8. Practice Mindfulness:

We all are aware of this effective technique, mindfulness, which can help us stay focused and accept and live in the present. It lowers our stress levels and improves overall well-being. It can calm your nerves, and make you aware of your surroundings and your actions. It lets you see, analyze and observe before you respond to any situation. There are simple techniques to practice mindfulness, you can always consult a therapist to find the way that’s best suited for you. To learn more about mindfulness, I have written a complete article on it.

9. Apply the Deep Breath Formula:

I know this sounds crazy but taking deep breaths, in a stressful situation, is one of the most effective as well as quickest ways to reduce your stress. This is so because it sends a message to your brain that it is completely normal and alright to relax and let go of all the overwhelming emotions that you experience at that very moment. So, deep breaths, guys!

10. Identify your Triggers:

We all have a few particular situations, things, or people that can trigger our stress. Some of these are easily identifiable and so can be avoided at times. Meanwhile, sometimes stress may pile up over time and result from a pattern of events, rather than a single situation. So, it can prove to be extremely beneficial if you identify your triggers and make a list of them. This will make it easier to address the situation and control your stress.

So, the next time you feel stressed out, sit down or take a step back, figure out the cause and see if it is in your control or not. This way you will be able to choose an appropriate coping strategy and gradually start to keep your stress at manageable levels. And remember that you do not have to practice all of these 10 techniques instead go for the two or three that suit you the best.