Stress Management( Reduce, Prevent, and Cope with Stress)

      You have more control over stress than you might think. Stress management is all about taking charge of your lifestyle, thoughts, emotions, and the way you deal with problems. Some stress is good for you but too much can result in you being unable to think straight, inaction and poor performance.

     No matter how stressful your life seems, there are steps you can take to relieve the pressure and regain control.

Stress management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing your reaction when you can’t, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation. The first step is to recognize the true sources of stress in your life.

                Identify the sources of stress

     It’s easy to identify sources of stress following a major life event such as changing jobs, moving home, or losing a loved one, but pinpointing the sources of everyday stress can be more complicated. To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses: Do you explain away stress as temporary even though you can’t remember the last time you took a rest?  Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life or as a part of your personality? Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?

      Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control. Always take note of the following: What caused your stress, How you felt, both physically and emotionally, How you acted in response, what you did to make yourself feel better.

                  How do you currently cope with stress?

    Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your coping strategies should be healthy and helpful.

        Unhealthy ways of coping with stress

Smoking; Drinking too much; eating junk; withdrawing from friends, family, and activities; Using pills or drugs to relax; Sleeping too much; procrastinating; Taking out your stress on others

         Healthy ways to manage stress

Experiment with different techniques and strategies and Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control.

1: Get moving

Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress, it helps to relieve stress and burn away anger, tension, and frustration. Exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood and make you feel good, and it can also serve as a valuable distraction to your daily worries which give you more energy and optimism.

2: Engage socially

Social engagement is the quickest, most efficient way to rein in stress and avoid overreacting to internal or external events that you perceive as threatening. There is nothing more calming to your nervous system than communicating with another human being who makes you feel safe and understood. This can quickly calm you down and can also release hormones that reduce stress, even if you’re unable to alter the stressful situation itself. the more lonely and isolated you are, the greater your vulnerability to stress.

3: Avoid unnecessary stress

It’s not healthy to avoid a stressful situation that needs to be addressed, but you may be surprised by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate. Learn how to say NO, Know your limits and stick to them. Don’t take more than you can handle in your personal or professional life and Avoid people who stress you out

4: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. This involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

Express your feelings instead of bottling them up, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the stress will increase; Be willing to compromise; Manage your time better, if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you’ll find it easier to stay calm and focused.

Adapt to the stressor

Regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude to stressful situations. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

6: Accept the things you can’t change

Many sources of stress are unavoidable. The best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are, don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Rather than stressing out over the uncontrollable, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

7: Make time for fun and relaxation

You can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors. Come up with a list of healthy ways to relax and recharge. You can do one or more of the following: Go for a walk; Spend time in nature; Call a good friend; Play a competitive game; Write in your journal; Take a long bath; Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea; Play with a pet; Work in your garden; Get a massage; Read a good book; Listen to music; Watch a comedy. Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries. Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

8: Adopt a healthy lifestyle

There are healthy lifestyle choices that can increase your resistance to stress.

Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day; Reduce caffeine and sugar; Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.

Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

We hope that the above ideas and tips will help you to handle stressful situations better in the future.