Key Solutions for Managing Stress Better

Key Solutions for Managing Stress Better

Stress is not all bad. In fact, a certain amount of stress
can make life interesting and engaging.

We cannot escape every deadline or every commitment, so,
rather than trying to eliminate stress entirely, we need to
attempt to control stress as best we can.

Interestingly enough, if we don’t have enough stress, we
may end up feeling tired and hopeless.

It would be wonderful if we could come up with a
mathematical formula for stress the amount of stress an
individual could conceivably accept without going into
overdrive.

However, optimal stress levels vary from person to person
and from situation to situation. In fact, a situation that
might make your skin crawl might be invigorating for
another person.

Likewise, a person who thrives on constant change would be
stressed out in a job that is mundane, while an individual
that hates change would be stressed out in a position that
is constantly in a state of flux.

Experts believe that many illnesses are directly tied to
stress. If you find yourself becoming constantly ill, or
you feel nervous much of the time, you need to develop
strategies for coping.

It should be noted, however, that stress management is a
practiced art you can’t expect to master it in a single
day.

However, if you keep at it, chances are you will learn ways
to deal effectively with stress.

One of the first things you should do is to learn what your
primary stressors are.

Is it cooking dinner?

Preparing for a presentation?

Driving to work?

While you cannot necessarily eliminate these chores, you
can make them more manageable. For instance, if cooking
dinner stresses you out, consider ordering takeout once a
week in order to take a break from your normal routine.

If preparing presentations is a problem, learn to divide up
the project so that you’re only focusing on a section at a
time. If your morning commute leaves you frazzled, try
leaving for work fifteen minutes earlier.

The idea here is to recognize your stressors and come up
with ideas for limiting their impact.

You should then try if at all possible to lessen your
emotional reactions to stressors. You may notice that
stressors cause you to think negatively, focusing on the
worst aspects of a situation.

Instead, consider a stressor an opportunity for improving
your life. Try to determine whether you are overreacting to
certain situations.

It is entirely possible that every stressor you encounter
is not urgent that you can take your time to assess the
situation and therefore reduce your stress level.

Also, think of yourself as being in control of your
emotions. While you may not be able to do anything about a
certain situation, you can control your reactions to it.

Pay close attention to your physical reactions to stress.
For instance, adopt deep breathing techniques in order to
decrease your heart rate.

If your physical reactions to stress are severe, you should
consult your doctor to see if you should be on medication.

However, a simple reaction to stress is to simply take a
break from the action. This way, you can get some valuable
"alone time" to think through a situation and see if you
can find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another effective way to fight stress is to strengthen your
body. You should engage in aerobic activity at least three
times a week.

You should also make sure you’re eating nutritious food.
Try to avoid stimulants such as sugar and caffeine, and
make sure that you get enough sleep each night.

These simple strategies can help you to cope when
situations seem overwhelming.

You have to recognize that stress is an inevitable part of
life. You cannot go through life coasting from one
situation to the next and not expect to encounter some
stress.

However, with effective management techniques, you can turn
stressful situations into opportunities for growth. The
more strategies you invoke to deal with stressors, the
happier and healthier you will be.

But remember to start slowly and build up your emotional
reserves.

A gradual approach works best when it comes to stress
management otherwise, you could actually become stressed
out by the pressure of it all.