Introduction
It’s normal to feel stressed from time to time, especially during these uncertain times! In simpler terms, stress is your body’s response to any kind of demand or stressor. You may experience a so-called ‘stress response’ when you’re feeling overwhelmed, frightened, or anxious.
Nowadays, there are many potential causes of stress. These can range from something as seemingly small as a work deadline to more severe issues such as financial insecurity. Stress may also be caused by physical factors, such as illness, as well as emotional and mental issues. There are even environmental stresses, such as noise pollution or overcrowding. Stress can be overwhelming, so it’s important you can take steps to manage it and keep it under control.
Stress-Relieving Strategies
A. Establish Boundaries
It’s important to take control of your time, attention and energy. Resist overscheduling your hours with extracurriculars and tasks that won’t leave you feeling fulfilled. Prioritize your mental health by setting healthy boundaries and making space for yourself to relax. Consider limiting your hours of work, the use of electronics, or allocating specific times for yourself to wind down. You are the master of your own schedule, so vary and personalize the details that work for you.
B. Develop Healthy Habits
Sound physical and mental health are integral to reducing stress. Consider how you can start investing in yourself and your own wellbeing: talk to a therapist, join an exercise class or begin to meditate. Healthy habits come in all forms, so start by experimenting with different activities until you find something that works for you.
C. Practice Relaxation Techniques
As you go through your day, it’s important to build simple relaxation techniques into your schedule. Deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises can be done anywhere at any time. Mindful meditation is a great way to reintroduce yourself back to the present moment. Or if you’re in need of a more creative outlet, drawing, painting or listening to music are also great ways to destress. Find which strategies work best for you and use them whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Self-Talk and Mindfulness
A. The Power of Positive Self-Talk
When it comes to managing stress levels, it’s easy to slip into a negative mindset and tell yourself that you can’t cope. But the truth is, self-talk plays a huge role in how we handle stress, so it’s important to switch up the narrative with positive words of encouragement. For example, instead of telling yourself “I’m failing”, try telling yourself “I am doing my best and that’s enough”. Even just making these small shifts in the way you talk to yourself can have a really positive impact on your stress levels.
B. The Benefits of Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an incredibly helpful tool when it comes to tackling stress. It helps you to live in the moment, to pay attention and to stay in control. It’s a great way to tune out distractions and focus on the present. On top of this, mindfulness can help you to recognise how you’re feeling and provide clarity on how to move forwards in a more positive way. It takes time and practice, but mindfulness can be a really helpful way of calming the mind and body and helping to manage stress levels.
Conclusion
Taking stress head-on is no easy feat, but with the right strategies and tips it can be managed and sometimes even eliminated. By recognizing signs of stress, taking inventory of our emotions, cutting back on small tasks, allowing ourselves time to relax, and communicating our feelings, we can create a blueprint for tackling stress and make it a priority in our lives.
Taking the necessary steps towards destressing can be difficult, but when we make it a priority to implement just a few of these strategies, it can work wonders for our emotional and physical wellbeing. Nevertheless, managing stress is an ongoing process that requires different approaches at different times – and the journey never ends. We can always strive to make progress and continue to explore methods that are best suited to our own lifestyle and needs. So explore different options and tactics, and make the effort to manage stress with each and every step.
