Healthy ways to manage stress

I am the type of person who doesn't realise just exactly how much I get stressed. It doesn't even  have to be anything major, just lots of life’s little demands that keep building up. Whilst I am dealing with all these “little things”, my body gets tenser and tenser. It’s not until I get a massage, have a good laugh or take a deep breath and relax my shoulders that I feel just how stressed I have become!

Recently I've taken stock of my stress levels, and discovered some ways to ease the load and relax. There is no exact way to manage stress, it’s simply finding an activity that you  are so engaged in that your mind becomes freed from  its worries.  We all have stress to deal with, and it is possible for each of us to cope with it. Successful people are not those that don’t have any stress, they are just successful at managing stress.  Consider trying some of the following approaches to help manage stress.

Option 1: Do some physical activity

It may be hard to find time to exercise in your day but getting the body moving is one of the best ways to relieve stress and stay healthy. Put on some music and dance like no one’s watching. Play on the Wii, play WiiFit, Zumba or Sports Resort. Get outdoors and go for a walk, run or bike ride.  Physical activity was the nature of human existence before the explosion in technology (we didn’t have cars and we didn’t have machines to do a lot of our housework). Get your blood flowing and your  heart pumping and your stress levels will plummet!

Option 2: Laugh

When you laugh, all the muscles in your body relax. If you are stressed out and have a good laugh you will feel just how tense your body really is. Visit YouTube and find a clip of a funny video. Watch a comedy show that you enjoy.  Remember a time when you had yourself in stitches, and soon enough a grin will be likely to come to your face.

Option 3: Reward yourself by doing an enjoyable activity

We all have activities which we enjoy doing. Reading, shopping, sewing, watching TV, going to see a movie, gardening, cooking, having a massage; all of these activities are highly effective at taking your mind off your worries. Really engage in what you are doing to refocus your mind away from stress.

Option 4: Talk to friends or family

When you get stressed you may have a tendency to bottle up your problems. Talking to friends and family can help take your mind off your worries, and a problem shared is usually a problem solved. Family and friends want to help, and be there for you, even if you think you can manage on your own. There is no need to carry a heavy load alone.  

Option 5: Talk to a counsellor

Sometimes stress can get so overwhelming it can be extremely hard to get perspective on how to deal with it. Talking to acounsellor can provide a completely objective view on your problems without any emotional attachments.  Counsellors are more readily available than you might think. Community organisations like Lifeline have a 24 hour  telephone counselling service, and many workplaces offer  confidential counselling for employees.

Unhealthy ways to cope with stress

Choosing a healthy way to manage stress may be hard, especially given that there are a range of easy, unhealthy ways to deal with stress. Often these are the first port of call for many of us. Who hasn’t had that chocolate bar or an extra drink after work at some point after having a bad day? Smoking, gambling, and other risky behaviours are all ways people choose to cope with stress. In the short term, you may feel better. But in the long run, these types of behaviours will damage your health, adding another unnecessary stress to your life. We all cope with stress in different ways. Sometimes we might choose to manage stress in a healthy manner, other times we might reach for the chocolate bar. Stress is a part of everyday life, so it is a life skill to learn and practice the stress management technique that works best for each of us. 

Yes…you CAN : 5 ways to manage stress

Stress is a naturally occurring biological phenomenon. All living things experience stress, from the antelope being chased by a lion over the plains of Africa to the bomb squad expert deciding whether or not to cut the blue wire or the red wire.  Stress is part of life, it cannot be avoided – accept that now! But there are ways to help manage your stress so that it does not control your life.

1. You Can: Identify and acknowledge stressors

 Identifying what causes you stress and acknowledging it is the first step in coming closer to reducing your stress levels. Stress is like a bell curve. No stress at all and we’d never do anything as we would have no desire to strive for survival. A little bit of stress is needed for optimal performance, too much stress and your quality of life becomes seriously diminished. Determine the really big obvious stressors, such as work related issues, financial issues, health concerns; as well as the minor ones such as your partner’s annoying quirks that irk you, things your kids do that drive you nuts and the irritants you encounter each day.

2. You Can: Select what stress you can get rid of

Some stress is easily dealt with, and it is best to start with these things. Any issues that causes you stress which you can delegate – do so! Any problems you are dealing with that aren’t yours to begin with – get rid of them!

3. You Can: Prioritise

If you’ve got a lot on your plate, trying to deal with it all at once can be daunting. Prioritise what has to be done today, this week, this month etc. Now once you’ve done that go through your list again and really review it. What have you put down for dealing with today that you can really put off for the week? This doesn’t mean you are being disorganised, you are learning to prioritise.

4. You Can: Get help

Where has it ever been engraved in stone that you aren’t allowed to ask for help? Whether it’s a colleague, your partner, your parent, your child, your neighbour, your best friend, your stepmother’s gym instructor’s cleaning lady – if you ask you will usually find that there is someone who can help you if you need it.

5.  You Can: Cope

Coping with stress is one of life’s essential skills. And you can do it, you already are, even if your current coping mechanism is doing so many different tasks you never have any time for yourself, you’re simply trying to distract yourself from the stress by keeping busy. There are countless ways to cope with stress, far more than what I could possibly cover in this post. Learning to relax is one such coping mechanism– which may seem easy in theory, but may be very difficult for many so don’t be concerned if you take some time to learn this skill. Learn to identify your body’s signals – it will tell you when you need to stop and take a break before you burn out.

Yes, you can manage stress, but you cannot beat it.   Embrace stress, as trying to “fight stress  is only going to increase stress and anxiety by raising adrenaline levels, creating a higher level of fear. Acknowledge how stress makes your body feel and notice those subtle changes.  We all experience stress, just don’t let it stop you from experiencing the rest of your life.