Stress is the feeling of being uneasy or overwhelmed with life events; Stress is a normal feeling, and a little stress isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can happen from any event or thought, and can make you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or upset. So when is there too much stress? How can you manage these negative feelings?
When Is Too Much?
Some day-to-day stress, such as an approaching deadline, is a normal human response. However, you can be overly stressed, and it can affect not only your mental health, but your physical health as well. You may be overly stressed if:
- – You have pain in your head, chest, stomach, or muscles.
- – Your experiencing diarrhea or are constipated, nausea, or vomiting.
- – There are changes in your sex drive or menstrual periods.
- – You have changes to your heart rate or blood pressure.
- – Feeling angry, irritable, or restless.
- – You feel overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused.
- – Having trouble sleeping or sleep too much.
- – You are experiencing racing thoughts or worry constantly.
Stress Management and You
So you’ve recognized that you’re overly stressed, but how can you manage the feelings? Many people turn to stress management techniques, which can help you battle the negative effects of stress. Effective stress management can break the hold stress has over your mental and physical health, while helping you be more productive as well. The goal of stress management is not to completely rid you of stress; The goal is to build resilience to stressful situations, and maintain a balanced life.
The first goal of stress management is to identify the stress in your life. Maybe you’re overwhelmed between work, home, and personal issues, or maybe it’s just a temporary feeling of needing to take a break. By identifying your stress, you can better manage it. For example, maybe you’re not stressed out by your deadline coming up; Maybe you’re stressed over your procrastination over the work necessary. In order to identify your true stresses, look at your habits, attitude, and excuses. Once you identify your true sources of stress, such as your own flaws, you can better manage it.
Get Moving!
The last thing any of us feel like doing when we’re stressed is exercise, right? However, physical activity is one of the biggest stress relievers, as it releases feel good endorphins, and can distract you from what’s got you feeling stressed. Start simple, by doing things you can incorporate into your daily life, such as walking your dog or dancing to your favorite song. Build it up to working out for at least 30 minutes a day. Your body will thank you.
The Four A’s Of Stress Management
There is a simple way to remember how to lessen stress in everyday situations: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, and Accept.
Avoid
You may be able to avoid a number of stressors in your life, such as certain people or situations. Although avoidance is not always a good thing to do, in some situations, it is the easiest way to stop stressing out. By learning how to say “no,” and knowing your limits (and sticking to them!), you can stop taking on more than you can handle. Certain people have a way of continually stressing us out, whether it is a needy coworker, or a nosy friend. By avoiding these people, we can cut out a huge stress in our life.
Take control of your surroundings, and avoid stress, such as crowded roadways or bustling cafeterias. Try taking the scenic route to work, or pack your lunch for the day. Lastly, modify your to-do list by sorting items into importance; On stress-free days, do everything on your list, and on stressful days, only do the most important.
Alter
Sometimes, we can’t avoid the stressful situations in our lives. If you see this as a common theme, try to alter your situations. Try expressing your feelings in a healthy way, instead of bottling them up, until you’re ready to burst. Be willing to compromise with others; If you ask somebody to change their behavior, chances are, you should change yours as well. We get the respect we give. By creating a balanced schedule, we can avoid burnout, by distancing ourselves from stressful situations. Time management is a huge part of stress management, and by managing your time better, and giving others a limit, you can alter your stressful schedule. For example, if a chatty coworker tends to ramble on, try starting with “I’ve only got a few minutes, but what’s on your mind?”
Adapt
If you can’t change the stress, the next option is to change yourself. Start by reframing your problems, and viewing stress in a more positive way. Look at the bigger picture; How long will this stressful situation affect you? A day? A week? A month? Focus on how things will affect you in the long run, and if it doesn’t, let it be. Adjust your standards, and stop setting yourself up for failure. Redefine your success, and understand that you can handle whatever life throws at you.
Accept
Sometimes, all we can do is accept the things we can not change, and that’s okay. Don’t try to control what we can not control, such as a serious illness or the death of a loved one. Look for the upside in major challenges, and see them as opportunities for personal growth. Lastly, learn to forgive, not only others, but yourself. It takes so much energy to be angry, and by learning to forgive, we can free ourselves from burning even more negative energy.
Make Time For You
Making time for you time is one of the most valuable and therapeutic ways to deal with stress. Instead of getting caught in the hustle of daily life, take ten minutes to yourself. Read a chapter of a book you’ve been meaning to finish, take a bubble bath after a long day, or go for coffee with your good friend. Try taking up a new hobby, such as painting, drawing, or making music. Spend your time volunteering for an organization near and dear to your heart. There are many ways to come up with “me time,” you just have to find what works for you.
Many times, we let stress get the best of us, and we are known to take it out on not only ourselves, but others as well. In order to live lives with as little stress as possible, we need to learn how to manage it properly, and decompress after inevitable stress. If you’re in a sudden stressful situation, try to focus on your senses, and do a grounding exercise. Start by finding five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.
Stress is a normal part of everybody’s life, but it’s how we manage it that makes us different.
References
https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-level-too-high#1
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044476