Identify stress triggers. Once you have begun to monitor and pay attention to your stress levels you need to try to identify specific stress triggers. Stress can come from many places. What triggers your stress? Your job? Your relationships? Your finances? Your children? Pinpointing where your stress is coming from is the first step toward dealing with it.
- As well as the obvious negative events, positive things in your life like getting married or buying a house can trigger stress.
- Once you have identified these, map them out on paper so you can visualize your stress points.
-
Monitor your stress level. You need to take stock of your stress in order to make changes in your life that lower it and can help you to handle it more effectively. Spend some time monitoring your stress levels and note down how often you feel yourself becoming stressed over a week. Of course the amount of stress you experience will fluctuate depending on what is happening in your life, but monitoring your stress over an initial set period is a good way to get you started thinking about it.
- Signs of stress include raised heart rate and sweating, as well as tightness in muscles, headaches, fatigue and shortness of breath.
- If you feel these signs think about what has caused this reaction.You might like to separate them out into short-term and long-term factors.
Work on strategies to tackle stress triggers. Once you’ve identified the sources of your stress, you can start trying to deal with the problems. Begin by identifying what aspect of the event or trigger you can control and focus in on what you can affect. A common cause of stress is simply piling up obligations and tasks that leave you with little time to relax or get some relief.
- You can tackle this by cutting down on your commitments and deciding which you really want to give time to. You can rank them according to importance.[6]
- Look through your schedule and mark ones that you can step back from in order to give yourself more time to relax and have fun.
Develop good time management. As you scale back your commitments, take this opportunity to organize your time more and book in gaps where you don’t have to be somewhere or do something. Here you will get a clearer picture of what exactly you want to spend your time doing, which will be beneficial to you more broadly. Don’t be afraid to delegate or defer tasks.
- Plan out your time, but keep some flexibility. Having a time plan that is too rigid can heighten your stress.
- Leaving empty spaces in your schedule will give an opportunity to relax. Even half an hour or your own in the evening can help.
Don’t think you have to do it all alone. If you are suffering from stress and anxiety don’t think you have to endure it on your own and just battle through. Try talking to a trusted friend or family member about how you are feeling. Communication is very important and it can help you release tension. You don’t have to sit down for a serious conversation and spill your innermost secrets.- Just venting about things that are stressful can ease the pressure.
- If you think it could be helpful to talk to a professional, consider contacting a qualified counsellor or therapist. Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger.
Understand that there is no silver bullet. Monitoring your stress levels, finding your stress triggers and beginning to take action tackle them can all help you to lower your stress over time. There are, however, no immediate perfect remedies to a stressful lifestyle. Try to incorporate these practices while keeping a sense of humour about the trials and tribulations of modern life. Seeing the funny side can be a big help that makes you more resilient to the inevitable setbacks.Enjoy regular exercise. Scientists argue that physical activity helps people to cope with stress, mild depression and anxiety by causing chemical changes in the brain which can help to positively alter mood. Taking regular exercise can also improve wellbeing by raising self-esteem and self-control.- Adults should try to include 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week into their schedule.
- After a long day of work, just a short walk can help you to feel better and put the stress of the day behind you.
- Be creative about the activity you do. You don’t have to just run around in circles or swim laps. Often getting involved in team sports can be a more fun way to exercise.
Make time to do the things you like. As well as getting regular exercise you should also make sure you give yourself the chance to do other things you enjoy. For example, this could be going to the movies, going for a coffee with a friend, or playing with your dog. Doing fun activities will take you away from stressful environments and allow you to let your hair down for a while.