Managing Stress

Generally, stress is seen as a bad thing. But this is not so. Stress, especially when it is mild and lasts for a short time, can be very beneficial. For instance, suppose you have a close deadline for a project from work. This close deadline will make you become creative and seek ways to finish the work as quickly as possible, whilst also not dropping the quality of your work. The problem with stress comes when it lasts for a prolonged time and there is no way to effectively deal with it. This is when stress gets very bad and can cause all sorts of problems, such as;

●headaches

●nausea

●eye strain

●fatigue

●insomnia

●cold and other infections.

Unfortunately, stress cannot be eliminated from human life. Rather, what can be done is to manage it as effectively as possible. How do we manage stress?

1)Accept what you can’t control It’s not a secret that in life, there are things you can control and things you can’t. Funny enough, the things you can’t control generally seem more than the things you can. And those are the things we tend to focus on, to our detriment. To help you manage stress a lot better, accept anything you can’t control. You can’t control it anyway, so why bother about it? Bothering about what you can’t control is simply wasting precious emotional energy. When you’re able to accept that there are things you can’t control, then you’ll be more open to receiving help from others.

2)Attack problems with a goal-oriented mindset It is very key to face problems with a plan. If not, you will quickly get overwhelmed and bogged down. Having a goal-oriented mindset when attacking problems means that you’ll be able to divide the problems into smaller chunks and focus on those chunks. It’s using the principle of divide and conquer to your advantage. Once you realize that you have plans to tackle the problems, you’ll feel better and it would lead to stress reduction.

3)Learn to take breaks from work. Work is one of the most important things in your life, but it also brings with it unique stressors that you must be aware of. You must also know how to handle these stressors very well, as this can determine how efficient you are at your job. A key way to manage the stressors your work brings is to unplug from your work by taking breaks. Breaks help you refocus and regather your strength forthe next goal with regards to your work. Meditating, taking a walk, reading a novel, etc, are credible and wonderful ways to spend your breaks from work. You could also easily take a nap. It would work wonders for you.

4)Exercise regularlyThe benefitsof exercising regularly are well known. For proper stress management, regular exercises are a must. It helps to release endorphins, which are responsible for the feeling of well-being you have when you exercise.You don’t have to follow a regimented program if you don’t have the time. You can use a lot of innovative ways to keep up with exercising, such as taking long walks, using the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. You can also use mobile fitness apps to help you exercise. They usually have exercise plans that won’t take you more than five to seven minutes daily, and you’re set. There are also varieties of exercises you can do; plank, sit-ups, jogging, running, pilates, etc. If you’re a sedentary worker, you need regular exercise to get you away from your desk and get you moving.

5)Practice deep breathingDeep breathing helps your body to relax naturally. This state of relaxation leads to rest and helps improve how your body responds to stress. A prominent way of doing this is called belly breathing. It is best done when you’re lying down on a soft surface.

Here’s how to do it;

●Close your eyes and place one palm on your chest.

●Place the other on your stomach and take a deep breath through your nose. Your belly should rise more than your chest.

●Exhale slowly through your nose. Do this three to five times your body will begin to relax.

Scorpion Rick’s Bottom line: Stress is an inescapable part of human existence. Though it has beneficial short-term effects if harnessed properly, it is very easy for stress to cause severe internal and external reactions in the body. This is why it is very important to learn how to manage stress effectively. Some of the ways you can do this are to enjoy life and live in the moment, keeping problems in perspective and taking a break from the demands of life sometimes.