We often hear people around us talking about stress – how stressful the work place is, how stressed they are with managing a family, how stressful school can be. Most of us immediately think of the worst case scenario when we hear the word “stress” but really, there are varying levels of it and honestly, different people experience stress differently too.
So what does it really mean to manage stress, especially in our current high paced society? How does one even get around to doing so when he/she is already so highly strung from work or family? Fortunately, there are many ways to do so, some from external help and a few from within you.
Internal:
#1 Take deep breaths
When you start breathing deeply after a stressful encounter, you will feel your heart steadying itself and your mind clearer. When you don’t feel so anxious, you will be better able to rationalise things logically and make better decisions to settle things properly.
#2 Think happy thoughts
How many of us have done this before? I know I have. In highly stressful situations when you think you are never ever going to get anything done, anxiety can run high and you may lose your cool-headedness in dealing with the situation at hand. Telling yourself to “think happy thoughts” can actually help to stabilise your emotions and allow you to think about what exactly can be done to save you from any further trouble.
External:
#1 Have a sweet treat
Photo Credits: Black Star Pastry
Probably one of the easiest and most satisfying ways is by having your favourite ice cream or dessert. Let the feelings of euphoria rule over you for a bit and you will notice how much easier it is to manage the situation and get it under control in the shortest time possible.
#2 Stop whatever you are doing
You can always get back to it when you are feeling better and calmer. When you are highly strung and emotional, you never get things done properly or say the things you mean so it’s always a good idea to just drop whatever you are doing, step out and go walk it off for a bit. When you return, everything will seem so much clearer and so much easier to deal with.
#3 Don’t try to fight it
If you are stressed, then admit that you are. Talk to someone if you must to take your mind off or switch your focus to another project that is less taxing. Making yourself even more stressed by trying to push forward is not going to be good for your overall well-being and definitely will not reflect well in your work.
