Stress is an inescapable component of life. Once upon a time, humans dealt with life-threatening situations that significantly impacted our life span. Many individuals survived due to the brain’s internal alarm system that alerted us to react as we encountered dangerous situations. Our brain increases the production of the stress hormone cortisol, encouraging us to take flight or prepare to start fighting.
Of course, though we have gadgets and loads of technical tools to help us navigate stress better, we still face it and are still impacted by it. The good news is that we have endless choices, and managing stress is possible and not necessarily out of your personal skill set.
Even though stress cannot be avoided, it can be managed with a balanced self-care regimen. The key to managing stress is finding the tools and techniques that suit your budget and lifestyle.
Here’s a list of stress management options:
- Learn to say no – You cannot always be all things to everyone. Saying no will help reduce unnecessary tasks and obligations you take on because you are a people pleaser.
- Respect your limits. If you have worked a certain amount of time and spent a certain amount of energy, stop pushing yourself into a meltdown or burnout. Doing more work will not make you do better, yet it can put you at risk of making errors.
- Take a break – even if you are not tired, take some time to recharge and revamp your energy levels before they hit the critical depletion level.
- Use schedules – Learn to stick to a schedule that will manage your time to avoid as many as possible last-minute emergencies.
- Embrace the To-do List – Lists are helpful ways of tracking things, especially if you are super busy and might forget a task.
- Practice Self-Compassion – treat yourself with respect and kindness, which means avoid being hard on yourself if you do not achieve everything on your to-do list.
- Embrace your Flaws – Avoid self-criticism and allow yourself to be human. One of the most significant contributors to stress is the high demands and pressure we put on ourselves on behalf of others, like bosses, family, and society.
- Be Organized – No, you don’t need to go Marie Kondo style and purge all your belongings just to be neat and organized. No, just focus on creating a system that keeps things manageable and organized so you don’t feel stuck or overwhelmed by piles of messes.
- Stop Overthinking– let go of the mental noise created by overthinking and obsessing over things you cannot control, especially at 3 am. One way to let go is to use your favorite distraction techniques.
- Manage your mind – Maintain a daily practice of mental care by incorporating 5-minute meditations, journaling or simply breathing exercises. Daily care will help you prevent burnout before it gets out of control.
- Exercise your Body – Physical movements from dancing, stretches, gym class, weight training, swimming, biking, walking, or yoga will help you stay stable and give you the endurance to manage mental challenges. A substantial body helps the mind remain stronger.
- Practice Self-forgiveness – It’s ok to make mistakes and not finish everything. Be easy and kind to yourself.
- Have fun – enjoy activities that make you laugh and allow you to forget your daily burdens.
- Delegate Duties – Whether it’s at work or home, let others help. If no one comes forward and volunteers to help, ask them for it.
- Pamper yourself – take time out to shower, get your hair washed, get a professional massage, pedicure, or manicure. Do whatever you can afford to make yourself feel physically cared for.
I want to mention that just because you feel stressed does not mean you are failing yourself. It is perfectly normal to experience stress at work, school, and with family. We all have faced some degree of stress and continue to function. However, stress typically becomes a severe problem when it diminishes the quality of your life and leaves you so exhausted that most areas of your life begin to suffer, like your health and ability to focus or perform. In addition, even when it gets bad, it can be reduced and managed by changing routine and lifestyle habits.
Copyright 2024 R. Castro
Recommended Books
I recommended the following since it will provide you with more ideas for handling stress in your life through different forms of self-care. Always keep in mind there is more than one way to manage stress, and what works for one person may not work for another.
Self-Care Prescription Solutions by Robyn L. Gobin
The Self-Care Toolkit (4 books in 1): Self-Therapy, Freedom From Anxiety, Transform Your Self-Talk, Control Your Thoughts, & Stop Overthinking (The Path to Calm) by Nick Trenton
Holistic Coaching 