Ways To Manage Stress

Stress

Stress is the “wear and tear” our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of exhaustion, distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. With any life change (positive or negative), we experience stress as we readjust our lives. In so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how we react to it. The goal is not to eliminate stress, but to better manage it.

Consider the following story: A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, “How heavy is this glass of water?” Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” He continued, “And that’s the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won’t be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we’re refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.”

Below there are many suggestions for coping with stress. Read through them and highlight the ones that might work best for you. Give them a try. Managing stress effectively makes life much more enjoyable!

Pray
Set attainable goals for yourself and your family
Schedule play time into every day
Practice breathing slowly
Exercise daily
Talk to someone you trust
Learn to accept what you cannot change
Be realistic about perfection
Avoid self medication
Get enough sleep to recharge your batteries
Do something nice for others
Take one thing at a time
Agree with somebody
Light a candle
Manage your time better
Take a yoga class
Plan ahead
If you are ill, don’t try and carry on as if you’re not
Develop a hobby
Eat sensibly
Don’t put off relaxing
Don’t be afraid to say no
Know when you are tired and do something about it
Delegate responsibility
Give your spouse a hug
Enjoy a piece of chocolate
Listen to some relaxing music
Simplify meal times
Shoot for the stars, not the sun
Take a hot bubble bath
Get up 15 minutes earlier
Keep a journal
Reflect on recent accomplishments
Clean out your car’s glove box
Get a massage
Prepare for the morning the night before
Avoid clothes that make you feel uncomfortable
Backup your important computer files
Stretch your limits a little each day
Set appointments in advance
Write things down
Anticipate your needs
Do not put off until tomorrow what you can easily do today
Practice preventive maintenance
Stop a bad habit

Give a spare key to your neighbor
Have savings for a rainy day
Get your kids to put their dishes in the dishwasher
Reduce your caffeine intake
Say “no” more often
Play a board game
Learn something totally new
Help someone less fortunate
Tickle someone
Set priorities
Be prepared for rainy days
Stand up and stretch
Take a different route to work
Play a video game with a child
Memorize a joke and share it at the dinner table
Pet a friendly dog or cat
Walk in the rain
Plant a tree in your yard
Break large tasks into smaller, more manageable parts
Try to avoid “hanging out” with negative influences
Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
Look at challenges as new explorations
Develop your sense of humor
Get in shape (or closer to it anyway)
Look at a work of art
Know your limitations and let others know them, too
Buy yourself a flower
Say something nice to someone
Pat yourself on the back when you do a job well
Don’t be everything to everybody
Make smiling a habit
Hug an in-law
Do something that only younger people do
Prepare for tomorrow, live for today
Repair broken things instead of putting it off
Get to work early
Walk on the beach
Look up at the stars
Put out a bird feeder
Remember you always have options
Use time wisely
Try mapping out your day

Enjoy some sunshine
Go to a concert
Keep important documents secure
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Rub your feet in the sand
Read a new story at bedtime
Believe in yourself and those around you
Look at problems as opportunities
Clean your desktop
Smile and smile again
Look for a silver lining
Be aware of the decisions you make
Stop saying negative things to yourself
Visualize yourself winning
Dance
Make a new friend
Read a poem
Have a support network you can count on
Take time to smell the roses
Ask someone to be your “vent-partner”
Work at being cheerful and optimistic
Put safety first
Do everything in moderation
Go for a walk
Cut some grass
Get a haircut that saves you time
Sing in the shower
Learn to blow off steam constructively
Be prepared and have a backup plan
Talk less and listen more
Freely praise other people
Be responsible for your feelings
Get more sleep
Take a short weekend vacation
Learn to meet your own needs
Look up an old-time friend
Go to your favorite sports event
Become a better listener
Hold the door for someone
Live on less than you earn
Have a candlelight dinner
Don’t gossip
Go on a picnic
Have your car washed-inside and out