Stress Management

We live in a fast-paced society where working long hours, multitasking, pushing ourselves to the limit, and staying connected to technology and screens for nearly all of our waking hours is often the norm. As a result of our non-stop, work-oriented lifestyle, which leaves many people to abandon their self-care entirely, stress plagues many people. Our minds and bodies can cope with mild to moderate stress levels on a short-term basis, but when stress becomes severe and/or chronic, we can begin to experience the consequences, mainly in our physical and emotional health. Many of the most common diseases that either lead to death or cause serious impacts to quality of life can be traced at least partly to chronic stress.

Eliminating the factors that lead to stress is often easier said than done. But, there is a lot that we can do to minimize the effects to our mind and body. Below we will discuss some important methods that can significantly prevent and reduce chronic stress.

·         Self-care. This includes hobbies, leisure activities, or even 30 minutes of “me time.” It is essential to engage in some type of self-care every day.

·         Sleep. We all know this one is important, but so many people try to get by with much less sleep than what their body actually needs. Sleep deprivation alone, in the absence of any other major life stressors, can lead to greater subjective stress or that feeling of being constantly overwhelmed.

·         Delegate tasks to others or eliminate less important tasks. Ask for help if feasible or if help from others (e.g., family members, co-workers) is available. If not, consider decreasing your workload or eliminating responsibilities that are less important. Prioritizing is key for stress management.

·         Say “no.” Sometimes, you have to say “no” more often. Stress can build up if you stretch yourself too thin or believe you can do it all.

·         Practice some type of mindfulness technique, deep breathing, or meditation. There are many options available that count as mindfulness or meditation, including more active forms of mindfulness where you focus on the present moment while you’re completing a routine task (e.g., while eating, cleaning, or going for a walk). Even just 10 minutes every day of practicing diaphragmatic breathing can reduce physical and emotional stress significantly.

You can find more information about anxiety, life transitions, and relationship issues here.

Photo by Matthew Henry from Unsplash