We all stress but sometimes our stress response does not stop firing. Chronic stress can feel like
irritability anxiety depression headaches insomnia
and these all contribute to other physical health problems.
Stress also impacts our ability to perform. While some stress can improve performance, there is a tipping point that will have the opposite effect. Once you reach that point, stress and your reaction to it often spirals you feel overwhelmed, you lash out and your performance and productivity decreases.
Before you carry on – read our first blog on Stress
Some Tips to help you get your stress under control:
- Recognise when stress is a problem. Pretending everything is fine and you are coping will lead to burn out.
- TALK with someone. Sometimes just saying what is on your mind helps alleviate the stress. But talk to the right people. Understanding your stress is important in dealing with it.
- Laugh – it is exercise for your soul
- Breathe – in through the nose, out through the mouth. Repeat. Slowly
- Take a walk, especially if the stressor is in your environment. Remove yourself for a while.
- At work: Set realistic deadlines, go home on time, take a lunch break and step away from your desk, communicate clearly, respect your colleagues, manage your time well.
- Keep a positive attitude. Your mind does not know the difference between fantasy and reality and if you can focus on keeping a positive attitude and keeping your imagination in check, you can deal more effectively with stress.
- Control your inner voice – what you say to yourself each day can have a huge impact on your stress levels. Pay attention to how you speak to yourself and try to keep the negative self-talk to a minimum.
- Accept that there are events that you cannot control.
- Be assertive instead of aggressive. Assert your feelings, opinions, or beliefs instead of becoming angry, defensive, or passive.
- Get help for any emotional and mental health challenges you are experiencing.
- Exercise Your body can fight stress better when it is fit.
- Eat healthy, well-balanced meals.
- Learn to manage your time more effectively – one of the biggest stressors in life is poor time and task management.
- Get organised.
- Set limits appropriately and learn to say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life.
- Make time for hobbies, interests, and relaxation – find something to do that brings you joy.
- Sleep – your body needs time to rest and recover.
- Do not rely on alcohol, drugs, or compulsive behaviours to reduce stress.
- Seek out social support. Spend enough time with those you enjoy.
- Learn and practice relaxation techniques – Breathing, prayer, meditation, yoga, listening to music, reading etc.
- Build positive relationships
Actions for week 2:
Goal – Deal better with stress in your life.
- How did your actions from week 1 go? What insights did you get about yourself and how you are managing your stress?
- List 3 things you can start doing to bring your stress down. Start doing them.
- What areas of your life do you need to get organised in that will help relieve your stress?
- What 5 things do you need to stop doing that will help relieve your stress?
- If you have someone you trust and can talk to, share your thoughts with them or contact us to share these stresses. We can support you!
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