Method 1 of 4: Avoiding Unnecessary Stress
1. Accept your stress. It may seem counterintuitive to accept your stress, but accepting your stressor means that you’re aware of what is causing your stress and what you need to avoid. Accepting does not mean ignoring, but rather that you understand the origin of your anxiety. Realize that your stress is a healthy response to overwhelming stimuli, and that it can be dealt with in an equally healthy fashion.
2. Avoid your stressors. Seems obvious, right? Sometimes staying away from what is stressing you out is harder than it sounds. If you know particular person or activity is the origin of your stress, simply cut it/them out of your life. If your stressor is something more permanent - work, school, or family, for example - find ways to spend time away from it. Taking time away from your stressors is the first step to relieving your stress.
3. Reframe your problems. Sometimes, a stressful
situation is just a matter of perspective. Instead of focusing on the
negatives and the problems that are causing you anxiety, concentrate on
the positives. When you change your viewpoint, you can change your level
of stress altogether. Do your best to see things in a positive light,
and avoid cynicism at all costs.
4. Be better organized. Often times, stress arises from feeling overwhelmed. Use a planner to keep track of your "to do lists". Being organized and getting your priorities straight can help you break responsibilities down into manageable pieces and focus on the things that really matter to you. Staying on top of chores and errands will keep you in a positive mindset, and help you get more done in the long run.
5. Learn to say no. You cannot do everything you are asked, so why keep pretending that you can? Indeed, the more you promise and don't deliver, the less people will perceive you as being nice; rather, they'll consider your supposed largesse a nuisance, knowing that you'll drop the ball at the last minute. Instead, be assertive and learn to say no politely but firmly and always when you know there isn't a chance at all that you'll get the thing done.
6. Learn how to delegate. As with trying to do everything, never delegating is about you trying to have control and not trusting that others can do their job as well as you can. Learn to let go by giving more credence to the abilities of others. Giving up tasks may seem stressful in theory, but will free you up for more personal time. Find reliable people in your life that you can trust with tasks that you are too stressed or anxious to manage.
Method 2 of 4: Making Environmental Changes
1. Clean up a bit. Even the most steadfast of souls will waver in an ever-messy environment. If your home, office, car, or workspace is overly messy or dirty, it is certainly having an effect on your mental wellbeing. Take a few minutes to clean up your most unorganized areas, and your mind will breathe a sigh of relief.
2. Take a few minutes to get ready. It’s hard to feel prepared for the day when you haven’t taken time to get yourself ready. Spend a few extra minutes in the morning to prepare yourself for the days events. Take an extra long shower, put on your favorite outfit, and go into the day ready to take on anything.
3. Listen to some music. Music has shown to have a very strong effect on mood and mental state. Calm yourself down by listening to your favorite soothing music. Although you may prefer heavy metal or rap, try listening to something a bit softer and slower for the best effects. Keeping music playing in the background while you work, study, or just go about your daily activities is a great way to subconsciously alter your stress levels.
4. Try aromatherapy. That’s right, what you smell can actually alter your stress levels. Scientific studies have linked the scent of lavender and oranges to reduced stress and anxiety levels. Use a lavender scented air freshener in your home, office, or car, or spritz a bit of the essential oil onto your hair and skin before you head out the door in the morning. You can also dab a bit of the essential oil onto your temples to relieve a stress-induced headache.
5. Change your environment. If making little changes isn’t enough to cheer you up, try moving to a completely new place for a bit. If work or studying is too difficult in your office or at home, relocate to a cozy coffee shop or a park. Having a new environment will help you to move your thoughts away from your stressors, and give you a chance to breathe and recover from your anxiety.
Method 3 of 4: Relaxing Activities to Try Out
1. Take a bath. Some people are bath people while others are shower people. No matter which you are, it is hard to deny the comfort of a warm bubble bath with a cozy drink and a good book. If you’re stressed out, try curling up in your bathtub for a while. The warmth will relax your muscles, and help to soothe away your stress.
2. Maintain a favorite hobby. When we get stressed and anxious, it’s easy to push hobbies to the side and focus on ‘priorities.’ However, by leaving out any free time for yourself, you may be making yourself more stressed! Return to a lost hobby by playing your favorite sport, picking up your art journal, or heading out for a hike. You’ll feel refreshed and better able to deal with your stressors when you’ve given yourself time to do something you love.
3. Try out a new activity. If you don’t have any old hobbies that you want to continue, or you never had any in the first place, try out a new activity you’ve been interested in. It’s never too late to learn a new trade! Try auditing a class at a local community college, or find other classes in your area. Better yet, self-teach yourself something new, and practice to get better! Learning a new activity forces your mind off of your stressors, making it easier for you to relax.
4. Head outside. Sunlight is a natural cure for depression, which is tied to stress and anxiety. Even if you aren’t able to get sunlight, mother nature provides excellent stress relief via the great outdoors. Walk through a park, hike up to a mountain, go for a fishing trip - whatever interests you. Just get outside to do it! It’s hard to be stressed when you’re witnessing the beauty of the natural world, while putting your body to work at the same time.
5. Laugh it out. Laughter is the best medicine, so they say. Laughing may seem difficult if you’re stressed and anxious, but incorporating it into your life will make a marked difference. Turn on your favorite sitcom, look at funny youtube videos, or get together with a funny friend. Smiling and laughing release stress-relieving hormones in your brain which will have you feeling better in no time.
6. Drink a cup of tea. Tea-drinkers have shown to be less stressed over time than non-tea drinkers, making this a great activity for reducing stress. Grab a cup of black tea for the best results, but any tea will do. Having the warm cup to hold onto will help you to relax, while the flavor will give you something sweet to focus on
7. Get a massage. Massages aren’t just great for your body, they actually release feel-good hormones in your brain as well. The next time you’re feeling stressed, call up your favorite masseuse and schedule an appointment. Getting your tension worked out of your muscles will help to work the tension out of your mind as well. Better yet? Have a loved one give the massage for you. The combination of your partner or spouse giving you the massage will release extra hormones, practically demolishing whatever stress you had.
Method 4 of 4: Adopting a Stress-Fighting Lifestyle
1. Eat healthy foods. Few would be surprised to hear that among the myriad benefits healthy eating provides, stress relief is one of them. Don’t let junk food and sugary sweets bog you down and increase your anxiety hormones. Instead, incorporate healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables into your daily diet, and your body will compensate by creating more stress-fighting hormones. Soon enough, you’ll be stress free with nothing to thank but your diet.
2. Get daily exercise. The infamous ‘runners high’ isn’t a phenomenon isolated solely to runners; exerting yourself physically releases endorphins that make you happy. That means that if you’re stressed, you can cheer yourself up and throw your anxiety out the window just by making your heart work a bit harder. Head for a bike ride or swim, pick up some weights, or play your favorite sport to gain both physical and mental health.
3. Focus on your sleep. When people get stressed and overwhelmed with a million and one things to do, often one of the first things to be sacrificed is sleep. However, this is one of the biggest health mistakes you can make. Getting adequate sleep allows your body to recharge and refresh, leaving you with a clean slate in the morning. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body can’t get rid of the excess hormones and toxins that have built up and cause stress, making your stress a never-ending cycle. Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep on a nightly basis.
4. Keep a journal. Although keeping a journal may seem strange or tedious, writing down your thoughts on a regular basis can help keep you stress-free. When you feel bogged down with some emotional or mental stressor, write about it in your journal. Getting it out on paper will give you a sense of relief you might not otherwise find.
5. Cuddle up more often. If you are in a healthy relationship, try going to your partner for a bit of physical touch. Studies have shown that regular cuddling, kissing, and sex all release oxytocin - a hormone that produces happiness and reduces stress. That’s right - some of your favorite activities actually improve your mental well-being. Do these on a regular basis to keep your hormone levels up in general, making it less likely that you’ll get stressed out in the first place.
6. Practice your spirituality. A top reason many people
participate in religious practices -- to find relief of stress and
anxiety. If you are already a part of a religious group, try turning
towards it more during your times of stress for its peaceful benefits.
It is likely you will find relief with the support of your faith
community, while growing stronger spiritually simultaneously. If you
suffer from chronic stress, consider joining a religious group, and see
what inner guidance and comfort it has to offer.
7. Maintain healthy relationships. It’s easy to get stressed when the people you surround yourself with are unhealthy and co-dependent. Forgive one another -- not holding grudges or hating. Rather than maintaining negative relationships with people that annoy you or cause your anxiety, begin to nurture relationships that support you and make you feel better. If you know you want to get someone out of your life, do so slowly and without hurt feelings. You’ll feel better in the long run, even if it’s difficult in the short run, to seek and keep happier, healthier friendships in your life.
8. Stop anxious thinking. Whenever you feel you're in stress, one thing you might do is just try to stop thinking except for silently repeating a calming word ("peace") or short phrase ("love is patient", "love is kind"). Do not think about details of problems. To do this, you can close your eyes for a couple of seconds and lean down against the chair or desk where you are sitting leaving both arms hanging loose, to each side, pointing towards the floor, letting your fingers curl themselves naturally. This posture can help you feel calmer and quieter within a few seconds. If you're in a profession and due to common workplace its not possible, you can try this: Just be seated on your chair in a relaxed posture, and try to focus your eyes on a wall-clock or an opened door/window or an object at least 20 steps away. Keep looking for at least 1 minute and leave your legs loose. Do not cross-fold your legs.9. Feel good about and be friendly with yourself. Accept your failings by making and appreciating your efforts, to manage stress. But the thing is, find a way to feel good about yourself. Say, "Everything will work out. It'll be okay. I'll find a better job or a good friend, etc." How you react to stress makes a real difference. Try to get over anger or upset. Say kind thoughts to yourself instead of angry ones.
10.Be musical. If you might have noticed, stress is the best time to make or listen to music. This is the time when you don't listen to music to enjoy it, but listen to feel it relieve you. Try to listen to your favorite tracks or watch your favorite clips. For office workers, croon your favorite song or your favorite lines from a song, using your deep notes. It'll give you relief, and you'll obtain balance in your mood once again.
11.Write out your problems, to organize your thoughts. When your thoughts are not organized, you can't think clearly, which leads to confusion and stress. To solve your problem, find some possible ways to solve it, and then select the best one. If you have trouble deciding between two solutions, make a two column pros and cons list (for and against), such as dividing a sheet of paper down the center to compare two ways to handle that situation.
Tips
- Think of your happy place or something positive. But the best thing to do is sleep.
- Note that not all stress reducing activities will work for all
people. Experiment with different techniques to see what works for you.
Here are just a few suggestions:
- Dance to relieve stress or walk in the rain.
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
- Imagery meditation. Meditating, concentrating or just emptying your mind while viewing tranquil scenery, either real or in video clips can help your mind let go of anxiety filled thoughts.
- Self hypnosis
- Indian head massage.
- Relieving stress in the short term is a good idea, but resolving the underlying causes of stress is even better. If the same issues keep driving you up the wall time and time again, give some serious thought as to how they can be dealt with permanently.
- Think of your mind as a hotel. At a hotel you are only there for a short amount of time, so have your stressful thoughts go to the hotel and the good thought's go to a home. Let only good thoughts stay in your "home" and you'll feel a lot better!
Warnings
- Don't just suffer in silence. Just as you would not hesitate to contact a physician for ongoing physical pain, you should not hesitate to contact a therapist for continuing mental pain. A therapist is a professionally trained problem solver, a person who can bring to bear all the insights of psychology to point out choices that you are not aware of.
- Be wary of escapism or of using distractions to meander off your life's path. Do not alleviate stress by doing something that will only make it worse in the long run (such as buying a new pair of expensive shoes when what's stressing you is debt or resorting to drugs and alcohol)
- If you are feeling suicidal or feel like you might hurt yourself, get help immediately! Call your local suicide prevention hotline, or the psychiatric hotline of a hospital in your area. If you do not know where to call, your local police department will be able to provide you with assistance.
- Your physician may be able to prescribe medication to control anxiety and depression, or to help you to handle a particularly stressful situation. But the best way is to have someone to talk to.
0 comments:
Post a Comment