Stress is part of every day life. It can come from the most benign of stimuli and affects people differently. While daily, insignificant stressors may not seem like a great threat, it can eventually build into a force to be reckoned with. As such, it is important to learn how to deal with stress for both greater productivity and better health outcomes.
Identify the cause
As with any disruptors, it is important to find the stimuli that causes your stress. This generally falls into three main types. First, the ambient stressors are those stressors that you are used or habituated to. It is something seemingly insignificant that you encounter every day. Noise and air pollution, poor weather heat, and miserable traffic are all included in this category. The second type of stressors includes those of every day life. These contain deadlines, role conflict, and other small, unexpected events. Finally comes the large events. Anything that significantly distorts the status quo, like the death of a loved one, falls in this category. It is important to gain a cursory understanding of the type of stressors you are dealing with, as coping mechanisms vary.
Make it a priority
Addressing stress, no matter how big or small it may be, should be something that you prioritize. However, it is important to understand that you are on the path to improve this aspect and not worry unnecessarily. Life is filled with stress, it is a natural phenomenon that never really goes away. As such it is more important to learn effective ways to manage it rather than find ways to get rid of it. It must be understood that most of the methods must be incorporated into a routine, and be performed over a period of time to show any meaningful results.
Exercise
Exercise can serve as a tool of improvement in many areas of life. Incorporating exercise into your daily practice is a great outlet to release steam. Stress can create negative thought patterns and cloud your mind with dread. Taking the time to exercise can break this cycle and give you a fresh mind to work with. Taking the time to exercise can be hard, especially if you have a deadlines approaching and you feel the need to make them a priority. However, this goes back to the point made earlier about making dealing with stress a priority. Work never ends. Without committing taking some time off to deal with stress, you will soon find yourself burned out. Making exercise a habit forces you to make time for yourself, allowing you to perform better in any endeavor.
Hobbies
While exercise can be a hobby, this section refers particularly to the creative section. Find a hobby that allows you to create something rather consume. For example, instead of scrolling through social media, maybe try out creating content yourself. Not only does this force you into new experiences, it helps keep your mind fresh and sharp. Expressing your ideas and unconscious thoughts are a good way to keep yourself grounded.
Sleep
An ability that most of us command at will, is also one of the most important measures to take against stress. Allowing the body and mind to rest will build greater resistance to stress. However, it is tough to fall asleep when stress is constantly weighing on your mind. You may feel as if this is no time for sleep, and would rather deal with problems first and then rest. It is imperative that you change your outlook and instead think if sleep as a tool to allow you to maximize your future potential.
Connect with others
Connecting with others is a great way to break the dull monotony work. Interacting with others and forming new experiences allows you to find unique ways to deal with problems. Stress, like any other problem has no “right” way to be solved. It is also not quite random either. There are general trends that can be learned and incorporated into your own problem-solving schema. As such, interacting with others provides you the resources to build a plan of action.
Meditate
Meditating is a great way to calm your nerves and exit fight or flight. It does not have to be complicated, you may even find success laying down and meditating. Many think of meditation as a way to empty your mind and find happiness. Although this is partially true, its purpose is deeper. It is a tool used to accept your failures and problems and move on from them. It is through knowing yourself that you can overcome your obstacles, and meditation provides you the framework for doing so.