It is very important to understand stress management and effective techniques as in today’s lifestyle, working culture, home affairs, studies as well as personal & social relations, stress has become the part of our day to day living.
Further, it has become very common to hear – Oh God I am stressed out or I am under tremendous stress. Even sometimes in extreme cases, people say stress is killing me every day.
Generally, everyone at one or the other time conveys the Stress. From daily life routines to consequential happening or any untoward events including medical ailments become the activating components for building up the Stress.
Since, stress is not related to specific age group, from young children to elderly people are facing this issue. It has been affecting all at one or the other time. It is regretful that people are not able to come out of it.
What is Stress?
Stress can be described as the sample of particular and nonspecific responses; a character makes to stimulus activities that disturb his or her equilibrium and tax or exceed his or her potential to cope.
It is a regular organic response to a probably risky situation. Stress is the body’s response to any alternate that requires an adjustment or response.
The physique reacts to these modifications with physical, mental as well as emotional responses. In simple words to understand the stress, it is a state of affairs where circumstances requirements increase the scope for adequate response by a person causing possibly the biological and psychological repercussion. In fact, it is inescapable derivative of life.
Sources of Stress
Stress can be good (eutress) and stress can be bad (distress). Good stress improves the performance like completing the task at office or at home within the defined time.
Bad stress hampers the performance as under difficult situations they are not able to deliver. Three ways people reveal stress – physiological, behavioral and apprehension. As per studies done, there may be many reasons for stress appearing in life at different occasions.
It is understood that there are four common and dominant factors causing stress.
1. Thought Process
Thinking plays very important role in our life. It is said, we become what we think. For many people inner personal cognitive methods are terrific supply of stress.
The way that we interpret modifications in our environments has an outstanding deal to do with the subjective tiers of stress that we without a doubt experience.
If two different persons may be at home or office wants to the identical change in lifestyles pattern, however, if these two persons have different notions and concepts regarding that lifestyles change, it is for sure that their degrees of stress will be simply as different.
Every person conceives and perceives the same situation in a different manner depending upon his or her ability to think and accept and the response to the situation comes in accordance.
One may find it opportunity to perform and can come out fair, other may find it challenge and leave it by just assuming it can be done. By analyzing this, it is convenient to understand that how subjective stages of stress will be altogether incomparable for these two individuals.
2. Social Scenario
There is a huge array of stressors inside our social world putting needs on our time and interest as properly as our intellectual and emotional resources.
This social context is continuously offering us with interpersonal challenges to juggle: work demands, economic obligations, household life, and cherished ones.
Fears and uncertainty in relationships and jobs, financial burdens to maintain social status quo and high & improbable expectations aggravate stressful condition.
In order to efficaciously navigate our social worlds barring turning into overwhelmed with the aid of stress, we need to examine how to stabilize obligations, needs, and wishes effectively.
3. Physiological Changes
Our bodies are continuously adopting the process of modifications as we go through the course of life. Sometimes we nourish our physical needs with right amount of sleep, enough exercise and bodily movements with timely & balanced diet.
There are other instances we mistreat and corrupt our needs with deficiency in sleep required, an inactive and desk bound lifestyle and terrible food habits.
It is an honest and agreeable fact that we ourselves are frequently inviting troubles and causing enmity with needs when we make ourselves unsound & debilitate by embracing negative and adverse style of living.
All of these unhealthy options solely come again and again to make bigger our ranges of stress in the long-term. The trick lies in discovering a wholesome stability that can be maintained as an ongoing lifestyle by eliminating undesirable needs.
4. Surrounding Conditions
Our climatic surroundings are continuously blasting us with numerously varying patterns of pathogens, contamination, various forms of pollution, unacceptable decibels of sounds and drastic traffic conditions.
Our bodies are continuously adapting to whatsoever our prevailing conditions are forcefully delivering at us. While there are many factors of these conditions that are highly challenging to control individually, it is essential to be aware which of these factors we can control.
How can you actively make your dwelling and working surroundings as clean, healthy, and free of pointless stress as possible?
7 Techniques & Activities for Stress Management
Stress management is a self-learning art which most of the people are able to catch it. Here are seven effective techniques and activities for stress management.
1. Think Positive
Flowing positivism in the thoughts is a key factor to bring down the stress. Keep engaged yourself with right thinking. Whenever, negative thought develops, replace it immediately with positive one.
Always see the bright side. Self talking with positive affirmations change the mood and emotions and having control on these always help. Become the boss and let your mind learn inspiring and elevating thoughts.
Avoid being adamant. Start visualizing that all is working fine. Things beyond control cannot be controlled so just leave it and move ahead. Positive thoughts help in stress management.
Practice these affirmations:
I love and approve of myself.
It means accepting oneself.
I am safe and flexible in life.
Securing and adjusting yourself.
I release all fears and anxiety.
Removing all fears.
I can handle all challenges.
Ready to face obstacles.
2. Meditation & Breathing
Meditation is one art that everyone must learn and practice. It makes mind peaceful and help in concluding the correct choices. That is the reason meditation is achieving impetus at very swift level.
At least twice a day for fifteen to twenty minutes, meditation allows you to concentrate and therefore, aids in assimilating self centered focus.
As you go into quietness & away from disturbing thoughts, serene moments are realized. Along the meditation, deep breathing activity is very helpful. Inhaling and exhaling deeply counting three to four relaxes mind and muscles too.
Focal point should be on breath as you follow this technique. These two are not complicated and can be done with consistency and commitment in order to feel calm and relaxed. Stress management becomes easy.
3. Yoga & Exercise
Yoga and exercise are another powerful stress busters. Doing so, both body and mind gets toned up and you feel the sense of well being. Yoga increases the blood flow, improves immunity hence keeps you fit and fine.
Walking briskly in the morning not only makes you active but also you are able to inhale fresh air. Greenery and plantations around keep you refreshed. Yoga gives you the convenience of its certain postures that are meant for curtailing stress.
Out bound games and sports definitely divert your mind off the things which may be contributing factors for your distress. Forty minutes a day of yoga and some micro exercises at home are very beneficial for stress management.
4. Eat Well Sleep Well
Develop the habit of having healthy lifestyle. Eating the right kind and right type of food at right time is very significant. Nutritive and balanced diet keeps body and mind full of energy.
Avoid redundant quantities of caffeine and alcohol. Drink plenty of water and extend intake of green vegetables and protein to tone up physically.
Besides healthy food, sleep is paramount component to have calmness. Should sleep early and wake up early and maintain these timings. Reasonably, seven to eight hours of sleep is mandatory.
Warm water bath may be with aromatic oils can give you sound sleep to get up fresh in the morning.
5. Add Humor in Life
Remember, a page in Reader’s Digest with heading laughter is the best medicine; yes it’s true, the power of laughter is really great. It stimulates the secretion of hormone called endorphin which relieves the tension and gives soothing effect.
You can enjoy humor by watching funny videos and TV programs. You will achieve humor by reading jokes and other comic books. Traveling back home can be well utilized for this. Happiness in mind allows you to work better for stress management.
6. Develop Hobbies
To keep away from distractions, you can utilize spare or free time for fulfilling your hobby ideas. Do what you like and that gives you smile on your face. We all have a little kid in us, take it out to feel the innocence.
Do your child hood activities to enjoy and relax. Also, any other hobby taken up lately can be added to make best use of time. Trying new recipes also elevates frame of mind.
7. Go Out for Holidays
Working continuously for a longer period is tiresome and hard on physical and mental health. You can take a break from toll taking schedules and are advised to go out for few days on vacation. Spending time in changed surroundings enhances calmness in mind and soul.
Away from daily hassles, a holiday trip is an added parameter to feel relaxed. Making yourself comfortable and at ease gives to start better. Stress Management starts with relaxation.
“DON’T STRESS THE COULD HAVE, IF IT SHOULD HAVE, IT WOULD HAVE.”
– Unknown
