10 Ways to Manage Stress
If you have been following our blogs, hopefully you’ve already read the article on managing your bank account. If not, close this, scroll down, and read that one first!
In summary, your body has a bank account full of reserves needed for you to be awesome at everything you want to do. To feel good, to be happy, to perform at a high level in whatever you do. You make deposits into your bank account through rest, mindfulness, nutrition, etc.
You make withdrawals from your bank account with stress. Your body responds to stress the same whether or not it’s POSITIVE or it’s NEGATIVE stress.
- Negative – Work stress, social life, etc. all are withdrawals from your bank account
- Positive – Training, working out, studying for a test, etc. are all positive things, but they also are seen as a stressor to your bank account
You need to replenish those resources with a deposit whenever you make a withdrawal, but you also likely need to better manage the negative stressors that occur! Key note:
It’s ultimately YOUR thought process that determines YOUR response to a potentially stressful situation. Your thought process is a choice, which means you and only you are in control.
BE PREPARED FOR RE-OCCURING STRESS
Identify – Find sources of stress in your life and how you currently deal with them (habits, attitude, and excuses)
Avoid – Know your limits, don’t go past them. If people, environments, or topics stress you out, avoid them
Alter – Don’t bottle up feelings inside, compromise if plans change, be assertive, use better time management skills
Adapt – You can’t change or avoid everything, you can change how you react.
Accept – Instead of focusing on how much stress someone or something brings you, focus on controlling how you react
BE PROACTIVE FOR UNKNOWN STRESS
Prioritize and Organize – Balance schedule, don’t over commit, leave earlier, delegate responsibility, and compromise
Recognize Warning Signs – Anxious, irritable, depression, and loss of interest
Improve Emotional Strength – Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management
Break Bad Habits – Resist perfectionism, clean up your act, and don’t control uncontrollable
Take Care of Yourself – Exercise, take breaks, diet, sleep, laugh, positive self-talk, and do something you enjoy