Strategies for Stress

A common misconception is that all stress is bad. This simply isn’t true. In fact, stress can initiate change, help us focus on the task at hand, and in some cases even save our lives. This is most definitely a good kind of stress. However, stress can indeed turn harmful when it builds up, and we do nothing to alleviate it.

Incorporate the following strategies to keep the negative side effects (i.e., headaches, fatigue, moodiness, etc) of stress at bay:

Breathe! Taking a deep breath or two adds oxygen to your system, which almost instantly helps you relax. In addition, taking a moment to step back can help you maintain your composure, which in the long run, is what you need to work rationally through a stressful situation. So, take a deep breath and count to ten—you’ll feel better in the end. 

Always count your blessings. Too often we put the pleasantries of life on the back burner, telling ourselves we don’t have time or can’t make time for them. Take time to recognize the good things in your life. This will help put your current situation/stressors in perspective.

Sleep on it. Too much stress can cause us to over-react and do and say things we don’t really mean.  If you want to “tell someone off” make sure you think before you speak. In fact, it’s usually a good idea to give it a night’s rest before you do anything rash. You may wake up in the morning and have a completely different outlook than you did the night before.

Just say no. Taking on too much responsibility can be a huge stressor. One more little thing may be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back”. It’s okay to say “no”, “I can’t”, or “Later”.

Lastly, if the stress in your life is just too much to handle, make sure to get the help you need. Knowing yourself and your limits may be the most important way to manage stress effectively. Whether you need help hauling groceries into the house, help from a colleague to solve a work-related problem, or professional help to find the possible causes and treatment of your stress, getting the help you need is in itself a major stress management tip!

“When stress is at it's highest, just know it can only go down.”

—Tom Rataj