March 16, 2015

Stress Management Tips

Written by Rachel Eddins

frustrated woman stress stressed

Feeling overwhelmed? Stressed?

Stress itself is unavoidable, particularly in our fast paced lifestyles.

Some stress is good. It’s when stress is persistent over time that it can lead to negative physical, mental and emotional consequences.

Being able to manage stress is important in order to live healthy, happy and productive lives. Are you feeling the impact of stress in your life?

Though there may not be much you can do to control your situation, there might be ways to help you cope more effectively. Here are a few stress management tips to get started.

 

Daily choices to care for oneself helps one’s feelings of worth, and increases a sense of well-being.

 

Stress Management Tips

Add things from this list into your daily practice to help you handle the stress that’s part of your busy life. Pick what works for you and leave the rest.

  • Avoid or minimize caffeine. Caffeine increases stress hormones in your body.
  • Use positive affirmations. Write them down somewhere you can see them daily and include helpful coping statements such as, “this will pass,” “I can get through this,” what you would like a friend to say to you.
  • Do something you love. Play! Fun, laughter and play really help to release tension and stress. Even if you’re feeling tired, a little play can be reenergizing. Take a 5-minute break or as long as you can. Remember, if you take a break now, it will actually make you more productive as it will improve your concentration and mental clarity.
  • Allow extra time for projects. We often underestimate the time it will take to complete a project. Schedule in the extra time on your calendar so you’re not feeling overtasked.
  • Leave work at the office. Use home for relaxation.
  • Do not ruminate over the past. Focus on what you can control in the present.
  • Try to live in the present. The more you are in the present, the less you are worried about the future. 80% of what you worry about will not happen.
  • Take a brisk walk. Take advantage of the healing power of fresh air and connecting with your senses. Notice your surroundings-being in your senses can also relieve tension from your mind.
  • Listen to your body’s signals. Look for cues of hunger, fatigue, body aches, mental exhaustion. Try and respond to your body’s physical cues as soon as they arise and not push through them. Pushing through them can lead to physical exhaustion.
  • Finish what you start. This can be a hard one, but having unfinished projects strewn about your desk, your inbox, or just in your mind can feel like an overwhelming burden.
  • Be realistic. If you feel overwhelmed by some activities, learn to say NO!
  • Shed the “superman/woman” urge. No one is perfect, so don’t expect perfection from yourself or others. Check in with yourself and explore what’s driving this urge. Are there feelings of inadequacy, unworthiness, or imperfection that might need to be addressed with a therapist?
  • Visualize how you can manage a stressful situation more successfully. This is similar to what athletes do to prepare for an event. Walk yourself through every aspect of the situation in your mind. Imagine the options you have and
  • Take one thing at a time. Prioritize your tasks and tackle each one separately. Multitasking isn’t effective and can keep your brain feeling stressed.
  • Find a hobby that will give you a break from your worries.
  • Live a healthy lifestyle with adequate rest, good nutrition, regular exercise, limited caffeine and alcohol, and balanced work and play.
  • Share your feelings with family, friends, a support group or a therapist in Houston. Don’t try to cope alone. It can be relieving sometimes just to talk out your worries out loud. Often things seem more manageable when they’re out in the open vs. ruminating in our minds.
  • Give in occasionally. Be flexible.
  • Go easy with criticism. You may be expecting too much of yourself or giving yourself a false sense of control by criticizing yourself. What we can criticize, theoretically, we can fix. This doesn’t work. Rather, notice that you are doing the best you can.

Get Support for Managing Stress

If the stress in your life is starting to impact you physically or mentally, you might benefit from talking with a therapist. Find out more about our stress management counseling services in Houston, Tx.To get started now give us a call to schedule an appointment at 832-559-2622 or schedule an appointment online. We look forward to help you!

 

Recommended Reading:

 

The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook

Each chapter features a different method for relaxation and stress reduction, explains why the method works, and provides on-the-spot exercises you can do to apply that method when you feel stressed.

 

 

the anxiety and phobia workbookThe Anxiety and Phobia Workbook

 

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