STRESS MANAGEMENT

Stress is a fact of modern  life. Living in today’s fast-paced world, the pressure of stress is high because it is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. Stress is a mind and body’s response or reaction to a real or imagined threat, event or change.

Stress has both positive and negative aspect. The positive stress occurs when your level of stress is high enough to motivate you to move into action to get things accomplished. The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching TV.

On the other aspect, negative stress occurs when your level of stress is either too high or too low and your body and mind begin to respond negatively to the stressors.So beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

Stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, and everyone experiences stress differently. Not only can overwhelming stress lead to serious mental and physical health problems, it can also take a toll on your relationships at home, work, and school.

Managing stress is all about taking charge: of your thoughts, emotions, schedule, and the way you deal with problems.

There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies.

Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress
Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.

• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person.

• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route.

• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.

• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.

Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation
If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way.

• Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same.

• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them.

• Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress.. If you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.

Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor
If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective.

• Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.

• Adjust your standards.. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”

• Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts.

Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change
Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control, particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.

• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.

• Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend face to face or make an appointment with a therapist. Opening up is not a sign of weakness and it won’t make you a burden to others. In fact, most friends will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your bond.

• Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments.Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation
Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.
Healthy ways to relax and recharge_ Go for a walk/ Spend time in nature/ Call a good friend/ Sweat out tension with a goodworkout/ Write in your journal/ Take a long bath/ Light scented candles/ Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea/ Play with a pet/ Work in your garden/ Get a massage/ Curl up with a good book/ Listen to music/ Watch a comedy.

• Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.

• Connect with others. Spend time w ith positive people who enhance your life.

• Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy.

• Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Stress management strategy #6: Adopt a healthy lifestyle
You can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health.

• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week.

• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary “highs” caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy.

• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary.

• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

Nongozonuo
College of Nursing
CIHSR,Dimapur.