Stress, the ancient killer
Stress is mainly caused by external environmental factors and can be exasperated by stressing over the stress. This ends up being a viscous cycle which can lead to severe depression and can take a long while to remedy. The mind is a very powerful thing, if you let it, it can run away with feelings or thoughts. That is why it is very important to sort things out before they become a problem.
Throughout the ages people have been stressing over everything, from the smallest of things (will the boy/girl like me) to things that will actually matter in the long run (crops that might fail). One might seem irrelevant compared to the other but it can also lead to something very bad if not treated right.
The majority of the things that people stress about today are things that might not even happen and that is not the way to go about things. We are not made to carry unnecessary burdens, we were made to focus on the here and now and to prepare for the future.
What stresses me out
I believe one of the main stressors in this day and age is one's job. No matter how fulfilling your job might be you will at some point stress about it, be it about performance, placing very high standards for yourself or a client that is not happy with the product/service.
I have a very thankless job, even the people that pay me do not really want me there. In many cases I'm only involved in a project because it is required by law. This means that I often do not have the cooperation or support that I need to do my job properly. The problem with that is that if I don't do my job properly and an employee dies on one of my sites then someone might go to jail.
Another thing that stresses me out is when I'm not totally in control of a situation, I am not really a control freak but I sometimes just don't have the patience to deal with the situation.
How I de-stress
I try and use every opportunity, no matter how small, to de-stress and relax a bit. Here are some of the ways that I de-stress:
1. Stop and enjoy the view
Sometimes it is a good idea just to book 5 minutes for yourself in your diary. All you need is a 5 minute break between meetings or events to collect your thoughts and prepare for what lies ahead. Just find something to fixate your gaze on, block out everything and everyone around you and just have a "you" moment. I like to stop at interesting places and take a quick photo or two to remember it by.
2. Hiking
Hiking has always been a nice way for me to clear my head and only focus on what I'm doing at the moment. I usually try to walk quite fast, this forces me to focus on the trail ahead and makes it more difficult to get sidetracked by things that would usually stress me out. We are fortunate enough to have some awesome hiking spots close to us. A way to improve a hike and de-stress quicker is to take some friends or family along for the journey.
3. Spearfishing and Freediving
There is nothing as relaxing yet exhilarating as pushing yourself to the limit and beyond. Spearfishing is that sport for me, while diving I have gone up to 18m deep and have braved the elements (strong currents, big swell and choppy seas). After a long dive I'm usually very tired but stress free and as a bonus I have some food to take home. Have a look at this post for a short video of me diving.
4. I like fixing and making things
One of the more exiting things I like to make is chain mail. Yes, chain mail as in the armor that ancient warriors used to wear. It takes a ridiculous amount of time to make a small section but it keeps me occupied and my hands busy, I find it quite relaxing to do a mindless task after a long day of thinking. I like tweaking my equipment every now and then to make the process a little easier.This is my progress so far, it is on an A4 paper for scale.
5. Swimming
I have been swimming for approximately the last 8 years now and I have no intention of stopping. It is one of the best sports for me because of the little impact on joints and muscles while still giving you a mostly full body workout. It helps with de-stressing because of the extended periods of swimming, it helps you focus, think and sort problems out while exercising. After a decent set I always feel energized and ready to take on the world again.
6. Gaming
This is quite a difficult one and must be done right. When done right gaming can be a nice way to relax and de-stress after a long day. It can also have the opposite effect when not done right, online gaming, especially ranked games can be quite stressful at times. Online gamers can be some of the meanest people on the internet, they will criticize you for every mistake made and will often insult you when given the chance. It is often just best to ignore or mute them completely. One of the games I'm currently enjoying is Overwatch. Screenshot from the game:
In conclusion
There is no cure all for stress, the best way to combat stress is by finding your own thing that relaxes you. Different people get stressed out by different things and handle stress differently. Something that work for me might not necessarily work well for someone else. Just be yourself and do what you enjoy.
