I saw this on a social platform and I was astonished at how a young person could be that affected by stress, truth is we take most things for granted maybe because we are not aware of the consequences or maybe we believe that we can always handle things. Stress, as subtle as we often conceive it to be bears the potential of causing great havoc, for this reason, we must rally together intentional efforts in taking care of ourselves, physically and mentally.
The truth is, stressors cannot totally be avoided, we almost always meet with them daily, however some strategies can be employed to help put things back in balance. Inadequacy in managing stress can have an effect on our physical and mental health.
The following 7 steps are easy-to remember-and-do tools that can help you manage stress.
Improve your planning
Carefully planning out activities for the day, week, month can help manage stress. Planning prevents crash programs and helps you stay organized and focused .
Learn relaxation
Where would stress management strategies list be without relaxation techniques? Well if you are wondering, nowhere, lol. Relaxation doesn't necessarily mean zoning out in front of your favourite TV series or movie...nah, this does little to reduce the damaging effects of stress. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, rhythm exercise, a good massage can also do the magic. Fitting these activities into your life can help reduce everyday stress, boost your energy and mood and improve mental and physical health.
Use reframing
To reframe means, "placing something in a new frame.” When we change our point of view on a given situation, the facts remain the same but a deliberate shift is made in how we see it. This mental activity of looking at our stressor or negative situation and explaining it (realistically and honestly) in a positive or neutral way helps managing stress.
Be grateful
The lifestyle of gratitude has a huge impact on stress... yup, you read that right. Being grateful constantly gives you a reason to look at life from a vantage point.
Accept that there are situations that are way beyond your control and learn how to deal with them.
Spend time with loved ones
Our schedules can get overwhelming and exhausting, however we must find time for our loved one’s cos in doing so, we relief ourselves of stress and we also feel happy doing so, feel free to call and visit when you can, it will be absolutely worth it.
Set limits and boundaries
Learn to say no to requests that would create excessive stress in your life, it could be an extra appointment, delegation, responsibility or even drama, always say no to it if you can’t handle it knowing fully well that you will not be able to handle it effectively if you’re already stressed.
So, guys, apply these strategies for handling stress in school, work, business and any sphere of life you belong to and thank me later.