Do you Thrive on Stress?

Stress has become today’s benchmark of success—if you don’t have stress, there must be something lacking in your life since everyone who is successful is stressed. But this mentality can take a serious toll on your well-being.

Skewed Thinking

By being super busy, constantly answering calls, emailing and texting, these individuals may feel like they have to work harder to stay ahead of the game. But Beryl Comar, Emotional Intelligence Development Specialist, points out that today, people are not responding to stressors, they are reacting to them. Self-talk and certain high expectations are skewing thinking to actually believe that without being constantly busy and under stress, I can never be on top of things.

Changing a Mindset

Stress is here to stay and it’s our mindset that needs a change. First we need to understand and identify exactly what our stressors are, says Comar, and respond better to them with management, not coping, skills. “Stress management hinges upon effective techniques, strategies, and coping mechanisms as well as learning to control the source of stress, setting limits, and learning to say no can help,” she says.

Tips to Ward off Stress

Participate in Physical Activity

Stress in any form triggers the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol in your body which are the ‘fight or flight’ hormones. Physical exercise can help metabolize the excessive stress hormones to help you achieve a calmer state of mind.

Get More Sleep

Stress can interrupt our sleep as thoughts keep festering and prevent us from relaxing enough to fall asleep. To boost maximum relaxation before going to sleep, avoid caffeine during the evening. Also, stop doing any mentally demanding work several hours before going to bed so that you give your brain time to calm down.

Engage in a Relaxation Technique

On a daily basis, engage in some kind of relaxation technique and set aside time in your schedule for it. Engaging in regular and daily routines of prayer, expressing gratitude, helping others, and meditation can all take your mind off of the stress and relax you.

Have a Stress Diary

An effective stress management tool is writing in a stress diary which can work in several ways. Note down the date, time, and place of each stressful episode, and write down what you were doing, who you were with, and how you felt both physically and emotionally. This will help you to avoid stressful situations and create enhanced coping mechanisms.

(Credit: www.skillsyouneed.com)