It’s one thing to tell someone to manage their stress. Telling them how to do it is an entirely different matter. Because I am no stranger to stress, I understand that actively preventing it is no easy feat. What’s more, I’ve recommended avoiding it as much as possible in a number of articles. So, I thought that this time I actually get down into the nitty-gritty details and give you a number of stress-busting strategies. Some of these you may already have done or known about; others, maybe not. But let this be your go-to source here on the site!

Workout

Exercise. It does a body good. And it also tackles stress. It has a trifold effect of boosting endorphins (which are feel-good chemicals that give you a sense of euphoria and function as natural painkillers; think “runner’s high”), improving sleep, and distracts you from the things that may be causing your stress (like a moving meditation- more on that in the next section!). [1] Just as a precaution, make sure that you’re not overdoing it with exercise. While it certainly comes with a number of benefits, if you’re prone to overtraining or going too long and intense, you’ll actually encourage the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which can hinder your efforts and exacerbate your stress.(Not sure if activities like cardio are good for you? Refer to this post.)

Brain Work

If working out isn’t your cup of tea, then consider working in. Meditation is renowned for its abilities to help with stress. When done regularly, it rewires the nerve cells in your brain to have better control over your emotions, decision making, speech, peripheral senses, and muscle control. [2] There are a number of ways for you to meditate. There’s Buddhist mindfulness meditation that were popularized by entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, breath awareness meditation that guide you to focus on your breathing (such as Pranayama breathing in yoga), Zen meditation, Transcendental meditation, and body scan meditation (also known as progressive relaxation that teaches you to literally “let go” and release any tension you may be carrying in your body). [3] [4] Meditation and being able to let go isn’t always easy for me. But over the years I’ve dabbled with a variety of styles and am always exploring different things that can work for me in the moment that I need them. (Here’s a 10-minute one I did back in 2013.) I currently use the Waking Up app by Sam Harris, which is also 10 minutes.

Then there’s the concept of moving meditations. The goal of meditation is to take you away from external stress, scattered thoughts, and into stillness. In other words, it’s a healthy kind of distraction that you can use to re-center yourself before “coming back” to life, obligations, and work. If sitting still doesn’t work, then consider “moving meditations”. For some, a hardcore workout does the job. And for others, it’s slowing things down with gentler forms of exercise, like yoga, Tai chi, and Qigong. Go ahead and try either of these if you need movement!

Animal Pact

Having a furry friend can make a world of difference for your stress. There’s nothing like coming up and being greeted by a happy presence. Dog owners can rejoice knowing that recent research has shown that even simply staring into the eyes of their pet can increase levels of oxytocin, which is often referred to as the “cuddle” or “feel good” hormone. [5] For my cat owners out there, worry not- your feline friend also does the same! [6] Spend some time with your pet(s) whenever stress has you feeling down or wired up. Take them out for a walk outside (which also has its anti-stress benefits), play with them, or have a little snuggle session. They may not be able to speak to you, but they love you no matter what and can even pick up your mood from time to time. And when they do, it means a lot to have even an animal know that you need some love.

Break it Up

Stress doesn’t care for convenience. Taking the time to meditate, workout, and breathe for a while isn’t always available. There are times when you’re in the middle of traffic, running errands, or stuck at work. In those cases, you’ll have to make the most of what you have. If the tension of stress is building up, then learn to break it up. At work, set a timer for at least a minute and force your way out of the situation and into you. Think of it like a speed meditation or awareness practice. Roll your ankles and wrists. Turn your head from side to side. Take a couple of slow and controlled deep breaths. Fix your posture. Dedicate this micro-moment to entirely you. If you’re in your car or the right environment, another thing you can do is literally release your emotions. Scream. Shout. Sing a song. Do something to take away the stress out of you and replace it with those that are helpful for the situation. I know it’s very basic advice but sometimes letting things out is like popping open a bottle of champagne and pouring away its contents. (As an aside, there’s a more refined, formal version of this technique is known as Scream Therapy.) [7]

Address the Stress

Maybe the problem isn’t the stress itself; maybe it’s how you’re reacting to it. Learn to address the stress. Find out where it’s coming, how it makes you feel, and what it makes you want to do and why. Come from a place of curiosity and be kind to yourself, though. Do not judge or berate yourself. Just observe and figure out a plan for dealing with it. Try writing about it in a journal; getting your thoughts onto paper or a document helps you to gain a better sense of clarity. You’ll notice certain patterns in your thinking, triggers, and perhaps the answers to your stress that were hiding in plain sight. If that doesn’t work, then talk about it. To yourself, a friend, family member, coworker, or a therapist. Holding it in only lets it grow and fester until that moment when it will explode. Better to handle it in a healthy way rather than a destructive one.

Be Proactive

Continuing from the last section, take the necessary steps for reducing stress. Once you’re able to identify and understand it, you can now take the next step into dealing with it. Think of the unnecessary stressors as trash. Over time, it builds up. That’s why you need to take out to the trash. Which looks like this: learning to say no, avoiding toxic relationships, excessive multitasking, and giving yourself permission to relax. If you’re exhausted, don’t take on more responsibilities; the fact that you’re tired already means you won’t be doing it as best you could, and it will only make you feel worse. While you cannot avoid encounters with people at work, you are in control of your close circle; if someone in your family or even a friend is draining your energy and making you miserable, then you need to stop being around them. At the very least, minimize your time with them. And at the end of the day, letting go and allowing yourself to rest is equally as important as making sure you’re getting work. Don’t rest on procrastination, and don’t procrastinate on rest. It’s a fine line between laziness and recovery. Learn to understand that you need some level of rest to reset yourself and show up at your best. And that you need to be proactive to get things done and not become overwhelmed when they are overdue

There you have it, everyone! Some of my top tips for handling stress. I hope they help and would appreciate it if you let me know what more you’d like to see here on the site! If you’ve got an anti-stress tip, feel free to drop it in the comments!

Sources:

[1] https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/stress/physical-activity-reduces-st
[2] https://reliawire.com/grey-matter/
[3] https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jobs-zen-meditation-buddhism-2015-1
[4] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320392.php
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5645535/
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3317329/
[7] https://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/does-scream-therapy-anxiety-really-work