Tips for Managing Stress

Managing stress takes both a mental and physical strength. As long as you live and co-exist in society you will have bills, work to maintain a career and maybe even take care of family. These things can be demanding. You must always remember no matter what comes your way, maintaining control of your life is the foundation of stress management.

A great way to maintain control is by identifying the stress or stressors in your life. This could take some time and focus since it may not be easy to identify initially.

A stressor could be something as simple as procrastinating. Did you ever stop to think that your procrastination, not the demands of your job, is what is creating your stress and anxiety?

Identify the source(s) of your stress by taking a close look at your habits, environment, attitude and even excuses you may be making about them.
• Do you define stress as a vital part of your work or home life (i.e. it’s always chaotic around here) or like a part of your personality (i.e. I get nervous real easily, that’s all).
• Do you tend to blame other people or situations for your stress, or treat stress like an everyday norm?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating your stress you will not maintain control. Once the cause of your stress is identified try some coping methods to help change or reduce them.

You can either change your situation or change your reaction by doing the following: know your limits and say “no” more, avoid stressful people, be more assertive, manage your time better, focus on positive things, exercise, practice breathing techniques, drink a warm cup of tea, journal your thoughts, and get a massage.

Last but not least, smile because it takes more muscles to frown than to smile, so turn that frown upside down!

Written By: Jamacia Magee, Rust Built, Marketing Services