The term “Stress” is the most pervading phenomenon of recent times. Even a toddler, who has just started going to school is stressed, then what to say to his parents and grandparents? The term stress applies to physics, which describes it as a strain on a physical body. Now it applies to human beings, each one and everyone is stressed, come what may.
Stress: worry and pressure that is caused by having too much to deal with
Not only this, science has proposed a concept of perseverative cognition (PC) which implies thinking about negative events of the past or the future, which leads to chronic stress.
“It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.” – Hans Selye
Most of us are gifted with this modern-day concept in abundance and one important factor responsible for this would be – we have bartered our traditional lifestyle with a modern lifestyle. Indeed, technology has eased our life immensely but had made our life stressful. Stress has become part and parcel of our lives; it is our reaction to everyday pressures but it becomes severe if it upsets our day-to-day functioning. If we analyse stress, it is any change that causes physical, emotional, and psychological strain.
Stress symptoms affect your physical and psychological well-being, without you knowing it. Till now, you have been thinking of fixing the blame of chronic headaches, sleep deprivation, or nausea on ill health but it may be due to you taking undue stress. As this affects your psychological being, it is vented out through anxiety, lack of motivation, depression, feeling overwhelmed, irritability, and anger.
With the work environment becoming fiercely competitive, this has led to insidious stress and damage caused by this often underestimated. It has seeped into every individual’s life irrespective of caste, creed, age, or gender but some are more deeply affected, depending on their personal, psychological, professional, and health background. Besides, you may be inflicted with either internal stress or external stress or it could be a combination of both. Internal stress comes from your ambitions, goals, desires, objectives, and thinking, and external stress from your surroundings, family, peers, co-workers, or superiors.
Stress levels have considerably increased due to Covid 19 which affected one and all, globally. But what has happened, has happened and we need to look for stress busters to lead a happy and peaceful life.
Few tips:
- Discuss your stress with people around you whom you trust. Talk it out in detail with your family and friends or anyone else whom you think can help you. You will feel better.
- If the above doesn’t work, take professional help. Nowadays professional help is available all over. They hear you out objectively as an outsider and provide their view as it helps a great deal.
- Practice some stress–management techniques that are available Online / Offline.
- Exercising by way of stretching your limits helps you in releasing your energy and tension, besides, the release of feel-good chemical endorphins.
- Avoid being hard on yourself – physically and psychologically.
- Work on practically achievable deadlines.
- Indulge in activities that make you happy as these work as true stress-busters.
- Practice meditation.
- Practice sleep-inducing exercises.
- Deep breathe and relax.
“Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There’s going to be stress in life, but it’s your choice whether you let it affect you or not.” – Valerie Bertinelli
As an effective measure, stop thinking about events that you can’t control. Indeed, change is challenging and should be taken as an opportunity and not as a threat.
Effective Stress busters:
- Connect with people.
- Have some “me time”
- Challenge yourself.
- Avoid unhealthy habits.
- Help other people.
- Work smarter, not harder.
- Try to be positive. Look for the positives in life and things for which you are grateful.
- Accept the things you can’t change. Changing a difficult situation isn’t always possible.
There is a quick-fix stress buster too, say: sit with a straight, relaxed back. Focus your attention on your breath and let all other thoughts disappear. Do a few, slow, deep breaths (breathing with your lower belly instead of your chest). Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts.
There is a 4-step stress–management technique which helps you in reducing stress and cope with the inevitable stressors of everyday life:
- Avoid. Believe it or not, it is possible to escape some of the minor stressors that tend to trouble people:
- Alter. Communicate clearly and let people know your expectations.
- Accept.
- Adapt.
Physical activity is a natural stress buster besides including these in your daily routine:
- Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet can help relax muscles and reduce anxiety.
- Reduce caffeine and sugar.
- Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Supplement with magnesium.
- Identify professionals who can help.
The ABC strategy in stress:
A = Accumulate positive experiences.
B = Build mastery.
C = Cope ahead.
Engage in an activity that makes you feel confident – and – continue. Practising this skill.
So, don’t take stress about your stress, be happyHo and spread happiness!
