There are several keys to managing stress. First, learn to recognize when you’re under stress and what sets it off. Next, find positive ways of responding to things that trigger your stress. Be sure to take good care of your health and make time to relax.
Recognizing stress
To recognize what sets off stress for you, try to be aware of how you feel each day. If you notice your heart racing or your muscles tightening, your body may be responding to stress. Ask yourself why. Then write down your answer. Make a list of all the things that set off stressful feelings.
Living a healthy life
Keeping yourself healthy helps you deal better with stress. This means getting enough sleep, eating right, and exercising. It also means knowing what you value most in life. And making time for yourself. Keep a daily health journal to see if you’re doing these things. Then, read your journal each week. If you don’t take good care of yourself, you may feel more stressed. It's also important to know when you need more help to deal with stress.
Responding better to stress
Life is full of stressors that you can’t control. But you can learn more positive ways of responding to them. This will help you feel more in control. To begin, try this tip: Think about how much effort you want to put into dealing with a certain stressor. Do you really need to handle that stressor? If so, decide on the best way to do this. Change what you can. But if the stressor isn’t important, or if it’s out of your control, then why worry about it?
Relaxing to slow down
Relaxing can help you prevent or relieve stressful feelings. This tip may also help: When you’re facing a stressor, try pausing for a moment. Then take a deep breath and slowly breathe out as you count to 10. This will help clear your mind so you can respond to stress better.
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