Stress. It’s a part of life that we face often. There is both good and bad stress and people deal with it in many ways. The bad or negative stressors are what we need to be consciously aware of, as this type of stress can impact our performance at work and our relationships at home.
Definition:
Stress: “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.”
Managing Stress | CHAW (fsu.edu)
Stress can cause distractions at work which lead to incidents and adds tension to your family and relationships.
Some of us may find stress to be overwhelming and are unaware of how to handle it in a healthy way. The goal of this blog is to share some information and helpful tips for managing stress.
Info on work-related stress in Canada:
- 27% of Canadian workers said they have high to extreme levels of stress daily
- An additional 46% of Canadian workers reported that they felt some stress on a day-to-day basis
- Over 1 in 4 workers reported being highly stressed
- 62% of people say work is their main source of stress, followed by financial stress (12%), time (12%), Family (8%), and other (6%).
Extended bouts of stress can negatively affect your health and increases the risk of:
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Substance abuse
Signs and Symptoms that you may be under stress:
- Upset stomach
- Tight neck muscles
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Eating or drinking too much
- Losing sleep
- Smoking
- Stress can also lead to illnesses such as ulcers and cancer
How to Manage Stress to a Controllable Level:
Over the past year, I have spent a significant amount of time on a journey to self-discovery and these tools have helped me cope with overwhelming bouts of stress and struggles.
- Reaching out – you’d be surprised at how this small gesture can make such a significant impact in managing stress and your life. There is a stigma around asking for help. Most people are either afraid to be vulnerable or don’t want to “burden” other people with their problems. This is my number one go-to approach to help manage my stress. Talk to someone you trust or a professional to help you process and get a different perspective on whatever it is you’re going through.
- Acceptance – I am still guilty of this from time to time, but most of us stress over things we have no control over or worry about things that never happen. Worrying about things that are out of our control isn’t going to change our circumstances and frankly, causes a lot of wasted time and energy. By practicing acceptance, we have more space to focus on the good.
- Take time for you – by doing something you enjoy every day, even if it’s only for 10-20minutes can significantly lower stress. Examples include reading, stretching/unwinding, or art.
- Attitude – when stress overwhelms us, we tend to think about what’s going wrong in our lives instead of what’s going right. By shifting this negative mindset and replacing it with a positive attitude, we will most likely come to realize that things aren’t as bad as we make them out to be.
- Exercise and Rest – exercise is a big part of who I am, and I have gotten through challenging and stressful times in my life through exercise. Rest plays a big role in your level of stress and most of us don’t get enough of it. Putting your phone away an hour earlier or watching one less episode and prioritizing an adequate sleep schedule will do wonders. You won’t regret it.
Well, there you have it!
Stress is an inevitable part of life. It’s about the choices we make and how we choose to manage it that make the biggest impact. I have shared my go-to’s of stress management in hopes that maybe they will work for you too!
Have a great week all!