What do you think of when I say stress?
Stress is a normal part of life, but sometimes life pressures get so overwhelming that we can no longer cope effectively. If you’re often saying “I’m so stressed” or “I don’t know how to manage my stress anymore”, read on.
I often work with stressed clients. Whether they aren’t recognizing their sources of stress or don’t know how to deal with them, stress is a challenging part of their lives. However, there are solutions.
The first step in stress management is to recognize it. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
How do you know when you’re stressed?
Very often there are physical signs of stress, which manifests differently for all of us. Some common signs can be found here.
Other signs may include being moody, avoiding going out with friends, or feeling anxious or irritated much of the time. It’s important to recognize these problems early so that we can more quickly respond to and manage them.
Where is the stress coming from?
Can you identify the sources of your current stress? Is it work-related? Coming from an unsatisfying relationship? Problems prioritizing or managing time? Are you trying to cope with a long-term stress, but old strategies are no longer working?
How do you manage stress?
Do you talk with a friend or family member? Do you play sports or go to the gym? Are you switching off when you’re not at work? Do you take regular vacations?
Knowing the ways you manage stress and then making them a priority can help to prevent you from getting too stressed in the first place, as well as helping during stressful times.
Sometimes, just by recognizing that we’re stressed and remembering how we’ve coped in the past can help us to manage it better.
For more information on stress and stress management, follow my Facebook page here.
Photo: Pexels