Stress Management

It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. And so stress management is all for! Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun - plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on. Stress management involves controlling and reducing the tension that occurs in stressful situations by making emotional and physical changes. The degree of stress and the desire to make the changes will determine how much change takes place.

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress. And until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

Stress Management is an art which can be possessed by only you to manage your stress. No second person will have more control than yourself in managing your stress. Develop great belief that you have more control than what you think on your life which is most effective factor of stress management. Learning effective stress management techniques can be the greatest gift you ever give yourself. We all have stressful times as we go through life. The outcome of those times often relies not on what actually happens but how we deal with it.

1. Coping skills to reduce stressors:

- Set realistic goals and expectations
- Get a good night’s sleep
- Eat a balanced breakfast
- Exercise regularly
- Find time to relax throughout the day
- Take a vacation every once in a while
- Practice relaxation techniques
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol

2. Physical activity:

- Start a physical activity program. Most experts recommend 20 minutes of aerobic activity three times   per week.
- Decide on a specific type, amount, and level of physical activity. Fit this into your schedule so it can   be part of your routine.
- Find a buddy to exercise with. It is more fun and it will encourage you to stick with your routine.
- You do not have to join a gym as 20 minutes of brisk walking outdoors is enough?

3. Individual Exercise:

- Find the positive in situations, and don't dwell on the negative.
- Plan fun activities
- Take regular breaks.

4. Nutrition:

- Eat foods that improve your health and well-being. For example, increase the amount of fruits and   vegetables you eat.
- Use the food guide pyramid to help you make healthy food choices.
- Eat normal-sized portions on a regular schedule.

5. Social support:

- Make an effort to socialize. Even though you may feel tempted to avoid people when you feel   stressed, meeting friends usually helps people feel less stressed.
- Be good to yourself and others.

6. Relaxation:

- Learn about and try using relaxation techniques, such as guided imagery, listening to music, or   practicing yoga or meditation. With some practice, these techniques should work for you.
- Listen to your body when it tells you to slow down or take a break.
- Make sure to get enough sleep. Good sleep habits are one of the best ways to manage stress.
- Take time for personal interests and hobbies.

Every individual is unique. Some have monetary tensions, as mentioned earlier. Others may have family or relationship issues that are causing stress. Students get stressed out over performance evaluation of exams. There are so many reasons. Once you have the cause of stress mapped out it is easier to find solutions to balance and neutralize it. Take control of how you let stress affect your life.