In today’s fast paced world, stress is practically unavoidable. It can knock you down, causing severe side effects such as fatigue, headaches, anxiety, depression, social withdrawal and changes in your sleeping and eating patterns. But stress doesn’t have to be such a bad thing. We can turn it around into something good, and come out on the other side stronger than ever.
7 Tips To Make Stress Work For You:
So, if you want to make stress work for you, not against you, follow these 7 tips and take charge of your life today.
Assess Your Stressors
If you are feeling stressed, figure out exactly what is causing you to feel that way. Make a list of all possible contributing factors, and assess their necessity in your life. By taking a thorough look at all of your stressors, you can cut out the things that don’t need to be there, and focus more on the unavoidable stress in your life.
Focus on the Positive
How you think about something can completely change its resulting outcome. The same goes for stress. If you have a big presentation coming up at work that is causing you to stress, visualize yourself succeeding. Think about it as a learning process, and focus on the positive effects of growth to keep bad stress at bay.
Face Your Fears
Fear can cause us to become stressed and anxious, so you need to take steps to face it head on. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Well, you need to tackle it so that it doesn’t overtake your life. Gradually face this fear by doing your homework and being prepared. Use the stress and anxiety from this fear as a challenge and motivator to reach your goal of moving past it. You’ll see that you are really capable of anything.
Use It as a Memory Booster
Moderate levels of stress can actually enhance memory and learning in the brain. The key here is keeping your stress levels on an even keel during the task you are trying to learn and retain. Too little or too much of stress hormones will not allow for these memory boosting benefits.
Take Charge of Your Body
Stress can give you an added boost of energy around the time of its occurrence, so use that as an opportunity to take charge of your body. Physical activity reduces stress, calming and clearing your mind, all while improving your fitness levels. So, if you are feeling overly stressed, put that extra energy to good use with an invigorating run or sweat session at the gym.
Build Your Resilience
Yes, stress can knock us down, but it is also an opportunity to overcome a challenge. Thinking of it as merely a temporary obstacle will allow you to use it as a motivator to move past stress. Once you become accustomed to moving past stress, you will become more resilient to similar situations that may arise in the future.
Turn It Into an Opportunity to Unwind
Sometimes we just need a break from our hectic schedules. Use unwelcomed stress as an opportunity to relax and unwind for a bit, in whatever way works for you. You can simply take a step back and breathe deeply to calm your mind. Pamper yourself with a massage or a relaxing hot bath with stress-reducing aromas such as lavender. Or revisit one of your favorite hobbies you might not have had time for lately like reading or organic gardening, which offers so many benefits that it has been referred to as horticultural therapy. If all else fails, a good night’s sleep can work wonders for resetting your stress levels.
Stay Positive
No matter how stressed you are feeling, the key is to stay as positive as you possibly can. By focusing on the good things that come from stress, you will able to manage it much more easily. Use it as an opportunity to learn and grow, and to take control of your mind.
