We are constantly bombarded by noise, technology, and demands from others. Many of the things that make our lives easier also make them more stressful.
Stress management is a very important step to STAYING POSITIVE. It is hard to stay positive when you are stressed out. Using strategies to manage stress makes it easier to avoid negative or bad thoughts.
Different things work for different people. You need to find the stress management approach that works for you.
What You Can Do to Manage Stress
Stress management is a skill. The more you practice it, the better you will get! Try each of the following stress management strategies and see what works for you. Practice DAILY for best results.
In addition, it may help to take a break and do something fun or calming such as hanging out with your friends, watching a funny movie, reading a good book, or taking a warm bath.
Watch Shelby talk about the strategies she uses to manage stress.
You can also use strategies like Progressive Muscle Relaxation to manage stress. Watch the video below for an example:
Belly Breathing is a great way to help your body relax. Follow along with the video below to practice.
Side Effects of Stress
The physical consequences of always being tense and exhausted include:
- Increased risks of diabetes
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Memory problems
- Weight gain around the waist
So how do we take care of ourselves?
One of the most important steps is to recognize stress, understand how it affects you, and identify what things might be causing you stress.
Recognize warning signs early, including: Irritability, sleep problems, and forgetfulness.
Steps to Managing Stress
Identify Sources of Stress
Ask yourself, “What is causing stress for me?” Sources of stress might be too much to do, family disagreements, feelings of inadequacy, inability to say “no”.
Identify What You Can and Cannot Change
When you try to change things over which you have no control, you will only increase your sense of frustration.
Ask yourself, “What do I have some control over? What can I change?” Remember, sometimes even a small change can make a big difference.
Take Action
Make changes as soon as you become aware of signs of stress-don’t wait until you are overwhelmed.
When we take action to reduce our stress, we feel a sense of control over our lives. Stress reducers can be simple activities like walking, gardening, meditating, or having coffee with a friend.
Identify some stress reducers that work for you. For more ideas and techniques, return to STARRS in Session 6!
