Posted by Stress can kill you. Most people think this is stretching the truth a bit, but it is not. Stress causes unhealthy changes in your body. Manage stress before it gets out of hand with these three simple techniques.
Stress is our response to outside forces exerted on us. It sounds like a lesson in physics class. If someone makes us angry, how we handle it affects our entire life. Some people hold it in which puts pressure on their mind. Others let the anger dissipate in order to keep it from affecting their lives. You want to be the latter.
Have you ever noticed that you get headaches when dealing with certain situations? How about that stomach-ache that comes on when your boss walks in the room? Learning to manage these stressful situations makes all the difference to your body and your health.
Technique #1 – Take a time out. No, we are not talking about sitting in the corner facing the wall. Time out means distancing yourself from the situation in order to get a fresh perspective. People have many different ways to take a time out and you can choose a few that work with your schedule and lifestyle.
Go for a walk. If you work from home, going for a walk can break up the work of the day. Getting fresh air and sunlight, as well as exercise, increases the oxygen flow to the brain. Working an exercise session into your day on a regular basis is the perfect time to sweat out all your problems and increase the feel-good endorphins in your system. A body in good shape can combat physical changes due to stress. In fact exercise reduces stress levels.
Technique #2 – Communicate with others. Some stressful situations are caused by what we perceive to be the truth. We do it all the time. Interpreting a look or a gesture without verbal confirmation leads to trouble. If you think your boss is unhappy with you, go and ask him. He may be having a bad day which has nothing to do with you, but you are getting a stomach-ache because of a faulty assumption.
When you are offended or have a problem, talk it out with the appropriate person. Clearing the air goes a long way to clearing the mind of toxic thoughts and the body from harmful effects of those toxic thoughts. Also communicate positive words to others to create a sense of well-being for yourself.
Technique #3 – Spend time doing something for yourself. Every person needs to have time to pursue their own interests. Maybe you like to sew, read or paint. Whatever your passion, it is an important part of who you are and it is important for maintaining your sanity. When the pressure gets to be too much, making yourself the number one priority can soothe your soul.
Stress is manageable with a few techniques. Before you head towards the deep end, keep stress under control: communicate, incorporate “me” time, and keep your body healthy.