Best Stress Management Tips and Tricks

Stress is part of our daily life, and proper coping and handling improve critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and strong defenses. We encounter stress not only in our family dealings, but more so outside our homes such as the workplace, school, social circle, and the general community we are involved with. Stress can be positive or negative, and the basis would be the signs and symptoms a person is exhibiting. Each person has a way of dealing with stress such as engaging in productive and meaningful activities like praying, meditating, yoga, exercising, gardening, cleaning, or playing chess, while others resort to substance abuse, overeating, sleeping for hours, or aggressive behavior. So how should we handle stress in an effective and appropriate manner?

There are many ways to cope with stress such as enjoying more sleep, exercising, talking to someone, writing a stress diary, time management, developing optimistic attitude, taking control of the problem, engaging in spiritual or religious activities, researching, and seeking professional help. A person can be stressed by work-related problems, relationship issues, financial problems, or other personal issues, and it can result in sleep deprivation becoming a vicious cycle and interrupting normal sleeping pattern. Instead of depending on over-the-counter medication for a good night sleep, you can learn and try relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, learning yoga, watching inspirational videos on Youtube, reading the Bible or something inspiring, viewing your family album, and drinking a glass of milk before bed time. It is important to avoid taking any food or beverages containing alcohol or caffeine, and limit using your phone, tablet, or other gadgets for at least an hour before bed time. Communicating your problems can help in unleashing your burden and stress, so one of the best ways to lighten or eliminate your stress is to talk to someone like your spouse, to a trusted friend, a family member, or better yet to a professional counselor who can be objective in his responses and can give you a sound advice on stress management techniques.

A stress diary is a good and effective stress management tool allowing you to release the tension from your body by becoming aware of the events or situations leading to your stress. In your stress diary, write down your feelings and emotions of the stressful episode and don’t forget to take note of the date, time, and location of each stressful situation and also write the persons you were with and what you were doing at that time. Divert your stress in more meaningful activities rather than being negative and thinking the bad side. The best way to deal with stress is seeking a professional counselor like an online counselor to help you.