Tips to cope with stress

Feeling overwhelmed? Stress becoming a problem?

Stress can feel very overbearing and it can feel like you can’t do anything about stress. It can be overbearing when you focus and think about all the worries that you have i.e. bills to pay, family problems, feeling alone, not enjoying work etc and it can feel like it’s all getting on top of you. This can lead to a feeling of stress which then makes you feel worse. The causes of stress can vary from one individual to another, identifying all that things that are stressing you out is the first step to dealing with everything. I’ve written about coping strategies which will help you cope better on a day to day basis, so you’re then in a better position to deal with your issues.

Coping Strategies

Meditating or breathing exercises.

Doing a simple breathing exercise or meditating, allows more oxygen to circulate in your body, which in turn reduces your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure. This also allows your mind to focus on something else other than your worries. In essence breathing exercise or meditations help you to feel better and calmer.

Take time out

When you’re feeling stressed it usually means you have a lot going on in your life and you can easily forget that you have your limits and need a time out. Taking 10 minutes out a day for yourself can have a very positive impact on how you feel: you are important and human, you’re body and mind need time to recharge. Taking time out for yourself can help your mind and body to have a rest from everything that’s going on and in turn will affect the way you feel in a positive way.

Learn to say no

We often get caught up with things are going on in our lives and put others first. This may seem like a very selfless act, however, the cost of always doing what others want or you assume they want has a negative impact on you and your needs. It’s essential to find a balance between the two so you don’t burn out. A lot of people don’t know this but there are three different types of ‘self’ terms;

Selfishness – You have a disregard for others and only focus on yourself.

Selfless – You have a disregard for yourself but focus solely on others

Selfullness – The ideal state where you have a balance between yourself and others.

Creating and maintaining a balance of selfullness can have positive effects on your stress levels, the way you feel and how you manage your day to day life because you’re in a state of mind where you can say no to others when you need to care for yourself and be there for others when you’re able too.

Do things you enjoy

It’s easy to get caught up in life and the things that are happening around you, whether it’s work, family, personal things or children. In this, you can forget to do the things you enjoy. Take some time out and find out what you enjoy doing and incorporate that into your life again, even if it means you only do it once a week – this is better than not doing it at all. You’ll feel better as a result because you’re doing an activity which you enjoy and is fun!

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