This post was written by a guest author.
Stress is a normal part of life, but it shouldn’t be the majority of your life. A healthy amount of stress is nothing to worry about, but too much unnecessary stress needs to be controlled. Here is your four step guide to day-to-day coping with stress.
Your 4 Step Guide To Coping With Stress
1. Stop pretending you can handle everything
If you take on everything yourself and refuse to ask for help, you are going to experience stress whether you admit to it or not. You can put on a happy face and let others think you’re fine, but it doesn’t do you much good. One person can only handle so much. If you are working a full-time job and come home only to take care of everything at home by yourself, it’s time to ask for help. If everyone is used to you doing everything, it will take them getting used to helping more. Don’t feel guilty for asking others to do their fair share.
2. Take time for yourself
Being alone is important in helping to deal with stress. You might choose to go for a walk or run or relax in a warm bath with a good book. The important thing is that you have quiet time alone to de-stress and collect your thoughts. Avoid interacting with anyone during your alone time. It might be a good idea to leave your phone behind when you spend time alone so that you’re not tempted to check texts and emails as you will probably feel obligated to reply.
3. Reduce the sources of stress
You’re not obligated to put up with anything that causes you stress and makes you unhappy. There are some things you can’t always avoid such as work and family stress. If you have a friend who is constantly negative and complaining, this probably drains you of your good mood and energy. You don’t have to surround yourself with people like this. Determine any sources of stress that you can control and do what you can to separate yourself from them.
4. Exercise daily
You don’t need to hit the gym every day, or at all, in order to get a workout. If all you can do is go for a 30-minute walk, that will do the trick. You can workout or do yoga at home to help relieve your stress. Exercise releases feel-good hormones, which will put you into a better, more confident mood. Exercise can be a great help in getting rid of any lingering frustrations and energy you have.
Stress doesn’t need to be a normal part of your life. You can learn to control certain stresses and manage the rest so that your well-being isn’t affected in a negative way.
