In the modern urban life, stress is inevitable. Managing your stress levels while negotiating the fast-paced life isn’t easy but thankfully there is help around. Here is a simple guide to best ways of coping with stress.
Identify Unhealthy Coping Mechanism
Stress is nothing short of a disease and like any other disease, the first step is diagnosis. Unbeknownst to us, we subconsciously try to cope up with stress with the help of our inbuilt systems. It may be as simple as oversleeping or a bit more complex like social withdrawal. People may tend to overeat sweet and fatty food as a coping mechanism or mindlessly watch the TV without caring what they watch. Some people may resort to too much drinking and smoking. Taking out stress on others during arguments and furious outbursts are unhealthy coping mechanism for stress.
Be Physically Active
When we say physically active, we don’t mean take up an athletic lifestyle or hit the gym every day, however we do encourage you to find a buddy and maybe go to the gym or any other class together. Being physically active could also mean taking the stairs instead of the lift or walking to the store instead of driving your car. It could be something as simple and joyful like walking your or your neighbour’s dog or dancing to your favourite song.
Build and Maintain Relationships
Building and maintaining relationships are the antidote of loneliness which can creep up on you and create unnecessary stress. You can call, text or email an old friend to catch up or ask a work or workout buddy for lunch. If you want to meet new people, you can try signing up for a new evening class or a club. Volunteer work too is not just good for meeting people but is also profoundly satisfying on its own.
Change Your Attitude
Changing your attitude needs constant self-scrutiny and practice. You must think positive and consciously say positive things. Stop overthinking every single thing. It is a good idea to set aside some time to worry about things instead of doing it the whole day. Put your problems into perspective – how much are they going to affect you in a week, a month, a year? Perfectionism is good only in papers, so set yourself realistic and practical goals. It is also good to have a gratitude list – things that you are thankful for.
Develop “Stress Relief” Toolkit
Having a few tricks to help you with the stress will make your life easy. It can be a walk in a naturally beautiful setting, meditating or even a hot bath with relaxing essential oils. Interaction with a close friend or even an animal is a tried and tested stressbuster. Reading a book, writing a journal or watching a comedy are other popular ways of dealing with stress.
