Stress Management Tips to Help You Stay Healthy and Productive

Life doesn’t always come neatly packaged and easy to handle. We often encounter situations we never planned for, and even the things we anticipated can sometimes overwhelm us. When we are in a situation that we don’t feel we can manage or control, that produces the stress response, requiring stress management.

Stress is how we react when we feel under pressure or threatened, and that differs from individual to individual. Some people relish a tight deadline, while others break out in hives if they start to feel like they’re falling behind schedule.

Stress is an everyday part of life, and when you encounter it, you must have strategies in place to handle stress in a healthy way that doesn’t diminish your productivity or health.

Some common sources of stress.

People are wired differently, so what stresses one person out, or an area of life that causes stress for one person doesn’t register for another person. Some of the more common sources of stress include:

Work.

This includes the nature of the work itself. For instance, some jobs like law enforcement or in the medical field have a high intensity. Additionally, if you have too much work to do, and not enough institutional support, or you’re on a tight deadline, that too is a significant source of stress. Being underemployed or unemployed can also cause stress, as can the threat of losing your job.

Relationship strain.

If your relationships are strained or mired in conflict, this too can cause a lot of stress. Healthy relationships are a key predictor of one’s sense of fulfillment, and strain in relationships often results in a diminished sense of flourishing

Finances.

Not having the resources you need to meet your obligations can be a huge mental burden and a source of pressure.

Illness.

Whether your own or that of a loved one, illness can pile on the stress and make you feel anxious.

Your environment.

Whether you have concerns over your safety or that of loved ones because of something like a natural disaster, or if you have concerns stemming from the economy or social issues that cause you angst, these can also increase your levels of stress

It’s good to be aware of what causes you stress. This awareness can alert you to how you may be reacting in uncharacteristic ways because of the stress.

Good stress management.

When you’re feeling stressed, there are always different avenues available for dealing with it. Not all avenues of stress management are good for you in dealing with your stress.

For instance, you could deal with work stress by turning to substances such as alcohol for relief, or you could choose to focus exclusively on work to the detriment of other areas of your life. In the short term, these solutions may grant some relief, but over the long term, they simply generate more problems.

Some ways to effectively manage stress that will help you stay healthy and productive include the following:

Plan well and work consistently.

Work pressure can mount due to poor planning or procrastination. A consistent work ethic makes a huge difference in meeting your deadlines, as does breaking tasks up into manageable portions. Having someone like a life coach can help you become better at planning, setting goals, and executing your plans effectively.

Learn to say “no.”

Good work boundaries go a long way to making your work experience pleasant, and you more productive. Don’t be a people pleaser and lose sight of the row that you need to hoe; rather, dedicate your work hours to work so that you get things done. It’s good to be able to connect well with your coworkers, but don’t lose sight of what the workday is about.

Practice self-care.

Eating a healthy and balanced diet, getting good sleep, exercising, taking breaks – taking care of yourself helps you with your emotional intelligence and ability to cope with stressful situations.

Improve your communication.

Along with saying “no,” being able to better communicate with coworkers and superiors can go a long way to making the work environment a more enjoyable place to be in. When tasks are clearly demarcated, feedback is expressed clearly, and everyone knows what is expected of them and what resources are available for them, that makes for a healthier work environment.

Good communication allows you to have clear expectations in relationships, and to overcome simple misunderstandings that can escalate quickly. Additionally, better communication means having the tools to handle conflict creatively and quickly before it escalates, which reduces strain in those relationships.

Help for stress management.

Stress is a daily reality, but it does not have to overwhelm you. Through effective life coaching, learning how to have healthy boundaries, developing healthy habits to unwind daily, and undoing the effects of stress on your body, you can reduce the impact of stress on your life. Reach out for help to deal effectively with stress to promote your mental, emotional, and physical health.