Ten Techniques To Help Manage Stress
Recommendations to Improve Stress Management
These times seem to be very stressful for just about everyone, as stress constantly tends to creep into our lives. I constantly hear: “Gosh, I am soooo stressed out.” Stress may come from a simple frustration of a traffic jam on the way to work; a confrontation with parents, coaching staff, club administrator, or an athlete; or having to solve team issues. Whatever the cause, stress can exact a toll, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
Ten Techniques To Help Manage Stress
First of all, consider stress to be a ‘fact of life.’ Stress is inevitable.
You can counteract the damaging effects by calling upon your body’s rich potential for self-healing.
You can determine how it has or is affecting your life.
Learn proven self-help strategies to lessen stress in order to bring calm back to your life.
Learn, adopt, and practice these strategies to rein in the runaway changes unleashed by stress. These proven techniques can help you to repel the consuming effects of stress in order to reclaim and restore inner peace.
Learn how to elicit – at will – relaxation response. This is the simple, calming opposite of the stress response.
Discover various methods of producing this response – from focused breathing to Tai Chi, Yoga, progressive relaxation, breath focus, and repetitive prayer. Select the one that works best for you.
Learn about the power of visualization and meditation.
Find three rewarding mental exercises that boost happiness.
Explore cognitive restructuring, a strategy to change the way you look at things.
Find ways to challenge negative thoughts and avoid jumping to conclusions.
Learn to identify warning signs of stress to alert you.
Learn about the dynamic role of nutrition and social support to be able to cope with work-related stress, and stress from conflict with others.
Discover ways to take the sting out of common stressors – everything from being late to feeling burned out.
“Develop mindfulness and better ways to communicate to help you as you learn to nurture yourself.”
Adapted and modified from Harvard Medical School Report "Escape the grip of Stress - Don't let stress control you", December 20, 2016