Strategies for Managing Stress
Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them"
-- Albert Einstein
It’s relatively easy to feel fine when things are going well. Add a few too many stressors and unexpected curve balls, and you can easily slide into a negative state of mind.
What helps?
Exercise your personal power. Discern what is within your control, and what is outside of your control. Then leverage what you do control—your thoughts, actions, use of time and energy—and stop resisting the things you can’t influence.
Make time to replenish your energy. Exercise, meditate, pray, journal, walk outside, get enough sleep, enjoy time with friends. When you are busiest is when you tend to drop these, but it is also when they are the most needed. When you feel better and have more energy, things flow.
Stay positive. Appreciation and humor are more generative than lack and irritation. Focus more attention on possibilities and less on problems. Fredrickson’s research shows a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative emotions is the tipping point toward flourishing.
Pay attention.
Notice how you spend your time and whether your habits create more or less stress. Let go of things that drain your energy if you can.
-- Albert Einstein
It’s relatively easy to feel fine when things are going well. Add a few too many stressors and unexpected curve balls, and you can easily slide into a negative state of mind.
- Reactions to stress. When life is challenging, we often react with negative emotion—irritation, upset, depression, or overwhelm. Physically we can feel fatigue, headache, or upset stomach in response to stress.
- Cost of stress. Stress increases risk for cardiovascular disease, suppresses the immune system and contributes to many other medical conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, sleep disorders and pain. Stress negatively affects work performance, problem solving, relationships and well-being.
What helps?
Exercise your personal power. Discern what is within your control, and what is outside of your control. Then leverage what you do control—your thoughts, actions, use of time and energy—and stop resisting the things you can’t influence.
Make time to replenish your energy. Exercise, meditate, pray, journal, walk outside, get enough sleep, enjoy time with friends. When you are busiest is when you tend to drop these, but it is also when they are the most needed. When you feel better and have more energy, things flow.
Stay positive. Appreciation and humor are more generative than lack and irritation. Focus more attention on possibilities and less on problems. Fredrickson’s research shows a 3:1 ratio of positive to negative emotions is the tipping point toward flourishing.
Pay attention.
Notice how you spend your time and whether your habits create more or less stress. Let go of things that drain your energy if you can.
