Handling Stress in the Moment

Everyone’s pretty agreed on long term solutions to handling stress, like walking, yoga, meditation, sleep and the like. I recently saw an article by ‘Rebecca Knight’ which talks of quick fix solutions to handling stress of the moment, which I thought might be useful in those times:

A study by Nielson for Everest College indicates that 80% of Americans work under stress ( forgive most statistics being America based, but then most of these extensive researches seem to emanate there, so let’s give it to them for it, and for asking the right questions too). And then, I’m sure the statistic can only be similar, if not more stretched here considering we work under way more repressed conditions.

(Why do we have all this stress at all….does it make sense for it to have become such an accepted part of life? Bigger questions, needing deeper answers…so we won’t go there now…..but it surely shouldn’t be the norm it is today, right?) 

Low pay, unreasonable workloads, and hectic commutes are apparently the top reasons for stress, followed by stress caused by co-workers. And apparently what exacerbates the problem is that people enter work places already laden with stress from home. So it’s stress all the way round.

The techniques on handling stress in the moment:

1) Identify your stress signals

Train yourself to recognize ‘your physiological signs of stress’. Perhaps your neck stiffens, your stomach clenches, or your palms sweat. These are all the result of what’s happening inside your body. When you’re able to recognize the signs — instead of ignoring them — you’ll be able to start addressing the underlying cause of the stress.

2) Talk yourself down

When you’re stressed, the voice inside your head gets loud, screechy, and persistent. It tells you: “I’m so angry,” or “I’ll never be able to do this.” To keep this negative voice at bay, “try talking to yourself in a logical, calm tone and injecting some positivity” into your internal dialogue.

3) Take three deep breaths

Deep breathing is another simple strategy for alleviating in-the-moment tension. “When you feel anxious, your breath starts to get shorter, shallower, and more irregular “Taking three big breaths while being conscious of your belly expanding and contracting ignites your parasympathetic nervous system, which induces a relaxation response.” 

4) Enlist a friendly ear

You shouldn’t have to face nerve-wracking moments alone. “Everyone needs to have somebody they trust who they can call on when they’re feeling under pressure,” “Select this person carefully: You want it to be somebody with whom you have a mutual connection and who, when you share your vulnerabilities, will respond in a thoughtful manner.” Sometimes venting your frustrations aloud allows you to regroup; at other times, it’s helpful to hear a new perspective. This kind of relationship takes time to build and requires nurturing, and it’s likely you will be asked to return the favor. “When you do, it’s incredibly gratifying to be on the other end.”

5) Make a list

Creating a to-do list that prioritizes your most important tasks is another way to combat feeling overwhelmed. “The act of writing focuses the mind,” “Do a brain dump and write out everything you need to do and note which are ‘important’ and which of those items are ‘urgent.’

I’m sure we’ve all used each of these at one point or the other, but it’s still good to see them as one ratified list. The ones that really work for me are the last two. Making a list ( It’s what I do everyday; I love the process of ticking off the tasks completed, very satisfying indeed). And talking to a friend,......never lets me down. Find what works for you, and do make the effort to recognize and reduce stress. Goes a long way towards a more productive and peaceful life.