You might yearn for an idyllic world where nothing ever goes wrong, but in reality, there will be times you’ll need to deal with tension and pressures. If you often feel overwhelmed or backed into a corner, your professional efficiency and social life can both suffer. Here, we present strategies for managing stress effectively so that you can stay positive despite external adversity.
Focus on Your Breathing
Breathing is such a simple thing, yet it can have a profound effect on how you feel in a moment of distress. Focusing on slowing yourself down and breathing deeply can help you clear your mind of negativity. The great thing about this is that you can do it anywhere without disturbing anyone or needing any equipment. Just close your eyes and picture something you find soothing. At the same time, take sustained, measured breaths repeatedly over the course of a few minutes. You’ll start to feel much calmer and more ready to handle the problem at hand.
Do Enjoyable Hobbies
Too often, you may feel bogged down in your work or responsibilities and neglect taking time for yourself. A consistently busy schedule is a surefire way to burn yourself out and feel miserable. It’s important, therefore, to work the hobbies that you enjoy into your weekly routine. By structuring your days and giving yourself space to relax, you’ll be able to decompress and get your mind off demanding commitments for a bit. Anything from reading a book to building a homemade videogame emulator to riding an electric bike safely around your neighborhood can work. The most important thing is that you feel simultaneously more comfortable and energized from the activity.
Change What You Can Control
Another strategy for managing stress effectively is to change what you can control. Often, you can make minor adjustments to your own behavior to decrease the weight of a taxing situation or avoid it entirely. For example, you might find that staying on social media for too long causes you stress because of the negative comments people often make on those platforms. You could limit your time on them in response or deactivate your accounts completely to feel better. If someone does something that bothers you, you could also talk to them respectfully and ask them to stop or perhaps reach a compromise that satisfies both parties.
