Dear readers, I know we are all living a very stressful life through the pandemic. Stress can break us down and bring us to our knees if not appropriately managed. The economic slowdown, the loss of jobs and livelihood, fear created by the pandemic, the overflow of distressing news from the media, and so on has a devastating impact on our mental health. That is why it is imperative to pay adequate attention to our mental health.
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Stress Management:
So, Let’s start with the basics of stress management. Before that, I am pretty sure that you would have experienced stress. It is the reaction of our body to challenges or specific demands. It can create positive or negative outcomes depending on the situation. Eustress is stress that motivates us and pushes us to complete the task assigned to us.
We usually experience eustress when the demands posed on us are within our capability. Contrastingly unlike eustress, we experience distress during situations that are perceived to be beyond our capabilities. It is a negative response of our bodies to overwhelming circumstances and can be chronic. In this article, let us look at techniques that would help us manage distress and anxiety.
Techniques for better Stress Management:
Control the controllables:
One of the best methods for stress management is to realize that there are many things beyond our control. There are things like macroeconomic conditions, pandemic situations, political scenarios, disasters, and more. These are not under our influence. Hence, it is crucial to face this bitter truth early on. Further, we should work on the areas that we can influence. There is a mantra that says control the controllable to shape your future.
The belief is that if we focus on the things that we can control, then the other issues will be taken care of by the forces of the universe, or God can help us in moving forward. So, give your best and leave the rest!
Meditation, as a Stress Management technique:
Another technique that we can follow to reduce stress is meditation. It is a quick and efficient way to restore our inner calm. It aims to streamline and control our thought processes to reduce stress. It helps in tackling the information overload provided by the media and other sources. There are many meditation methods like guided meditation (in which people practice techniques like visualization), mantra meditation (repeating a specific word or phrase like ‘Om’), Tai-Chi, Yoga, and many more.
Yoga is a spiritual and cultural practice that helps in balancing our mind, body and spirit. Only 7% of Indians say they do Yoga daily. This fact assumes significance because it was in India where the practice had originated.
Breathing Techniques for Stress Management:
Several breathing techniques can also help one in relaxation. I would love to recommend a specific breathing technique called box breathing that is simple yet effective. It is also known as the Four-square breathing technique and is used to relieve anxiety and stress. It can enhance our concentration and productivity when practised regularly. Militaries, including the famous Navy SEALS, practice it to calm the nervous system. In this technique, you should inhale for 4 seconds and hold your breath for four seconds. Then, exhale for four seconds and hold your breath for four seconds. Then repeat the same process several times.
A healthy mind exists in a healthy body:
Next, you need to remember that almost any form of physical activity not only increases your fitness but also decreases your stress. Regular exercise helps in reducing the levels of cortisol and adrenaline (the stress hormones). Additionally, exercise also aids in the release of endorphins (the mood elevators or natural painkillers in our body). There are other numerous benefits of exercise like improved self-confidence, better sleep, and more. You can see this inspiring TED talk to know more about the same:
Further, having a healthy and balanced diet, including proteins, carbohydrates, fibre, minerals, and other nutrients, could also help one live a happier and healthier life. A simple rule would be to consume whole, natural foods and ‘eating the rainbow’, which means you should eat vegetables and fruits of different colours.
Balanced Diet: What Is It and How to Achieve It (healthline.com)
Our body tends to demand higher protein under chronic stress. Protein helps in reducing the release of sugar into the bloodstream. Protein consumption in India assumes immense significance as most Indians do not take adequate protein in their diets.
https://www.thehindu.com/brandhub/indians-and-their-relationship-with-proteins/article30346298.ece
Avoiding highly refined foods, eatables with added sugars, caffeine, and other junk food also helps us decrease our stress.
Taking breaks for Stress Management:
Taking a break in between work is another way to reduce stress. You might wonder that taking breaks will only postpone the tasks you have to complete. That is not entirely true since you will work effectively and finish the same tasks quicker after a refreshing break. There are a lot of activities that you can do during your break like cycling, connecting with nature, listening to music, and more.
Not taking a break because you are too busy is like driving without refuelling and will lead to a breakdown eventually.
Developing hobbies is a great way to manage stress. You need not spend a ton of time on your hobbies. If you can allocate at least around a quarter of an hour doing something that you love every day, then your adrenaline reserves would be within control. Some relaxing hobbies that you could consider adopting are gardening, dancing, birdwatching, volunteering for an NGO, photography and so on.
Eliminating overthinking can go a long way in reducing your stress. When you are facing a problem, you must think well before deciding. However, overthinking can reduce your decision-making skills, creativity, and energy levels. Once you have the facts to make a decision, then avoid putting it off for later. Also, once you have decided on a particular path to follow, do not keep going back and second-guessing the same decision.
Even though Self-reflection is a healthy activity, ruminating on past failures is a waste of time and energy.
Stop worrying about your past failures and start learning from them. To know more about building resilience, check out this inspiring article: Resilience 101- A Quintessential Quality To Reap Rewards in Life – एक बदलाव बेहतर जीवन के लिए (gyaannirudra.com)
Count your blessings:
Finally, I want to add an age-old technique that helps in reducing stress. Yes, you guessed it, right! It is talking to your loved ones about your problems. I want to emphasize that in addition to speaking, it would be better if you listen to the suggestions given by your loved ones as well. Listening to everyone and finally making your own decision would be great.
Count your blessings and not your troubles. Being grateful can also reduce stress and anxiety. To know about the things that you can be thankful for, check out this interesting article: Gratitude to Greatness – Living life meaningfully in 21st century – एक बदलाव बेहतर जीवन के लिए (gyaannirudra.com)
I hope you found this article helpful. We wish you all the best in reducing your stress and anxiety. To further read about techniques that help you in eliminating stress and worry. Read ‘ How to Stop Worrying and Start Living’ by Dale Carnegie’.
Reference links:
https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-know-when-youre-overthinking-5077069
https://www.inc.com/business-insider/7-easy-ways-avoid-overthinking-improve-decisions.html
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/stress-diet-can-foods-help
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
https://www.healthline.com/health/eustress#staying-healthy
How to stop overthinking
Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is S. Deva Vikaas. I am from Chennai. Currently, I am pursuing my Bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering from the College of Engineering Guindy. My fields of interest include marketing, poster designing, content writing, and management. I believe in the values of hard work, resilience, and in having a growth mindset.
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