Whether it’s moving house, changing jobs or just dealing with life, there comes a time when everyone needs to some new ways to fight stress. While some stress can be beneficial, and help us to thrive, too much can cause a variety of physical health problems. So what can we do to help? Here’s some of the best ways to fight stress I've found.
Sometimes it’s beneficial to take a few moments to acknowledge that you are feeling stressed, and try to put the problem into perspective. If it’s a big issue that’s stressing you out, this thinking might not work, but it’s been proven to be very successful for people who are prone to tension. If a problem is small, or out of your control, try to make a conscious effort to let it go. It's one of the best ways to fight stress, because your body will feel the benefit immediately.
Stress is often ignored until it reaches critical levels, even if there have been plenty of warning signs. Symptoms include tiredness, sleeplessness, sleeping too much, crying, headaches, loss of appetite, overeating, tension and compulsive behaviours, and you may find yourself drawn to alcohol or cigarettes. If you have these symptoms, try to find and eliminate the common causes of stress, to stop them getting any worse.
Most people are taught to avoid conflict where possible – and it can work well as a strategy for people-pleasers like me! Sometimes, though, conflict can’t be avoided. Whether it’s a work contact, a friend or a family member, it can be worth working towards resolving conflicts over a coffee rather than trying to avoid them and sweep the issue under the carpet. Not only will you make the problem go away, but you’ll drastically reduce the time you spend stressing about it too.
This won’t always be possible, but sometimes stress can be used for good reasons. If you’ve ever been bungee jumping, you’ll know that it’s the adrenaline that makes you finally jump off the edge – most people wouldn’t be able to go without that crazy hormone pumping them up. Stress can work in the same way, driving you forward, as long as you don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed.
Talk about your stresses. You don’t need to offload to the same person, so don’t worry about becoming annoying – find groups, friends, partners or online communities that let you get things off your chest. Not only does sharing the stress reduce your symptoms, but you might find a great new way of dealing with it, too.
Some people already know the benefits of having a good cry, but for some people it’s still seen as a sign of weakness. Take yourself somewhere private and comfortable and let yourself cry it out. It’s a great way to release all your emotions and relieve tension, and it’ll put you back in the driving seat and ready to solve the problem.
Found yourself worrying about your health at work, or checking work emails late at night? The boundaries between work and home lives are blurrier than ever, and it seems we are worrying about everything all the time. Try to divide your time clearly, and make room for everything that needs to be done. It’ll really reduce your stress, and your work will be boosted too – let's face it, nobody wants to be worrying about ironing in a conference!
These tips, combined with other ways to fight stress including throwing yourself into an absorbing hobby and making sure you get plenty of exercise, are sure to have you feeling better in no time. And don’t forget to take some time for you when you can, too – a great magazine and a cake in a coffee shop is ideal. Do you have any great ways to fight stress? I’d love to hear them!