Stress is one of the scourges of modern living. Something we all experience. Something we all know something about. Something we would all like to manage better. Stress management is a huge field: there are books, courses, counselling services, and more. There is one common element across all effective and recognised stress management techniques: an effort must be made to work toward change. The course of stress needs to be changed, as well as your reaction to that stress. It may help to think along these lines:

  • Become aware of your stressors (the things that cause you worry, anxiety, and stress) and your emotional and physical reactions to them. Don’t just ignore your stress. Learn what pattern of events has led to your distress. Determine how your body responds to the stress. Do you become nervous or physically upset? If so, in what specific ways?
  • Recognise what you can change. Be realistic. Can you change your stressors by avoiding or eliminating them completely? Can you reduce their intensity by managing them over a period of time instead of on a daily or weekly basis? Can you shorten your exposure to the stress? Can you devote the time and energy necessary to making a change?
  • Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress. The stress reaction is triggered by your perception of physical or emotional danger. Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated terms and/or taking a difficult situation and making it a disaster? Are you over-reacting and viewing things as absolutely critical or urgent? Are you trying to please everyone? Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the stress as something you can cope with rather than something that overpowers you. Put the situation in perspective. Do not labour on the negative aspects and the “what if’s” of life.
  • Learn to moderate your physical reactions to stress. Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and respiration back to normal. Relaxation techniques can reduce muscle tension. Learning to moderate these reactions on your own is a preferable long-term solution than medication.
  • Build your physical reserves. Exercise moderately for cardiovascular fitness three to four times a week. Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals. Maintain your ideal weight. Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and other stimulants. Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away when you can. Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your sleep schedule as possible.
  • Maintain your emotional reserves. Develop some mutually supportive friendships or relationships. Pursue realistic goals that are meaningful to you, rather than goals other people have set for you that you do not share.

Stress is really ubiquitous and we all have some. It cannot be eradicated or cured. But it can be managed. We can cope better. We can learn to be more resilient. Not stress-free, but resilient and positive and able to cope. Many of us can even thrive. Thinking about these ideas listed here may be a helpful approach for many of us.

Written by Dr Colin Burns