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Managing stress is a learned skill for most people, one that develops either
out of immediate necessity or through a conscious effort to find constructive
ways to get some relief. There is no one stress management technique that works
for everyone, but everyone can develop a strategy that works for them.
Stress Reduction Strategy
 How do you develop one that works for you? A good place to start is with a visit
to the library or an online search for stress management information. You should
have no problem finding materials; in fact, the bigger challenge will likely be
narrowing down the search results enough to make actually reading them a
manageable task. When you find an article, book, or stress management tip that
appeals to you, take notes on the key points and how you might apply them in
your own life. At some point in your research, you will begin to formulate some
ideas about how you can apply what you’ve learned to better manage the stress in
your life, and your personal stress management strategy will start to emerge.
Of course, the only way to know if a particular strategy works for you is to
put it into practice. Over the course of a few weeks or a few months you will
get a sense of what is working for you and what isn’t working for you. Take the
time to look for patterns of stress that you might be able to manage better, and
test out new behaviors and techniques until you find a combination that suits
your personality and effectively relieves stress.
Stress Management Tips
What are some of the most common stress management techniques you might
consider? Among the most popular and effective are exercise, relaxation or
meditation, and prioritization. Exercise gets your body moving, producing
endorphins that improve your mood and relieve the tension often caused by
stress. Relaxation and meditation calms your body and mind allowing you to
become peaceful and more in balance. Prioritization is simply the process of
listing the demands on your time, prioritizing which ones are the most
important, and getting rid of those that are not a priority for you.
Relaxation Exercise
Start with something simple, like setting aside 5 minutes to sit down with a
cup of tea and do nothing but clear your mind and stare out the window. You may
find it uncomfortable at first, but soon you will probably find yourself
stretching this time out to 10 minutes, 15 minutes or more. If you have trouble
getting your mind to be still then spend your 5, 10 or 15 minutes walking around
the block. The movement of your body will distract your overcrowded mind and
help you return to your regular activity feeling refreshed.
You may choose to attend a seminar or workshop that teaches stress management
techniques, or perhaps your workplace offers training or some other development
activity that can help. Sometimes, though, a class or organized program isn’t a
good choice for you and you would rather pursue the subject more at your own
pace and in your own way.
Where you go from here is entirely up to you. Experiment with different
approaches and different activities that help alleviate stress, focusing on
those that you find most enjoyable and effective. Once you find the strategies
and techniques that work best for you, incorporate them into your daily schedule
and make it a habit to take time for yourself.
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