A First Look At Stress Management

Constant exposure to high levels of distress can take its toll affecting a person's ability to overcome the problem thus, causing even further stress.

Stress can have a seriously detrimental affect on your physical and mental health. This can be caused by stress itself such as lack of sleep, excess sleep and headaches. It can also be due to the unhealthy habits people adopt in order to cope with stress. Such habits include smoking, excessive drinking, overeating or under-eating etc.

The first step in stress management is the correct identification of sources of stress. This is a crucial step and requires a lot of in depth search. The consequences of stress breed further problems that can be incorrectly identified as the main problem. For example avoidance is a major response to stress and procrastination can cause further problems that will cause additional stress. So identify the root cause of the problem by taking into account habits, excuses and overall disposition.

Once the cause of stress is identified measures can be taken to cope with it better. This can be done either by changing the stressful situation or by altering our reaction to it.

The first method of stress management provides us with two options. The first one is to change our situation simply by avoiding the stress, this does not mean that we pretend it is not there. Rather we acknowledge the fact that it has a detrimental affect on us hence our need of active avoidance. The other method requires us to take measures so that it no longer causes any stress.

The second method of stress management focuses on 'our response' to the stress. We alter our reaction to the stress, so that it ceases to have a negative impact on us. This can be achieved either by adapting to the situation or through simple acceptance. By adapting to the situation we work around the problem by adjusting our expectations and focusing on the positives. However, in certain situations acceptance is the only way to deal with the stress (in case of the death of a loved one). In such circumstances share your feelings and focus on the positive. Accept the fact that the world we live in is imperfect and many things in life are beyond our control.

Apart from theses main stress management techniques we can also keep the stress levels in check by allowing time for relaxation. This is acknowledgment of the fact that taking time off is essential for optimum performance. Adopting a healthy lifestyle will also minimize impact of stress by focusing on your physical health.

Stress is an integral part of our lives but, by adopting these simple stress management techniques we can keep it within manageable levels, so that it does not cause disruption in our lives.