Tips On Handling Stress Successfully

The first and the most important lesson is to understand the fact that prevention is better than cure and hence try and avoid the stress rather than treat it once it occurs. Though it is true that one cannot avoid addressing any situation, it is highly possible by the way you deal with those situations to address your stress problem. The first thing you should do in order to avoid stress is to learn to say "no". There is a general tendency amongst most people to take up more responsibility than they can actually bear to perform. This results into extension of work without extension of deadlines and resources. Thus comes the stress part. Hence it is important that you understand your limitations as an individual and do not over burden yourself with work and emotions.

The second thing you need to do in order to avoid stress is to get rid of all relationships that are the cause of your stress. Do not burden yourself with relationships that are not working. Instead reduce the time you spend with that particular person and spend some more time taking care of yourself; you are not being selfish, but actually giving back to yourself for a while. Another most important thing to do is analyze the factors that cause you stress. It could be anything that makes you anxious, or traffic jam that bogs you down. Instead try and use alternative ways to approach these things. For example, you can take an alternative less travelled route if the traffic is your major concern. You can put off the TV and listen to some soothing music to make you feel relaxed. This does not mean you are running away from things. It only means you are trying to find alternative better suited ways to approach them.

Another important thing you can do is to avoid discussing on hot-button topics while you are with your friends or family. These topics could vary from person to person, but the conversations must be pleasant and something that may invite excitement and not anxiety. If science, politics, religion, etc trouble your thoughts, try and avoid them all together. At times it may not be possible to avoid the topic completely. In such situations, you can either contribute less or you can also excuse yourself for a while by the time the conversation dies down. This helps you in both avoiding the discussion and also avoiding hurting the person engaged in the conversation.

The last thing to do is to make a to-do-list. It is a great help to plan your schedule and appointments along with their deadlines. This helps to avoid over commitments to people and things which are beyond your capacity.