When things start getting a little out of control and difficult to manage, do you immediately stress out? You’re probably normally pretty good at managing your stress levels. You’ve handled yourself quite well numerous times before, but the stress at work is starting to get a lot more frequent and intense. You’ve now reached a point where you’re starting to stress about the thought of experiencing stress. Your body feels worn down and there doesn’t seem to be any reprieve on the horizon. You wonder what it might take to relieve stress and gain some sanity back into your life. Well, possibly the following six stress-busting ideas may help.
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Recorded for IQ Doodle by John Parrott
1) MAKE HEALTH A TOP PRIORITY
In order to manage your stress levels far more effectively you need to make health your number one priority. A healthy and active body is your first defensive front against the ravages of stress. When you get quality sleep, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and balance work with a little rest and recreation — that is how you build strength. When your body is healthy, rested, and feeling energized it can more readily absorb everyday stressors that would normally overwhelm you. Practicing mindfulness meditation alongside a healthy regimen, will also give you the ability to stay calm under pressure.
2) SHOW GRATITUDE
When we stress we worry about all the things that we’re unable to do, to control, or manage. This generates a great deal of uncertainty. With uncertainty on the horizon we panic and lose focus on the things that matter most. In order to relieve stress, we need to refocus ourselves on the important stuff that can help us handle stress more effectively. In other words, stop focusing on everything that you’re worried about, and instead redirect your attention on the things you are grateful for that can help you right now. For instance, find some value in this moment, then acknowledge the personal strengths that could carry you through this situation.
3) RE-WIRE YOUR BRAIN
Stress is all about perspective. We stress out because of how we’ve chosen to interpret the situation. We for instance expect things to be a certain way, and when things turn out rather differently, that is when we feel stressed. As a result, we then exacerbate our stress by talking ourselves into a state of overwhelm. Instead of staying in control of our perceptions we dig ourselves into a bigger hole by making a mountain out of a molehill. In the end, our feelings of stress are based on the interpretations we have made about a situation. To change that experience we must reinterpret or reframe it in a more optimal and helpful way.
4) TAKE CONTROL
To relieve stress you need to gain some semblance of control over your stressful situation. We of course stress in the first place because we feel as though we’ve lost control. A lack of control creates uncertainty which stresses us out. In order to relieve stress consider what you’re able to control in this situation. There will of course be things that you simply won’t be able to control. Just let these things go. There’s no need stressing over stuff that is completely out of your hands. Focus instead of what you can do in this very moment, right now. Take control where you can, then progressively adapt your approach moving forward.
5) GET YOURSELF ORGANIZED
One way to gain control over a stressful situation is by getting yourself more organized. It’s possible that you’re stressing out because you’re having difficulty managing too many tasks, commitments and responsibilities. Maybe you need to take a step back for a moment and critically assess how you’re doing things. Consider whether there is a better way to get all this stuff done. Maybe you need to prioritize your tasks and activities. Possibly you just need to eliminate all the unimportant stuff to make room for what matters most. Or just maybe you need to strip everything you’re doing down to its basics, and then start over again.
6) AVOID TEMPTATIONS
When we’re feeling stressed it’s easy to succumb to life’s nasty temptations. For instance, in order to relieve stress you might drink a few cups of coffee, or pull out that pack of cigarettes. Possibly you get a sugar craving and stuff your mouth silly with tasty sweets. You may even over indulge on fatty foods or reach for that can of beer. These are all of course typical ways we tend to deal with stress. In the short-term these might be effective stress relievers, however those moments of bliss are very short-lived. In fact, succumbing to these temptations will only aggravate your stress levels and make you feel much worse than before.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
It’s probably safe to say that as long as we’re emotionally invested in something, that stress will likely follow. Therefore the best, and maybe only way to actually relieve stress is to avoid getting emotionally involved.
When we’re emotionally detached from the situation we tend to care less about outcomes and desired results. There are no expectations, and without expectations we just kind of go with the flow. And this is in fact how some people live their life.
They live without attachments and therefore without stress. They just go with the flow. No matter what happens, it just doesn’t seem to faze them. They believe that everything will work out for the best in the end. Therefore why stress? Just accept, release control, and let go. Allow things to be. Possibly that’s how life was supposed to be lived. Just maybe stress is nothing more but a human-made condition that has no place in the modern world.
Imagine for a moment you could develop new habits and methods of thinking where you naturally and effortlessly adopt these ideas into your life. How would that make you feel? Would you feel more fulfilled, empowered and in control?
Yes, there is such simplicity within this IQ Doodle, but of course there is a reason for that. Making positive change doesn’t need to be a complicated process. It just needs to be a consistent process where we progressively develop new habits-of-mind through repeated exposure and implementation. And that’s what these IQ Doodles are for.
We have prepared for you an IQ Doodle pack that includes several variations of this IQ Doodle that you can use for guidance and inspiration throughout the day. Use it consistently and you will begin making positive changes in the way you live, work and interact with others.
Visit the IQ Doodle Store to learn more about how to use this IQ Doodle and begin optimizing the way you live your life today.
Learn More About this Topic
Want to know more about this topic? Here are some helpful links to articles that you may find of value:
- 10 Important Rules You Must Know About Beating Stress @ Entrepreneur
- 13 Ways to Beat Stress in 15 Minutes of Less @ Health
- 37 Stress Management Tips from the Experts @ Reader’s Digest
- How to Beat Stress: A Complete Relaxing Guide @ The Telegraph
- Practical Ideas to Help You Manage Your Stress Levels @ IQ Matrix