We all know that state of tension mixed with concern that occurs in situations that put us to the test.
I often hear “it’s a super stressful time” or “I’m so stressed out that I fight with everyone”.
The term stress bombards our daily lives and has become part of everyday language. I don’t want to give you a definition of stress because it’s a very subjective condition, because what can be stressful for one person can be normal for another. The stress in fact, depends partly on the environment that surrounds us, partly from us and above all there are several ways to cope with it.
How do we figure out what kind of stress it is?
Let’s take an example, you have been working for a long time, you feel satisfied with your successes but at some point, your employer offers you a promotion, the offer looks interesting, the workload is certainly greater and requires big responsibilities. The expectations, the adrenaline and the enthusiasm that this new challenge will bring will determine at the same time a stress reaction that will result in a strong state of apprehension.
We are talking about eustress, or good stress, a type of stress that if circumscribed in a limited period of time is positive because it helps us to react and deal with a problem.
What happens if we lose this job out of the blue?
Once we receive the news we will feel defeated and this will determine a strong stress reaction, a sense of impotence, that will make us lose the ability to elaborate adequate answers.
If this feeling persists over time you will face chronic stress, or distress.
Chronic stress does not consist in a heavy week, in a bad fight with your partner, it represents the difficulty of returning to a condition of serenity, in particular it is a harmful stress, which keeps us alert even when it is not necessary.
Let’s remember that in normal, non-pathological situations, we can deal with stress conditions by solving them and putting ourselves back in play.
Becoming aware of your state of stress and finding out the causes that have determined it is crucial to successfully cope with it.
Let’s see how:
1 One problem at a time:
We try not to be overwhelmed by too many problems, we learn to handle situations gradually without thinking about what will happen next.
If we are facing our first day of work, and it is proposed to us to manage an area that we do not know well, let us not be overwhelmed by fear, if we can ask questions, ask advice and let us be helped by those who are more experienced than us.
2 We do not postpone:
Let’s not postpone to tomorrow what we can face today, if we have enrolled in university and realize that we have wrong faculty, We take the situation into our own hands and try to correct it without procrastinating because this will only increase our stress and restore an idea of ineptitude.
3 Focus on positive thoughts:
We alternate positive thoughts with negative ones, we strive to make our stress intermittent by interspersed with thoughts that postpone well-being. If we continue to focus on the source of our anxiety, the feeling of stress will only increase.
4 Let’s learn some relaxation techniques:
The body is a complex system consisting of the interaction of mind and body, relaxation techniques such as autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation, are a good method to reduce the levels of activation during the day.
5 Do something that feels good or do it for others:
Devoting time to pleasant activities, such as engaging in supportive and supportive activities will make us stronger and more aware and distract us from negative thoughts.
Concluding if something we don’t like or doesn’t feel good we learn to say no.
If we are tired of indulging in yet another favor, we learn to listen to our feelings and say no if it makes us think or not excite us.