Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay
The impact of stress can be overwhelming especially if one does notknow how to cope. Preventive stress management has been studied forthe past 33 years leading to an understanding of how to cope withstress argues Hargrove et al. (2012). To effectively cope with stressand decrease the impact it has, meaningful activities are highlyrecommended. Those activities should be able to help deal with theimpact of stress as it affects all aspects of life.Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay.
Research objective
- To investigate how the impact of stress can be decreased and managed physically, emotionally, cognitive and spiritually
Literature review
Some of the most meaningful physical activities that have beendiscovered as complementary to the mental and emotional state whiledealing with stress are regular exercises (Dunn, 2014). Physicalexercises ranging from a simple walk, jogging, lifting weights,keeping fit in the gym with workouts or running are healthy ways ofkeeping the body fit and kicking stress off. The stress response toexercising is burn offs which unblock the toxins and extra tensionthat underlies in the body thus making one lighter and less tense.Psychologists argue that the hormones released while exercising aredirected towards the intended metabolic function thus helping combatstress effectively. Through exercises, endorphin hormones arereleased to the body allowing effective blood circulation andelevating the mood incredibly.
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Enough sleep is another activity that greatly decreases the impactof stress in individuals. Lack of sleep is in fact a cause of stressfor any human being. Enough rest is best obtained during sleep.Adequate sleep helps cope with stress through numbing the stressorand letting the body rest without disturbance. Relaxing is not thesame as sleeping it is leisure. According to Qian et al (2014), onepositive event which is identified as a coping resource of stress, isleisure. Simple relaxation does not require one to be asleep butresting. The relaxation enables a slow heart rate and slows the bloodpressure too. Through relaxation, the metabolic rate decreases.
Stress can be managed through healthy eating habits. Eating ahealthy balanced diet is a remedy for relieving stress argues Dunn(2014). It is a way for the body to get necessary nutrients that helpdevelop a strong immunity and resistance to any external forces likestress or diseases. Eating unhealthy diets make people vulnerable tostress. Fatty foods with a lot of starch for example can be a sourceof stress as they do not give the body enough nutrients but ratherincrease the number of calories. Under eating or eating more thannorm creates distress to the body and does not help in dealing withstress.
Cognitive and emotional stress management activities are useful tothe brain and help emotions calm down when stressed. Involving thebrain in activities that help it think positively like readinginspirational books helps deal with stress amazinglyasserts Schwarzer (2014).Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay. Investing in people that you love oryour hobbies helps cope with stress through creating emotionalsecurity. The hobbies relax the mind and release positive feelings.Simple activities like laughing, being happy, joyful and expressingyourself through crying are vital for managing stress. They relievestress through raising the endorphin levels, blood oxygen, relievingpain and enhancing productivity. Effective anger managementtechniques are a good way of getting control of one’s emotions.Express, suppress or calm anger assertively rather than beingaggressive. The emotional part is not complete without cultivatingone’s spiritual side.
Spiritual health can be a marvelous way of managing stress. Throughgetting involved in
Spiritual activities like prayer, songs, quiet time, yoga or readingreligious books stress is relieved greatly. The belief in a higherpower and connecting to that higher power when nothing else makessense, makes one feel at home and creates a positive feeling of hopeand optimism. Taking quiet time to meditate and think about the wordof God can be very fulfilling when stressed out. It encourages andgives hope in the worst times. Prayer also is a way of relieving yourfears and anxieties to a higher being. It comforts to know that onecan find hope somewhere outside the world.
Stress can be managed through engaging in meaningful activities likeyoga. The ancient practice combines meditation, relaxation, breathingtechniques, refreshing, rejuvenating and stretching exercises. Qiqongand Tai Chi are other forms of meditation from China that help in thebody and mind health exercises. These practices have been useful inrelieving major forms of stress for many people. Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay.
References
Dunn, J. (2014). ‘Stressproof your body,’ Health, 28(9),116-121
Hargrove, M. Quick, J. Nelson, D. &Quick, J. (2012). ‘Thetheory of preventive stress management: a 33year review andevaluation,’ stress & health journal of international society for the investigation of stress, 27(3),182-193
Qian,X. Yarnal, C.&Almeida,D.(2014). ‘Using the dynamic modelof affect (DAM)to examine leisure time as a stress coping resource,’Journal of leisure research,46(4),483-505
Schwarzer, R. (Ed.).(2014). Self-efficacy:Thought control of action.Taylor & Francis.
It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about your stress level. The bills aren’t going to stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day for all your errands, and your career or family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.
Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.
Identify the sources of stress in your life
Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Sure, you may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress.
To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:
- Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?
- Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”).
- Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?
Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
Look at how you currently cope with stress
Think about the ways you currently manage and cope with stress in your life. Your stress journal can help you identify them. Are your coping strategies healthy or unhealthy, helpful or unproductive? Unfortunately, many people cope with stress in ways that compound the problem.
Unhealthy ways of coping with stress
These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in the long run:
• Smoking
• Drinking too much
• Overeating or undereating
• Zoning out for hours in front of the TV or computer
• Withdrawing from friends, family, and activities
• Using pills or drugs to relax
• Sleeping too much
• Procrastinating
• Filling up every minute of the day to avoid facing problems
• Taking out your stress on others (lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence)
Learning healthier ways to manage stress
If your methods of coping with stress aren’t contributing to your greater emotional and physical health, it’s time to find healthier ones. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it’s helpful to think of the four As: avoid, alter, adapt, or accept.
Since everyone has a unique response to stress, there is no “one size fits all” solution to managing it. No single method works for everyone or in every situation, so experiment with different techniques and strategies. Focus on what makes you feel calm and in control. Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay.
Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress
Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.
- Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
- Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
- Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off.Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
- Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.
- Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.
Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation
If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.
- Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
- Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
- Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.
- Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under. Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay.
Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor
If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.
- Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.
- Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
- Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
- Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.
Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change
Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.
- Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
- Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
- Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
- Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.
Stress management strategy #5: Make time for fun and relaxation
Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come. Strategies to Combat the Impact of Stress Essay.