Try to maintain a balance between work and leisure : One must ensure to have enough time to relax every day. Plan your day, finding time for leisure and exercise. Go for a leisure trip once in a while; it is just as essential as spending time on business or domestic issues.
Make time for regular exercise : When energy levels are low, threshold for coping with stress may be lower as well, thus the stronger you are the more you feel energized. It may help you cope better with problems. Besides helping you relax physically by easing muscle tension, regular exercise also boosts energy levels and improves stamina. It’s a buffer against stress.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle/diet : A healthy diet keeps you fit, thus easy to deal with stress. Long-term alcohol intake to cope with stress can lead to a range of health and social problems. Adopt a healthy, nutritious and a well-balanced diet.
Get plenty of sleep : Keep calm by getting a good night’s sleep. Feeling tired can increase stress by causing you to think irrationally. Try to be consistent with your sleep schedule. A minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep gives your body the mandatory rest and rejuvenation.
Be flexible and positive with your thinking : We need to recognize that there are some things in our lives that we cannot control, thus try to focus on things which are under your control. Expect some frustrations, failures, and sorrows in life; in doing so there will be more flexibility and less stress.
Be a friend for yourself : Always be kind and gentle with yourself. Maintain a positive mental outlook. Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful and achievable, rather than goals others have for you which you do not share.
Live in the present : Perturbed about the future and regrets about the past keep you stressed and deprives you from enjoying the moment! Worrying is a habit that needs to be changed! So, live every day as it comes.
Social Support : Stay in touch with people who can provide positive emotional support. Talking to a friend or close family member provides such support. A professional counselor can also be a good choice. Enroll in a program on assertiveness training. This will help you get an insight in reducing your stress levels.
Techniques to manage stress :Breathing: Breathing helps to slow down or to even stop the stress response! Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and respiration back to normal in a stressful situation.
Massage : Massaging the body muscles helps sooth the skin and relieves muscle tension. Some areas can be massaged by self. Massages can be taken at professional centers/spas by professionals. Massage can be especially useful for anxiety, insomnia, headaches, feet and back aches, and high blood pressure.
Yoga /Meditation : Stretching and Yoga help in relaxing muscles, keeping the person fit, and helps in concentration. Meditation is a way of stilling the mind to give it a break from its usual thinking. It helps you to calm down, which will help you to counter stress.
Holidays/Vacations : Taking small breaks, holidays from routine life will ease the tension from your life and cope with stress in a better way.
Pursuing things that relax you; hobbies, meditation/relaxation, and managing your time management are of great help in overcoming stress.
Problems are not always insurmountable and if we ‘think through’ we can find the solutions.
