Stress. Many of us are faced with it everyday, but we might not know
how to deal with it. It is
important to learn how to handle stress because it can affect our performance
and relationships in our work and home.
At work, stress can lead to distraction and cause an unfortunate
incident. At home, stress can put
a strain on family relationships.
Stress usually occurs when there are changes
in our lives and we feel that we don’t have enough resources to deal with those
changes and demands. Which of the
following do you think causes stress: getting married, winning the lottery, or
having an argument? It's all of
them. Stress can occur not only
from negative life experiences, but also from positive ones. People react and deal with stress
differently, but common stress symptoms include upset stomach, fatigue, tight
neck muscles, irritability and headaches.
Some people react to stress by eating or drinking too much, losing sleep
or using tobacco or drugs. Stress may also
make you more susceptible to illnesses, including the common cold, ulcers, high
blood pressure and some cancers.
The first step to managing stress is to
identify your “stressors”; those things that are making you react. Stressors may not only be events that
cause you to feel sad, frightened, anxious or happy. You can cause stress through your thoughts, feelings and
expectations. Look at the list
below. Which cause you
stress? Can you think of other
stressors?
·
Not
enough time
·
Unexpected
change
·
Family
problems
·
Extra
responsibility
·
Personality
clashes
·
Money
difficulties
Everyone has to deal with life’s
problems. A key to dealing with
the big and little everyday stressors is coping with stress in a positive way.
1.
Acceptance
– Many of us worry about things we have no control over. For example, a family illness, great
deal of change at work, or finding out that your football team lost. One way to manage stress is to accept
when things are beyond your control.
It may be helpful to think positive thoughts such as, “Someday I will
laugh about this,” or “It's a learning experience.”
2.
Attitude
– Try to focus on the positive side of situations. Ask yourself, “What good can come out of this?” “What can I
learn from this situation?” and “How can I handle this better when it comes up
again?” Solutions come easier when
you focus on the positive and your stress level will be reduced.
3.
Perspective
– We often worry about things that never happen. Keep things in perspective by asking yourself, “How
important is this situation?” “Can I do anything about it?” “In five years,
will I even remember it happened?"
