How can you improve your stress management?

Stop trying to "manage" your stress! Managing stress usually means trying to fix the external world where the stresses appear to come from. Better to cultivate the internal sense of resilience, where you grow and / or learn from challenging experiences. This doesn't mean that you don't try to change things in your life. It means We begin by changing ourselves.

In my experience, a huge amount of stress comes from not setting health boundaries with other people. When I don't say and/or enforce how I want to be treated, then I have lost my own power over the topic/incident. What could be more stressful than feeling helpless?

Your mind is where the positioning of an experience occurs. Mental habits, "burned" in your mind from prior experiences, determine whether a situation is causing good or bad stress. Be regularly prepared to understand you have a choice in managing stress. Your mental strength comes from decisive positioning of your thoughts. With practice using these tools, you'll master observing your habits of mental positioning, i.e., metacognition, and, in turn, become fluid at repositioning your feelings & thoughts for personal empowerment.

The best way is not to be afraid of expressing your vulnerability that we all need help. Focus on yourself and self love. My approach is to identify the stressors and talk through with someone who are real and genuine active listener. Then create a plan how to overcome it such as breathing exercise.

Pausing throughout the day to check in with how you are feeling is a great way to start understanding your triggers so that you can choose how to respond instead of being caught in reactive emotions and behaviors. Think of it as micro-pauses (I call it Power-Pausing) in between meetings and tasks, where you take a moment to say hello inside and notice, "How am I in there?" You may need a moment to breathe and give your mind some space and grace between paying attention to the next thing. Allowing your nervous system to calm down with just a few breaths can help you better understand how stress affects you. And with that... start learning what you need to support you in navigating the triggers.

Relaxation techniques are?a great way to help with stress management. Relaxation isn't only about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. It's a process that lessens the stress effects on your mind and body. Using ways to relax can help you cope with everyday stress.

I find that adding the main priorities on the schedule helps. I also put time on the schedule just for me. I call it my "Glorious Purpose" time. I find it is more positive than simply putting "block" in my schedule.

I always encourage people to work on managing their activities, since we can't REALLY manage time. Time blocking is a great strategy for this, since it allows for unexpected events and schedule changes, but also helps people focus on specific tasks at hand for a specified time period. I find I get much more done, even in a 10-15 minute time block, than when I randomly sit down to work on different tasks.

Finding the underlying cause of your stress is the key to addressing and managing the stress. Stress may arise from multiple factors. Has there been a change in the working conditions? Has there been a significant personal loss? Has there been a stressful family event? Has there been a witnessed traumatic situation? Has there been a debilitating illness? Any or all of these and other stress-inducing factors need to be identified and acknowledged. Communicating with others is important. Obtaining support from loved ones, friends, colleagues, mentors or others may help reduce stress. Avoid excessive use of recreational drugs or alcohol as these may lead to addictions. Seek professional help early.

Our thinking is where we can spend time more effectively. When we get stuck in the "pothole" of rehashing what's not working or if only, then... we are basically "wishing" time away. As much as we can manage tasks and meetings by prioritizing what matters versus what's urgent, managing our focus and attention is really how we manage our time. One way is to learn how to ask better questions. When we ask "why not" questions, we will focus on why something isn't working. When we ask "what and how" questions, we reset our attention to figuring out how to cut through the noise inside our own minds to gain clarity and make better and faster decisions.

Relaxation is important, and using your breath to calm down the stress response is essential. However, I find that a quick walk is better for stress than trying to calm down in the middle of feeling overwhelmed. When we move the body, we move the mind. A quick stretch and a fast walk increase circulation, which can help move stagnant thoughts and feeling trapped by stress building up. Disconnecting the mind from worry for a moment is how to let new solutions and ideas find their way in.

One of the simplest relaxation tools is through your breathing. Simply allow your exhale to be about 50% longer than your inhale. In through your nose for a count of four and out through your mouth for a count of six. This simple process decreases vagus nerve tone, which is directly associated with the "fight or flight" response.

Physical and mental health are intmately tied. When working remotely, I dedicate time every day to movement. It doesn't have to be a full exercise program. Sometimes, just taking a brief walk gets the blood flowing to ensure you remain mentally healthy.

Most exercise can be helpful for blowing off steam, which while helpful, is more tied to the managing stress approach discussed in the first question. I suggest including forms of exercise that also require a degree of mindfulness, such as yoga, Tai Chi, or walking in addition to your normal cardio or weight training routine.

Exercise is a sure way to boost your “feel good hormone” aka endorphins. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 minutes at a time or the full 30 minutes at once. As long as your body moves, you will still get the benefits. In turn, it helps you mentally as well as the physical changes.

I believe it’s imperative to audit your social group. The people you surround yourself with can also add stress in your life. It’s best to network and interact with people that have similar goals or can mentor, lead by example and help you develop in your personal and professional goals. If a person doesn’t lead the way in front of you, walk along side you to provide support or follow your lead as you help them grow then they may not be on a similar path as you.

Who are your cheerleaders? Your supporters? Your advocates? Give some thought to identifying the people that you love and care about and those who love and care about you. Filling your life with people who support you through good times and bad is one of the best ways to protect your sense of safety and well-being. Think of your support network like a lawn of green grass. Every healthy lawn starts with planting grass seeds whose roots will grow strong and deep and prevent weeds from taking over. Invest in your network in the same way. Plant seeds for healthy relationships that grow strong, deep roots and will weed out those whose presence doesn't offer you love and support. And be sure that you're giving just as much as you receive!

We tend to think of self-care as being about self, but it's actually more about care. Our well-being is closely tied to our three core relationships: self, others, and work. To thrive, all three relationships need to be driven by C.A.R.E.: curiosity, acknowledgment, respect, and empathy. When we engage in this way, we cultivate a culture in that we feel cared about and grow more confident, agile, resilient, and empowered. Learning to pause more to listen to each other truly is how we build stronger relationships which are key factors in improving stress because we are feeling safe and that we matter. It's also how we cultivate a culture where we work better together because we care about each other.

Find someone who helps you get a glimpse of Who You Really Are. In other words, most stress ultimately comes from your ego (or '"false self") interpreting reality through its limited and distorted perspective. When seeing life through the perspective of your True Self, you experience a much greater sense of peace and clarity, which allows you to make better choices. This typically does take some practice however. Most of us have spent decades learning how to see life through our ego. This conditioning can be challenging to overcome, but it is more than possible. It's like waking up from a dream that you didn't know you were having!

Seeking professional help was the best decision I made when I went through mental health problems. It helped me to put become more objective and gave a safe space to open up. We need to drop the stigma around that, it is 2023, most people now are dealing with mental health problems. And we all need help.

Sleep! A major contributor to stress resilience is being well rested. Studies have shown that a sleep deprived brain lacks control from prefrontal control areas over our emotional center (the amygdala). That leaves us with an overactive emotional brain - or as my PhD advisor always used to say "you're all gas and no brakes!". Therefore, in order to reduce your stress, start with prioriziting your sleep. One technique that will help both your stress and your sleep levels is to take small micro-breaks during the day that activate your parasympathetic nervous system. Some examples: - Deep breathing - Mindfulness exercise - Listening to relaxing music - Getting or giving yourself a massage - Speaking to a loved one

How you experience each day begins between your ears. It's a choice. You get to decide what kind of day you're going to have. I always recommend beginning your day with gratitude and eliminating what I call "stinkin' thinkin'" (negative self-talk). Rather than giving into feelings of inadequacy, be intentional about choosing your happiness and well-being. You deserve that just for being who you are. And if obstacles, stressors, and toxic-minded people want to stand in your way, give yourself permission to go around them.

Incorporate a trauma-informed approach into your stress management. For example, notice the impact of past experiences on your current responses to stress. This self aware approach encourages self-compassion, promotes self-awareness, and can help you prioritize your own psychological safety. This helps you navigate and manage stress in a way that honors your unique journey and needs.

Reframe your thoughts so you can think of a situation from another perspective. Practice gratitude regularly ?? and always destress by starting to regulate your body rhythms . For example, use deep diaphragmatic breathing in order to counteract shallow breathing. If you are going into panic mode, dip your face in ice cold water in order to reset your mood. Cold showers will also do the trick.

Finally, using many of the tools mentioned, identify your baseline and how your baseline changes when stressed. Do you talk more quickly, maybe become short with your words, or perhaps you get restless. It’s good to know what supports might be able to notice and point out gently when you become disregulated. In this way you can start using coping skills before you spiral. Asking for help to notice these things May make you feel vulnerable, but it can really help you maintain your best physical and mental health to have the support.