9 Ways to Prevent and Beat Stress

All of us have moments of stress. It is prevalent in all areas of our lives. Stress can be caused by anxiety and it may also lead to it. Stress is generally due to a perceived lack of control. It is also prevalent when we feel we don’t have any time. One of the things I have learned is when stress is about to show up just stop everything you are doing and really understand what you are trying to do. Here are some musings on how we can nip the bud of stress.

Do something physical –?I have heard a lot people say when you are stressful do some exercise. When you are under stress it is very difficult to motivate yourself to exercise. That’s the reason you are under stress. I would rather try to prevent stress by making physical activity a daily habit. This way it is a habit and since it is daily your chances of staving off stress is far easier.

Get a good night’s sleep –?If you sleep through 8 hours you are generally more relaxed. So again, prevention is better than cure. Make sure every week you are getting all the sleep you need to function at your best. If you are feeling very stressed try to completely sleep for eight hours that night and you will feel better next day. So use the weekends to recharge and renew.

Don’t send emails when you are stressed –?The first thing to suffer when we are under stress is our thinking capacity. We have a shorter fuse and our tendency to respond in haste is far greater. So, keep your emails in draft and give some space between your reaction and response.

Step outside for a walk –?One of the best ways to beat stress is to get some fresh air. Go out for a nice 10-minute walk and observe the environment. In general, you feel a lot calmer after that. Right now with the cold front playing havoc in so many places it might be better to run indoors or do some pushups indoors.

Take some time off –?If you are going through a significant period of stress this maybe the ideal time to take a little bit of time off. It is time to recharge your batteries. It is probably better to schedule this relaxation into every week so that we are recharging our batteries on a regular basis. Sunday can be a day where you totally do your hobbies.

Write in a journal –?I try to write in a journal 3-4 times a week. It has been well established that when you write things down you feel a lot calmer. Just start writing everything that is in your mind. Mind dump is one of the best forms of relaxation.

Confide in a good friend –?Communicating with friends is one of the best ways to be relaxed. They will be able to encourage you when you are down better than anyone else.

Perspective –?These questions which I learned from the book Decisive is useful. Will this matter 10 minutes from now, will it matter 10 months from now, will it matter 10 years from now. If not don’t worry and it is better to stay away from any comparisons with others.

Read books –?Everyone from Bill Gates to Elon Musk to Jeff Bezos to Oprah Winfrey to Richard Branson to Warren Buffet talk about the importance of reading. Despite their huge responsibilities they have found time in their daily schedule to engage in reading. It is truly a game changer and reduces the stress levels. It also gives you a new perspective on life.

There you have it some ideas to prevent and beat stress. Thanks for reading this post.

The views expressed in this article are my own and do not represent my organization. Thanks for reading this post.