Managing Stress Effectively

Once my friend told me that her husband is working 12-14 hours a day since past several months
and that he would get up at 2 at night, thinking it was his duty hours; sometimes he would lock his
car leaving the keys inside. Once while returning home, he checked his lunchbox only to see,
whether he is going to office or coming back!! I realise they were all the signs “STRESS”.

The simplest definition of Stress is “what you feel when you have to handle more than what you
are used to.” Stress is not always bad. It can be useful too. For Example; it can help do an important
work. Managing stress is about how you manage your thoughts and emotions. Some of the stress
factors are unavoidable, such as death of loved ones, illness etc. There are a number of factors
responsible for stress, the most important being- lifestyle changes. People, who are stressed out for
a longer period of time, are more prone to diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart
problems, migraines and depression.

Seven Stress Management Techniques

There are seven effective ways mentioned below to manage stress effectively:
 Avoid spending time with people who make you stressed out and stay away from those who
have negative thoughts.

 Accept the things which cannot be changed. Many things in life are beyond our control such
as other people’s behaviour. One should focus more on things that can be controlled easily
and believe that “nothing is permanent in life, accept change”.

 Exercise Daily. A 30min of walk daily is an effective way of dealing stress. Yoga and
meditation is also very effective tool. Some breathing exercise, Sun Salutation, Easy Pose,
Extended puppy pose etc are a great stress busters.

 Eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and green vegetables. Well nourished bodies are better
prepared for stress. Eating nutritious food throughout the day, keeps the energy up and the
mind clear.

 Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep is important for everyone. It is often believed that 7-8
hours of sleep is essential for an adult.

 Learn to forgive people. It is true that no-one is perfect, neither are we and that we live in
this imperfect world. Everyone makes mistake and one should try to free one’s self from
negativity and move on.

 Indulge yourself in things which make you happy such as spending time with children,
dancing, singing, painting, playing with pets, listen to music etc.

There is no single method of managing stress that works for every individual.
However, exercising regularly, keeping a positive mind frame and eating a balanced diet
always help.