If you feel trapped on a roller coaster of personal and professional demands, you're not alone. The Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland reports that seven out of 10 adults feel stressed or anxious daily, which can lead to long-term physical and emotional impairments. The burning stomach, shortness of breath, pounding heart beat, excessive sweating are all signs of a neurochemical battle taking place within your body. But there are measures you can take to manage your stress and anxiety.
Identifying Stressors
Journaling can help you identify the origins of your frustrations. Try keeping a log for seven consecutive days of your stress symptoms and the situations surrounding them. On the eighth day, review your notes looking for patterns between triggers and symptoms, such as increased headaches during commutes or rapid heart rate during supervisory conferences. Anticipating triggers can help change your perspective and your body's responses.
Organization and Time Management
Many stressors stem from a lack of planning or organization. Remembering a Monday morning deadline at 11 p.m. Sunday will increase agitation, blood pressure and fatigue. A date book can help. Entering important deadlines and appointments while scheduling time to meet demands gives you control and reduces anxiety. Be realistic and don't overload your schedule. Recognizing that time is limited, do not try to cram in 36 hours of responsibilities into 24. Instead pace your tasks and leave time for unexpected interruptions and distractions.
Perspective
Not all stressors can be anticipated. You cannot plan for a family emergency that conflicts with a major presentation. Instead, recognize that some things are out of your control. Let go of your super hero fantasies and allow yourself to be imperfect. Change "shoulds" to "woulds if you could," replacing negative self-judgments with positive affirmations. To change your perspective, step away from your stressors for a while. When you return, you may find that the situation is not as serious as you first thought or that the answer is right there. Remember, you cannot be all things to all people, so determine where your priorities are. Which is more important: Creating lifetime family memories, or hitting one slam dunk presentation?
Relaxation and Laughter
Don't just save time out for tough times. Be proactive and schedule regular time for relaxation each day to work on yoga and deep breathing techniques, listen to favorite tunes, read a book or even get a massage. Focus on you and you will be more efficient when facing life's stressors.
When all else fails, have a good laugh. The American School of Laughter Yoga reports that laughter releases feel-good hormones, oxygenates your bloodstream and body organs, strengthens your immune system and promotes cardiovascular health. When you feel overwhelmed, tune in to your favorite sitcom or get lost in a great comic book. Use humor to redefine your perspective.
Healthy Lifestyle
Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eat a well-balanced diet and no skipping meals. Stress is intensified when you need fuel. Limit alcohol and caffeine; both cloud your perceptions and responses to stress. Find an enjoyable physical activity and participate frequently. The U.S. Army reports that regular exercise acts as a buffer to stress, giving your body systems the chance to practice communicating under taxing situations. MayoClinic.com's Dr. Kenneth Berge's recommends seven to eight hours of restful sleep per day for adults.
Socialize
Don't do it all alone. Reach out to others. Join a support group with others facing or coping with the similar struggles and demands. Share your concerns and needs with supportive friends and family. Chances are when they feel overwhelmed, they will reach out to you. If you have increased your consumption of alcohol, prescription medications or illegal drugs, or have thoughts of harming yourself or others, seek professional help immediately. This is not a sign of weakness; instead you are taking a healthy step to manage life's curve balls.
