Stress is a part of our everyday lives and it affects some people more than others. Implementing effective stress management strategies in your life will improve your:

1. Health
2. Well Being
3. Productivity
4. Relationships
5. Outlook on life
6. Sleep Quality

According to a recent study done by the American Psychological Association, one third of Americans are living with some form of extreme stress and roughly half of Americans have reported increases in their stress in the last five years. A lot of this can be attributed to the increasing pressure that we put on ourselves.

Technology is increasing at such a rapid pace and it is having an affect on our lives. We’re expected to do more in less time and the distinction between work and leisure time is blurring. This can be overwhelming and quite stressful for many, which is why it is so important that we learn to manage the stress in our lives.

So, what are some ways that we can do this?

Breathing

One of the most effective ways to manage your stress is through breathing. Think of the last time you were stressed out. I think a perfect example that everyone can relate to is driving. Most people get stressed out at some point when they’re driving, which can manifest itself in many ways. Someone cuts you off and you become angry, which creates stress. You run into a traffic jam on your way home or to an important event, which creates stress. The person in front of you is driving too slow (in your humble opinion), which creates stress. All of these outside events constantly bombard us as we’re driving and we let it affect us in a negative way.

Now, try to remember how your body felt during these times. Maybe your body stiffened up or you had feelings of intense anger or were extremely annoyed. Other reactions you experienced from the stress may not have been noticed by you at the time. Your heart rate likely increased, your breathing probably accelerated and your blood pressure most likely shot up. The key is to realize this is happening in the moment and take action.

The next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, try to be aware of how your body feels. Implement this simple breathing strategy to get your body back to a ‘baseline’ level.

• Acknowledge the stress: As stated above, the first step is to acknowledge that you are in a stressful situation. Don’t blame the outside event or other people. Take ownership and realize that you are letting the external event stress you out.
• Do a mental body scan: Notice how you physically respond to the stressful situation. Are your muscles tightened? Are you sweating? Has your breathing changed? Are you angry, anxious or frightened?
• Breathe: Take the time to breathe and really center yourself. First, slowly inhale through your nose letting your abdomen expand. Your body should be completely still other than the in and out movement of your abdomen as you breathe. Clear your head as you do this. Only focus on the breathing. If you find that your mind is shifting back to the stressful event, that’s ok. Just re-focus on the breathing. Hold the breath in for a few seconds and slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat this process for a few minutes or until you notice yourself calming down.

I find that breathing is one of the most effective stress management strategies that I have implemented in my life. I recently started doing mindfulness based meditation on a daily basis. While I initially started with a goal of quieting my mind, I have quickly found that it’s really not possible to do that and in fact, it can make matters worse if that is your end goal. Meditation for me is about being present. It’s about accepting and embracing the present moment and all that it brings, good and bad. The simple breathing exercise that I outline above is a form of meditation and I think you’ll find it useful in reducing your stress levels.

Exercise

I exercise at least three times a week and it has done wonders for me. I feel better about myself, I’m healthier, it’s increased my self confidence and most importantly it’s reduced my stress levels. The key here is finding something you enjoy. I personally enjoy running and here’s why:

• It gets me outside: I love being outdoors. The rush of wind in my face, the sun beating down on me, the snow softly falling or the rain splashing off me – I love it all. Just being outside in nature calms me down and gives me focus.
• It’s a solitary pursuit: Competitive team sports are fine for some, but I love the solitary aspect of running. It’s just me and the open road. I set my goals and enjoy pushing myself to go that extra half mile or mile. There’s a great sense of accomplishment I feel after going on a long run. I set the goal for how many miles I want to run and I do it. It’s really quite simple and that brings me a great sense of peace.
• It energizes me: Going for a quick run in the morning gets me off to a great start. I get a boost of energy, which helps me get through the day. Sometimes I’m in the office and am in a rut. Going for a run gives me that extra kick and focus. Once I get back from a midday run, I’m typically very productive.
• I’m healthier: I find myself eating better and in general, living a much healthier life. This has helped my self-confidence and, well, it just makes me feel better about life in general.

You certainly don’t have to take up running, but find some form of exercise to do and get started. Don’t get caught up in whether or not you’re good enough to do it. Whether it’s practicing yoga or playing a weekly pick-up basketball game with your buddies, find something that you enjoy doing. It could be as simple as taking a walk every morning.

Also, if you haven’t exercised in awhile make sure to start out slowly. In my experience, going from zero to sixty doesn’t usually work. You don’t want to burn yourself out and end up quitting.

Change the Way you React to your Environment

Are you easily irritated? Do you let things get under your skin? Is everyone out to get you or does everyone annoy you? If more often than not you feel this way then you are letting your outside environment affect you too much and it’s likely creating high levels of stress.

Let’s go back to the driving example. Visualize yourself in this scenario. You’re driving along the highway, minding your own business when out of nowhere a car comes flying across three lanes of traffic ending up about twenty feet in front of you, which gives you just enough time to slam on the breaks so you don’t hit the car. Mr. Jeff Gordon continues to speed away weaving through traffic like a maniac.

So, what do you do?

You likely curse the driver – that’s a given. But, what else? Do you get overly angry and want to speed up to ‘catch’ the driver so you can cut him off just like he did to you? Do you continue to stay angry and let it fester long after the driver has passed? He probably didn’t give you a second thought so why are you spending more than a second to stress and get angry over the situation?

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t react. Everyone will have a negative reaction to this situation, which is fine. The key is letting go. Fine, the driver was a jerk, now let it go. It doesn’t do you any good to continue to be angry about it.

How about another example? Your spouse or significant other comes back from the store, but forgets something that you specifically asked he or she to get. Yes, it may be frustrating, but getting overly angry is just going to create unneeded stress, which won’t change the fact that the item was forgotten. Again, let it go.

You Have a Choice

Take responsibility for your situation. You can control your stress level with practice and hard work. Some might think they have no choice in the matter. Everybody is busy. Everybody has their fears, anxieties and worries. The key to remember is that change comes from you, not the outside situations you find yourself in that are stressing you out.

Work on the above. After awhile you’ll automatically reassess a situation when you feel yourself getting irritated or angry. Is this situation really that big of a deal? Can I control it? No….ok, no need to continue stressing about it. Let it go.

What are your methods for reducing stress in your life? Feel free to share below. I’d love to hear from you.

Photo Credit: thornypup