This is the first in a series of posts outlining stress management tips; for everyday living and for team leaders who struggle to cope with stress in a fast-paced workplace.
Everyone experiences stress – everyone. In fact, it is the very nature of life that we all experience things
which cause us stress. So, the first step to managing stress is to accept that you are going to run into stressors; people, events or circumstances that will cause you stress and make you feel uncomfortable.
It is a simple fact that stressful events are a fact of life. Getting angry or fighting against this fact of life will only increase the stress you feel. You simply cannot win such a battle and it is useless to try, and you will add more stress on top of the one caused by external environment.
Allowing yourself to become upset, angry, worried, and frustrated, or any other difficult emotional state in response to stress, will not change the fact that you are facing something you would rather not have to face. If you accept the stress as a part of living and learn to cope with it effectively, you can help prevent heart disease, stroke, headaches, stomach problems, respiratory problems, anxiety, and panic disorders, as well as a myriad of other mental and physical health problems related to stress.
Learning To Tolerate Stress
Here is what you will be capable of when you learn to manage stress on daily basis from the perspective of accepting it:
- Employ slow thinking instead of fast thinking
- Make decisions based on vision, values, and beliefs (NOT gut reactions!)
- Empower people instead of pushing them
- Recharge and re-energize through good sleeping habits, exercise, meditation, and a strong social network (both friends and family)
Accepting stress as a fist step will allow you to view the stressor in a different way, a way that will be more effective for problem solving and managing stress, as well as for your overall mental and physical health. You will also be able to maintain a calm enough state of mind to allow you to look at the different options you will need in order to deal properly with the stressor; that is, the cause of the stress you’re experiencing.
You must not allow yourself to underestimate the strategy of the acceptance of stress, because this is the key to begin managing stress. By simply accepting stress as a normal part of your life, you may even be able to begin eliminating the negative effects of stress. Perception is everything and thinking differently about anything will begin to change it.
Acceptance and tolerance are just two of the key elements for managing stress. Stay tuned for future posts to discover more stress management tips.
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