Stress Management Techniques
Mastering Stress
Most of the stress we experience—more than 90%—comes from the fear that something might happen which we don’t want. It's not the situation itself, but our worry about potential outcomes that creates anxiety.
Since every interaction with the world carries some element of stress, complete avoidance is impossible as long as we’re actively living. But here’s the empowering truth: we have the ability to grow stronger.
We can train ourselves to handle challenges with greater resilience, to stay calm in the face of uncertainty, and to protect our peace by avoiding unnecessary distractions that don’t serve our purpose or vision.
The goal is not to eliminate stress, but to rise above it. With clarity of purpose and mindful choices, we can transform stress into strength.
Here are some of the helpful habits to build the strength. Like starting any workout takes some time to show the result, it would take 1 - 3 weeks to see considerable difference. Follow consistently everyday as many of the below as you can.
One hour before gong to bed, No TV, Phone or news.
Walk 2+ miles daily if not working out. Walking in nature or listening to nature sounds (no phone/electronics) is called Nx (Nature Prescription for mental health). Or you can listen to affirmations while walking.
Write/think of 3 simple things daily that you are genuinely grateful for before going to bed. Start your day with a positive / gratitude thought.
Do square/boxed breathing 4 or more times a day. 1 minute each time is good.
Avoid processed foods and have enough water to keep you hydrated.
Avoid caffeine as much as you can. Caffeine causes dehydration, increases heart rate and increases blood pressure.
Surround with positive people and environment.
Target for 7 - 8 hours of sleep daily.
Meditation resets body and mind like a deep sleep. It brings in amazing result over time. Look for any guided meditation techniques to start with.
Listen to positive affirmations. Preferred timings: before going to sleep, as soon as you wake up or while walking.
Introspect what is causing stress. Re-prioritize, seek help, delegate, check if the stress event is just an emotion/thought or is there a fact.
List down one thing that you want to do for the day - work and personal.
This puts you in the sense of achievement and create a positive mindset.
Participate in service (volunteering) oriented events where you have absolutely no expectation of personal profit.
If the stress is job related performance, see the stress/boring zone graph. See how can you get to happy zone.
Check to see if you have any vitamins (Magnesium, B12, D3) deficiency. It could impact the ability to manage stress.
