Managing Stress: Best Practices for a Still Life

Think back to a time when you felt completely overwhelmed…

Maybe it was a looming deadline at work, a family issue that came out of nowhere, or a sudden financial burden that felt impossible to bear. 

How did that feel? 

Perhaps it was like a sudden, fierce storm brewing inside your body, with waves of intense fear surging through you. Your heart pounding, as if it were trying to tear free from your chest, sweat coming out from your skin, muscles tightening and your jaws clenched tightly. 

We know that stress has a terrible way of creeping into every corner of our lives. Wrapping itself around everything we do. It clouds the mind like a suffocating fog, making it hard to see clearly or think straight. It’s a heavy weight on the shoulders, a constant sense of dread that gnaws at every step. 

It traps you in what feels like an endless cycle of survival, with no light at the end of the tunnel.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can’t promise to remove all the stress from your life—that’s not realistic. But we can help you make it manageable. We can help you find your way out of the fog, to lighten the weight you carry, and to break free from the cycle. With the right tools and techniques, you can regain control, navigate life’s challenges more effectively, and start to feel like yourself again.

Our team at MeHelp wrote this article to help you do just that. We share actionable tips for managing stress, so you can face life's challenges with resilience and confidence.

The Best Practices for Managing Stress

1. Know what stresses you out.

The first step in managing stress is identifying what triggers it. Common stressors include work pressure, financial difficulties, relationship problems, and health concerns.

You can check out the most common stressors in this article we wrote.

The best way to know your stressors is to keep a stress journal. Note down the time, place, and circumstances surrounding each stressful event and your reactions to them -- the thoughts and feelings you had.

This can help you recognise and address the root causes of your stress.

2. Build healthy habits to cope with stress

A healthy lifestyle is crucial for managing stress. This includes regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep. Exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters. A nutritious diet fuels your body and mind, helping it recover and prepare to face a new challenge without succumbing to stress-related negative costs, while sufficient sleep ensures you’re well-rested and your mind recovers. This makes you better equipped to handle stress.

Healthiest habits to build:

• Exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, swimming, lifting, or cycling, most days of the week. If those sound boring to you, try to do sports instead. Just do something that keeps you physically active. That’s because research shows that exercise is a powerful way to reduce stress levels.
• Diet: Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Fill your diet with whole foods from fresh sources. Avoid excessive junk food, caffeine, sugar, and alcohol. That’s because a healthy gut is shown to help in reducing stress. 
• Sleep: Sleep is the body’s natural way of restoring itself through rest. During sleep, the body repairs itself and removes some of the toxins that are built up, including stress. This makes good sleep a priority. Establish a regular sleep routine. Aim to get high-quality and restful sleep. Then try to get naps within the day as well. Create a restful environment and avoid screens before bedtime.
• Avoidance: Removing yourself from stressors like the news and social media can help you reduce your stress in the long run. That's because you're limiting your exposure to potentially stressful things.

3. Connect more with the people around you

Social support is essential for managing stress. Spending time with friends and family can provide emotional support and help you cope with stress. Moreover, these bonding activities also release positive hormones that balance out cortisol and adrenaline. Plus, strong social connections can also offer different perspectives on stressful situations, making them seem less overwhelming.

Ways to Strengthen Social Connections:

• Stay Connected: Make time for regular catch-ups with friends and family, whether in person or through calls and messages.
• Join Groups: Participate in community groups, clubs, or classes that interest you. This can help you meet new people and build a supportive network.
• Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out for help when you need it. Sharing your feelings with someone you trust can lighten your emotional burden. This can be with your friends and family, or Psychologists like our team at MeHelp.

4. Be the CEO of your life and be the best manager you can be

Effective time management can reduce stress by helping you feel more in control of your life. Prioritise tasks, set realistic goals, and break projects into smaller, manageable steps. Moreover, use all the available resources around you -- friends, family, colleagues, and technology -- to make life easier.

This approach can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and ensure you have time for relaxation and self-care.

Tips to manage your life like a CEO:

• Create a Schedule: Plan your day, week, or month using a planner or digital calendar. Include time for work, leisure, and rest.
• Prioritise Tasks: Focus on the most important tasks first. Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorise tasks by urgency and importance.
• Set Boundaries: Learn to say no to additional commitments that you can’t manage. Protect your time and energy.
• Work With Others: You don't need to do everything on your own. There are a lot of people and technology that can help you solve your stressors. Use them to make life easier!

5. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Incorporating relaxation techniques into your daily routine can help reduce stress and promote a sense of calm. Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga can ease tension and improve your overall well-being. These can also boost some positive hormones in your body.

Some relaxation techniques to try:

• Deep Breathing: Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat several times. Try doing box breathing where you inhale, hold, exhale, and hold your breath for 4 seconds each.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Start by tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in your body, beginning with your toes and working your way up to your head. This alleviates muscle tensions created by stress.
• Yoga: Yoga is like a combination of the two other relaxation techniques. That's because it involves relaxing the muscles and deep breathing. Aside from relaxing the mind and body, it also has other physical and mental health benefits.
• Meditation: Find a quiet space, close your eyes, and focus on your breath or a specific word or phrase. Studies show that practising meditation helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and improve overall mental clarity. That’s why regular practice can lead to a greater sense of inner peace and resilience against stress.

6. There's always a silver lining in life

Adopting a positive mindset can impact your ability to deal with stress. Try to start focusing on the good things in your life and practising gratitude.

Positive thinking can help you cope with stress more effectively and improve your overall mood. That's because it rewires your brain to feel less stressed and threatened.

How to be positive:

• Gratitude Journal: Write down three things you’re grateful for each day. This practice can shift your focus from negative to positive aspects of your life.
• Affirmations: Use positive affirmations to boost your confidence and outlook. Repeat phrases like “I am resilient” or “I can handle this” to reinforce positive thinking.
• Reframe Negative Thoughts: Challenge negative thoughts and reframe them in a more positive light. For example, instead of thinking, “I can’t do this,” try, “I will do my best, and that’s enough.”

7. Know when to seek help

Sometimes, managing stress on your own can be challenging. That's why seeking professional help is a wise decision. At MeHelp, our online psychologists offer valuable support and tailored strategies for managing stress. With convenient and accessible online counselling, you can receive professional guidance from the comfort of your home, making it easier to prioritise your mental health. Whether you're dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, or just need someone to talk to, MeHelp's experienced psychologists are here to help you navigate life's challenges and find effective ways to cope.

When to Seek Help:

• Chronic Stress: If you’ve tried various strategies and still feel overwhelmed by stress, it might be time to seek professional help.
• Mental Health Issues: If you start noticing signs of anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns, a professional can provide the necessary support.
• Life Transitions: Major life changes, such as divorce, job loss, or the death of a loved one, can significantly increase stress. Professional counselling can help you navigate these transitions.

Takeaway

Managing stress is important for maintaining a healthy and balanced life. That's why it's important to have access to stress-busting tools like the once we mentioned in this article. Moreover, it's important to remember to be kind to yourself and take proactive steps to manage stress.

If you ever feel overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Our team at MeHelp can provide the professional guidance and support you need to improve your well-being wherever you are.