With the advancement of time, humanity has contributed to the expansion of technology for bettering our lives and making them more “convenient.” However, the present state of mind, of perhaps every individual, does not corroborate with the convenience that the development of technology had guaranteed. Instead, what is happening is the excessive consumption of this technology to escape from the ground of reality, which has more often than not, proven to be stressful. Resultantly, now more than ever, people are struggling with anxiety, depression and a slew of other mental illnesses.
In order to cure such issues, it is important to go to the grassroots level. In such scenarios, stress or chronic stress compels people to adopt escapist methods which are inadvertently addictive or it impacts their physical health. Thus, it is important to develop effective ways to cope with stress, especially with the advancement of age, as it puts your mental as well as physical in jeopardy. Below-mentioned are five effective ways to deal with stress:
5 Effective ways to cope with stress
1. Recognition and action
Any kind of stress, be it post-traumatic stress or chronic stress, is initially felt in the body. Consequently, the body sends signals to the brain when it’s stressed. Such as difficulty concentrating, headaches, cold hands, tight muscles, a nervous stomach, clenched teeth, feeling on edge, irritability and more. It is important to recognize these stressors since this is how your body communicates with you. Once you have recognized this, you can then take action to calm yourself down. For example, you can do deep breathing exercises, stretching, go on a walk or you can write down your thoughts. The point is to relax your breathing, which will ultimately calm your body down.
2. Take some time out for yourself
Although the concept of ‘self’ is predominantly a capitalistic product to alienate yourself from the world, the importance of prioritizing yourself and not falling prey to the hustle culture of the time cannot be undermined. There is nothing selfish or self-indulgent in saying ‘no’ to things that take up your time unnecessarily. It’s extremely important to spend some time with yourself, to help build more resilience to stressful circumstances.
You don’t have to necessarily do anything while spending this time alone. However, if you feel like it, you can always work out, walk, listen to music or read a book. These are healthy ways to deal with stress.
3. Create new routines for yourself
According to the National Institute of Health’s article, 7 Steps to Manage Stress and Build Resilience, “From scheduling bath and bedtimes to blocking off time to plan and prioritize tasks, the additional structure can provide a daily framework that allows you to attune to your body’s signals. Then, you can take steps to potentially manage stress earlier than you once did.” Creating a routine for yourself helps you to manage time effectively and put all those checks into the activities you have accomplished in a day.
4. Stay connected
Getting lost in the hustle culture and the added pressure of doing something leaves us isolated from our family and friends. It is important to recognise this distance as it does not help create more resilience. Consequently, staying connected with family, friends and several acquaintances in your life will presumably make your life easier and more calming. You can effectively make use of the technology here.
5. Seek support
When you feel like you just can deal with this and it becomes too overwhelming to deal even with the quotidian issues, it is important to stop everything you are doing and seek support from an expert. Nothing is more important than your health.