What can you do to deal with stress?
What can you do to deal with stress?
The most helpful method of dealing with stress is learning how to manage the stress that comes along with any new challenge, good or bad.
Stress-management skills are better to be followed even when you are alright rather than in a stressed condition.
Here are some things that can help keep stress under control:
Adjust your schedule.
If you're feeling stretched, consider cutting out an activity or two, and give importants to that are most important to you.
Be realistic.
Don't try to be perfect — no one is. And expecting others to be perfect can add to your stress level, too (not to mention put a lot of pressure on them!).
If you need help on something, like schoolwork, ask for it.
Get a good night's sleep.
Getting enough sleep helps keep your body and mind in top shape, making you better equipped to deal with any negative stressors.
Take a good sleep for about 8 hours a day.
Learn to relax.
You can help trigger the relaxation response by learning simple breathing exercises and then using them when you're caught up in stressful situations.
And ensure you stay relaxed by building time into your schedule for activities that are calming and pleasurable:
reading a good book or making time for a hobby, spending time with your pet, or just taking a relaxing bath.
Treat your body well.
Experts agree that getting regular exercise helps people manage stress.
And eat well to help your body get the right fuel to function at its best.
It's easy when you're stressed out to eat on the run or eat junk food or fast food.
But under stressful conditions, the body needs its vitamins and minerals more than ever.
Watch what you're thinking.
Your outlook, attitude, and thoughts influence the way you see things.
Is your cup half full or half empty? A healthy dose of optimism can help you make the best of stressful circumstances.
Even if you're out of practice, or tend to be a bit of a pessimist, everyone can learn to think more optimistically and reap the benefits.
Solve the little problems.
Learning to solve everyday problems can give you a sense of control.
But avoiding them can leave you feeling like you have little control and that just adds to stress.
Develop skills to calmly look at a problem, figure out options, and take some action toward a solution.
Feeling capable of solving little problems builds the inner
confidence to move on to life's bigger ones