Stress Management Techniques

Living begets problems and problems beget stress. But we are nippy to forget that the second and third variable of the equation can be interchangeable with “joy” and “contentment”. No living being is spared from stress, whether an overburdened employee, a student that failed his final exams, a single parent or a share investor suffering the brunt of a market crash. Stress creeps up on us like a nasty insect. Be it a cockroach or a mosquito, we can kill it before it attacks. Stress is a raging catalyst for mental and physical health setbacks, instilling trepidation amongst families and corporate heads who attempt to salvage these issues through professional counselling. 

Perhaps we cannot eliminate the root of our worries, but we can trim them from the stem and thwart further growth. Give yourself a chance to start anew. Your trials and tribulations will take a toll on you, but a life without them doesn’t exist. Stress is indeed an innate response to every challenge we face, but we must overcome them in order to advance. In times like these, distractions and hobbies are mandatory albeit not in excess. A smooth diversion gradually wipes out one’s anxieties, endowing one with more clarity to function efficiently. Read on to stumble upon enjoyable activities to help you combat stress and evade its negative side effects.

Stress Management Tips

One stress reliever that has irrefutably survived the test of time is ‘exercise’. Run a thousand yards, jump till you can barely feel your feet or crush your punching bag as if it were everything you loathed in life. However, it would be more advisable for you to channel your force in a more positive and productive way. Play a friendly game of basketball with a buddy or even the kids on the street! Be adamant on winning, but all in good spirit. Or you could even join a gym. You wouldn’t skip what you’ve already paid for, would you? Besides, working out with company is a lot more fun! Sweat out all your frustrations and anxieties through physical exertion; you will finally sleep well at night!

It’s definitely not the first time you’ve come across the adage- “Laughter is the best medicine”. However, when was the last time you practiced it? Pick up your phone, punch in the number that will link you to the friend who reliably emits laughing gas and fix a plan. Go catch the latest comedy, grab a couple of drinks (stop at three, don’t let the alcohol rain on your parade) or even if it’s just for coffee, laugh your worries away! Laughter releases endorphins and healthy hormones that help suppress stress.

Guaranteed to not only calm your nerves, an enchanting song playlist can battle stress. Music therapy is gaining momentum as doctors reveal that it does wonders to our blood pressure, heart rates and mental state. Choices can range from Mozart to contemporary trance and trip-hop and so on, as long as they are soothing to the brain.

If not a good movie or a gripping TV Show, duck your hassled head into an enthralling novel. As you swiftly turn the pages, your problems ebb away. At last you found the clarity you yearned for, which need not be short lived! If time is against you and with accumulating deadlines, you have barely ten minutes to spare, treat yourself to some comics! Nothing like it!

When was solitary confinement so much fun? Immerse yourself in the fabulousness of games like ‘Sudoku’ and ‘Solitaire’. If work gets too stressful, seek relief in the euphoria of a short solitaire or free cell game. Be wary of addiction though! Playing board games with friends or acquaintances is also a great stress buster. Nevertheless, being over competitive might interfere with your stress management endeavours.

No, you don’t overshoot your limits by ‘Shopping till you Drop’. Instead, you could ‘Shop till you wanna Hop’. Yes, exploit shopping retail outlets as a means to cure your stress or depression. Stop eyeing those covetable shoes and make them yours. Drown your sorrows in smoothies or whatever gratifies your taste buds.

Meditate to release tension. Take deep and regular breaths and welcome back stability. If you’ve wondered why the Buddha always wore such a tranquil demeanour, meditate and you will know why. Pray, if it provides comfort.

Sexual Healing

It’s natural and is known to be a good stress buster. Sex releases specific hormones that often trigger spasms of frustrations if bottled up inside of us. If it doesn’t come your way, don’t let it stress you out. There’s always chocolate! Evidence says it’s much more effective for de-stressing.

Gardening

Tending to your garden or even a houseplant (bonsai for example) is said to be miraculous for relieving stress. It enables you to bond with the natural world and gives a face-lift to your surroundings manifold!