Tweet

Concrete Ideas on How to Cope With Stress

Written by: Anne Bachrach

Article Overview: Stress is just a part of life and can be found no matter where in the world you go. Is stress merely part of the inescapable human condition? Are we as a species chronically worried and unhappy, or does bad luck simply find us wherever we are? It’s not practical to believe that we are battling against Fate, Chance, or God. Stress does not happen to make our day unbearable. You could say that stress is a natural reaction to an action taken, the consequence of a causative event. For every action there is a reaction and often times the stress that we have to endure is the stress we bring upon ourselves by the choices we make.

Concrete Ideas on How to Cope With Stress

For example, a person may be stressed out because he or she lives in a dysfunctional relationship. Yet, this is the relationship that they chose to be in and stay in. Similarly, in a professional setting, a store manager may be under constant stress because of office politics and sales pressure. Nevertheless, they took the job knowing that it would be a high stress position. Similarly, many diseases and painful health conditions have been brought on by some of man’s unhealthy practices, a direct consequence of an action taken. It is inevitable that you will probably have stress in your life. What is important is that you learn how to identify potential sources of stress, that you minimize unnecessary stress, and that you learn how to handle stress you say you can’t get rid of.

Catch Stress before It Happens Life experience is a cruel teacher, but perhaps the best teacher. Experience teaches us that some mistakes we make can lead to frustrating, painful consequences. Fortunately for us, much of humankind’s life experience has been documented in books. The more you learn from the wisdom of others, the more cautiously you will approach life, and in the end, the less stressful conditions you will be exposed to. It has been said that hindsight is 20/20. As you look back on some of the poor choices you have made, you may observe now that you were given fair warning to the amount of responsibility that lay ahead of you.

Understanding this will cause you to be more careful as you make decisions in the present and the future. You may find that some potential sources of stress are fairly obvious and may best be avoided at this particular time in your life. For example, there may be a new position for manager opening up in the office. However, you remember meeting the manager, and may have noticed that he was always stressed when he was working. If you are prone to heavy anxiety or have a medical condition that may be worsened by taking this job, then it would be prudent to pursue something else.

Another example would be in pursuing a romantic interest in a friend. You may already notice some unfavorable qualities in that person. Would your stress level be worsened if you became romantically involved with this person? Similar questions may arise in considering issues of family and entrepreneurship. Would you be able to handle the responsibility of a new family or the pressure of opening your own business? This is called exercising foresight, also defined as “planning prudently for the future”. Reduce your future stress by minimizing the potential sources of stress in your life.

Dealing with Stress Today What can you do about the stress you are currently experiencing? There are many remedies ranging from the extreme (drug use, hypnosis) to the relatively simple. Exercise is one healthy way to handle stress since rigorous physical activity releases endorphins. Endorphins serve as mood enhancers while also help in the alleviation of pain. Exercise is also a goal-oriented activity, one that you can see and feel the benefits of right away. It may also help to learn some stress management techniques. Calming yourself in times of stress is important. Slowly breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth to control your breathing rate. Meditation has proven helpful as another form of tension control.

If you have more chronic problems with professional or personal stress, or have frequent panic attacks, then you may suffer from an anxiety disorder. These stress problems should be professionally examined and treated. This does not necessarily mean that medication will be required. Alternative forms of treatment, in holistic therapy or a change of diet, have proven very helpful for some. If you are interested in reducing the stress in your life, review the options above and set a goal to implement one or more of them. If you have ever wanted to be something more than what you are, but have felt hindered by circumstances, then now may be the time to act. Only by taking decisive action will you ever change into the person you want to be.

Related Articles
  Stress and World Class Coaches
  Improving the Quality of Your Life By Andrew Rondeau
  Improving the Quality of Your Life
  STRESS & How to become Stress-Free Quickly !
  Cutting through Stress

Article Tags: dealing with stress, goal, goaloriented, how to cope with stress, office politics, stress



Related Forum Posts
Re: Infographic: The 4 Main Stress Factors - I'd like to reference that article in my next blog post as well.. I worked in sales for years and found that days when I was positive, relaxed where days that it was easy to sell. On days that I was stressed I found I would not reach target. Stress is good at times, but it very easily becomes problematic. I do a lot of very physical exercise and work now, to manage it.
Re: What or Who Sparks Your Business Interest - Hi litekepr, a publican is someone who runs a public house, a pub as we call them here in the UK, a bar in the US I think. Ideas yours is definitely a very inspiring story and it just goes to show you can do anything if you set your mind to it, take care, Carol
Re: 4 Ideas for Viral Marketing - Hey, Ideas University what do you think about the spiderweb marketing system? Have you heard of it? I used it once but stopped, when I first got started in IM (I'd try almost anything). But I was wondering what your thoughts were about that system and how it's been so successful?
Re: Take Action - This is a verse from a poem written by Felix Dennis one of the Britain's wealthest self-made Entrepreneurs. It hit the nail on the head that you need action more than anything Ideas? We've had 'em Since Eve decieved Adam, But take it from me Execution's the key. This is taken from his book "How to Get Rich"
Re: How to promote yourself in the EvanCarmichael.com Forums - Hi Evan, Could you please list this post under the "Announcements" heading in the "EvanCarmichael.com Ideas & Updates" section? Thanks


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Soda Vending Machine = Energy Hog

Join Conversations Politely, Part 1

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.