How To Handle Stress In Your Life
March 19, 2009 by Tisha Tolar
Filed under Health Issues
Some of the ways to handle stress can be accomplish by learning some new ways to cope with life. Many people start each day in a whirlwind of activity. The kids need to get ready for school, lunches have to packed and the dog has to 
be walked. With all this happening before you even leave for “work” it comes as no surprise that you may wish you could just crawl back in bed and avoid the responsibilities that await you for the remainder of the day. When you factor in the current state of the economy, financial worries (which can lead to relationship problems) and the many other things that each of us worry about each day, learning how to cope with all this stress should become a main priority.
How Does Stress Affect Your Life?
You’ve heard it before and maybe even say it yourself, “I’m so stressed out” but what does that really mean? Stress is responsible for many changes in your body as well as your emotions. Common symptoms of stress include the following:
• Increased heart rate
• Inability to deal with small everyday problems
• Headaches
• Short temper, loss of patience with your spouse, children or co-workers
• Back pain
• Feeling tired all the time
• Rapid breathing
• Unable to focus on tasks
• Anxiety or constant feelings of worry
• Stiff neck or shoulders
• Sweating
• Feeling sick in the stomach, nausea and diarrhea
• Sleep disruption
• Weight gain or loss
Tips to Help Reduce, Prevent and Cope with Stress
Now that you are aware how stress effects your physical and emotional well-being you are better equipped to take the steps necessary to prevent, reduce or cope with stress in your life. A common myth is that stress is caused by circumstances in your life that you have no control over. You can’t change the global economy, your bills will not pay themselves, and familial responsibilities will remain demanding. It turns out that you are the key to managing stress. Managing stress starts with taking charge of the things in your life that you can control. Your emotions, schedule, environment and reaction to problems in your life are all within your control. Take control of your life from stress by following these tips:
• Identify your trigger(s)- Your personality, life experience and even genetic makeup will play a role in what situations trigger stress in your life. Since identifying your triggers is an extremely personal process it is often harder than it may seem. Obvious triggers such as the death of a loved one, a divorce or losing your job are easy to identify, however in many cases it is the day to day problems that contribute to your stress level. Consider keeping a “stress journal” where you note events and the circumstances that result in increased stress. Go back and review the information to identify which situations caused you the most stress.
• Manage your time- Improve your time management skills and your stress will be reduced. This includes having realistic expectations and deadlines for yourself, create a list “to-do” list to prioritize tasks and organize your time with a daily planner.
• Learn relaxation techniques- You must find a way to actually “let-go” and relieve stress, the activity varies by person, so what works for your best friend may not work for you. Explore different techniques until you find the one that is right for you.
• Establish a support network- Problems will always arise in your day to day life and even if you have a well established plan to cope with stress, there will come a time when you need to rely on your family or friends to help you through certain situations.
