More and more people suffer the consequences of this maladaptive stress that, instead of helping us to move forward, becomes a vital obstacle. The consequences of poor stress management are observed in all areas of life with discouragement, with a lack of illusion, with fatigue or directly physical and mental exhaustion. But how to avoid it? We have some mind control techniques to manage stress and live happier. Aim!
Techniques to manage stress
As with anxiety, it is not about controlling stress or making it go away, since it is an adaptive mechanism that we need to survive. What it is about is managing it, learning to manage it so that it does not appear at times when we do not need it. And how is stress managed? We have some ideas.
1 Deep breathing to manage stress
One of the most effective techniques to get instant relief is deep breathing. Take a deep breath for 4 seconds, hold your breath for another 4 seconds, and then slowly exhale for 7 seconds. As you do this, be aware at all times of the movement of air entering, staying and leaving.
2 Muscle relaxation
Stress produces a lot of muscle tension and goes from being an emotional issue to becoming a physical problem. Therefore, the body must also be attended to. Relax your muscles, sit or lie down, close your eyes and gradually release the tension from your feet to your head. You can help yourself with techniques such as yoga or Pilates to learn to better recognize your body.
3 Stop stressful thinking
The mind plays tricks on us and recurring and distorted thoughts cause us tension and stress that can end in an emotional overflow. What if you stop those thoughts? It’s easy but it requires a lot of practice and the first few times it won’t work for you. Keep trying until it comes out almost automatically.
When a thought of the type “I’m not going to be able to do it all”, “I’m overwhelmed”, “it’s too much for me” appears, create another voice in your head that says: “stop” or “enough”. Over time the command to stop that thought will work and prevent your mind from being filled with negative thoughts.
4 Are your thoughts useful?
Speaking of negative thoughts, a very important aspect of how your mind works can help you manage stress and feel better about yourself. It is stopping for a moment to verify the usefulness of your thought. Thoughts are not true or false, but useful or useless.
When you think you can’t take it anymore, you don’t have to believe it to the letter. Is it true that you can’t anymore? That does not matter, what matters is that you are not finding it useful, so you have to change it for another that works. Remember that more useful than “I can’t do it” is “how do I do it?”
5 Be careful with homework
One of the causes of stress is the amount of obligations we have and that we create. Surely your mind is full of “should”, you should call your friend, you should go to the doctor, you should go to the supermarket, you should go to the gym, and you should finish before 6… And a long list of should. Are you sure you can’t eliminate any of those supposed obligations?
6 Say ‘no’ to reduce stress
A very simple and liberating exercise to reduce stress is to learn to say “no”. Say no, refuse that social event you don’t want to go to, refuse to stay at work for two more hours, refuse to do that favor for your friend, refuse everything you think is going to saturate you.
7 Mindfulness for stress
The fact that Mindfulness is in fashion does not diminish the merits of this meditation technique that is based on full attention. Living in the here and now, being aware of what is happening at this precise moment, the sounds that are happening around you, focusing on a single sensation or paying attention to that smell will help you clear your mind at least momentarily.
