We often feel out of control during stressful situation. Days where nothing seems right and responsibilities are looming every waking moment. Constant stress can cause a lot of mental and physical health problems. Most of us think that we have no control over stress, but that is not true. We may not be able to stop bills, problematic co-workers, deadlines and so on from coming, but we can find ways to reduce stress and take control of life. Stress management is one of the most important skill you will need in this life. This is a way to help you feel in control and not succumb to stress. Below are some simple mental tricks you can use to feel in control when you are feeling down or too stressed out.
Know That You Cannot Control Everything
We all have that idea in our mind that everything has to go according to plan and a bit of inconvenience can cause us to stress. It is important for us to understand and accept that not everything will go our way or be in our control. Wasting your energy on it won’t make a difference. Getting pissed off because the economy is the way it is, the drive to work takes too long, your boss’s lack of skills and so on. There really isn’t much you can do about these things, but you can do something else to control your happiness. Practice writing uncontrollable stresses in your life and read it every time you feel down. Finding different ways to deal with them with patience can also help improve your mental health and mood. For example, instead of getting irritated with traffic, be prepared and create your own playlist to pick your mood up or have a few delicious snacks in your car to prevent getting hungry.
Self-Assessment
We’ve all had those moments where we wished we could have done things a lot more differently. We may not take back time, but we can be more prepared for the future. In stressful times and situations, write down how you managed it and how you would have wanted it to go. Ask yourself why you reacted the way you did. Self- assessing your actions can help with stress management.
De-stress Before Making Decisions
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to make decisions during stress. Your emotions tend to be heightened during this time and your ability to think of better solutions lessen. Take a few breaths and step back. You do not want to make a decision that can make things a lot worse than it already is.
We may not have control in what happens to our lives, but we do have control on how we manage it. When you feel like your life is in complete chaos or you feel burned out from life, take a break. You will regain a better perspective on life if you are healthy. Try out these tips to help manage stress.
