Even though we live in a society where more things are automated than ever before, it seems that the amount of responsibility that most people feel is weighing them down is only increasing. If you are stressed out, if you that stress is taking over your life, there is a good chance that you are not making the best possible decisions.
While there is a thin line between a moderate amount of stress (which can provide you with great results) and an oppressive and unproductive level of stress, it is important to balance the line for yourself. The best way to avoid this ‘consuming’ form of stress is by keeping your stress at a manageable level. If you want to learn how to manage your daily stress level, just follow these four steps.
Step #1 – Recognize your triggers
An important step in managing your stress levels often overlooked is the fact that you know yourself, you recognize those factors that contribute to your stress. For some people this can be a messy office, for others it can be a feeling of not having control, it can really be anything that disrupts your carefully planned day. It is important to take a step back and evaluate what makes you stressed, once you know what it is that bothers you or causes you to lose control, it is far easier to approach these problems.
Step #2 – Face your problems head on
Once you realize that those emotional triggers are bothering you, you cannot sit idly by and do nothing. You have to take action and regain control of yourself, otherwise you might find yourself becoming even more frustrated. If you are overwhelmed by the amount of emails that are currently in your inbox (just an example), it may be easy to alleviate your stress by reading and filing emails. Even if your problem is going to take more time or require more finesse, the very fact that you are addressing it will make you feel better.
Step #3 – Recognize the difference between stress and worry
Worry and stress are two very different things, but that does not mean that they cannot go together like peanut butter and jelly. When you worry, it is often imposing self-imposed anxiety and is not necessary at all. Learn to control your worry by focusing on what is causing your stress, putting that into perspective in the grand scheme of things, and then using our second step to eliminate said problem.
Step #4 – Let it go sometimes
If you know what your trigger is, realize what the cause might be, and have come up with a plan to deal with it in the future, it is now officially time to move on. You do not want the stress to linger and get progressively worse; this will only lead to further problems down the road.
Remember that you always have a choice, even though we cannot always avoid stress, we can decide how we are going to handle it. Keep things in perspective and do not let stressful situations derail you on your path.
About the Author: You can find Jonathan Rosenfeld trying to remain stress-free while juggling a busy schedule with two young children, wife and mini Schnauzer. Jonathan is also the founder of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, an accident firm in Chicago. Feel free to contact him at Google+, Twitter or Linkedin.