You
need stress in your life! Does that surprise you? Perhaps so, but it is quite
true. Without stress, life would be dull and unexciting. Stress adds flavor,
challenge, and opportunity to life. Too much stress, however, can seriously
affect your physical and mental well-being. A major challenge in this
stress-filled world of today is to make the stress in your life work for you
instead of against you.
Stress is
with us all the time. It comes from mental or emotional activity and physical
activity. It is unique and personal to each of us. So personal, in fact, that
what may be relaxing to one person may be stressful to another. For example, if
you're a busy executive who likes to keep busy all the time, "taking it
easy" at the beach on a beautiful day may feel extremely frustrating,
nonproductive, and upsetting. You may be emotionally distressed from
"doing nothing."
Too much
emotional stress can cause physical illness such as high blood pressure,
ulcers, or even heart disease; physical stress from work or exercise is not
likely to cause such ailments. The truth is that physical exercise can help you
to relax and to handle your mental or emotional stress.
Hans
Selye, M.D., a recognized expert in the field, has defined stress as a
"non-specific response of the body to a demand." The important issue
is learning how our bodies respond to these demands. When stress becomes
prolonged or particularly frustrating, it can become harmful-causing distress
or "bad stress." Recognizing the early signs of distress and then
doing something about them can make an important difference in the quality of
your life, and may actually influence your survival.
Reacting to Stress
To use
stress in a positive way and prevent it from becoming distress, you should become
aware of your own reactions to stressful events. The body responds to stress by
going through three stages: (1) alarm, (2) resistance, and (3) exhaustion.
Let's
take the example of a typical commuter in rush-hour traffic. If a car suddenly
pulls out in front of him, his initial alarm reaction may include fear of an
accident, anger at the driver who committed the action, and general
frustration. His body may respond in the alarm stage by releasing hormones into
the bloodstream which cause his face to flush, perspiration to form, his
stomach to have a sinking feeling, and his arms and legs to tighten. The next
stage is resistance, in which the body repairs damage caused by the stress. If
the stress of driving continues with repeated close calls or traffic jams,
however, his body will not have time to make repairs. He may become so
conditioned to expect potential problems when he drives that he tightens up at
the beginning of each commuting day. Eventually, he may even develop one of the
diseases of stress, such as migraine headaches, high blood pressure, backaches,
or insomnia. While it is impossible to live completely free of stress and
distress, it is possible to prevent some distress as well as to minimize its
impact when it can't be avoided.
Helping Yourself
When
stress does occur, it is important to recognize and deal with it. Here are some
suggestions for ways to handle stress. As you begin to understand more about
how stress affects you as an individual, you will come up with your own ideas
of helping to ease the tensions.
Try
physical activity. When you are nervous, angry, or upset, release the pressure
through exercise or physical activity. Running, walking, playing tennis, or
working in your garden are just some of the activities you might try. Physical
exercise will relieve that "up tight" feeling, relax you, and turn
the frowns into smiles. Remember, your body and your mind work together.
Share
your stress. It helps to talk to someone about your concerns and worries.
Perhaps a friend, family member, teacher, or counselor can help you see your
problem in a different light. If you feel your problem is serious, you might
seek professional help from a psychologist, psychiatrist, or social worker.
Knowing when to ask for help may avoid more serious problems later.
Know your
limits. If a problem is beyond your control and cannot be changed at the
moment, don't fight the situation. Learn to accept what is-for now-until such
time when you can change it.
Take care
of yourself. You are special. Get enough rest and eat well. If you are
irritable and tense from lack of sleep or if you are not eating correctly, you
will have less ability to deal with stressful situations. If stress repeatedly
keeps you from sleeping, you should ask your doctor for help.
Make time
for fun. Schedule time for both work and recreation. Play can be just as
important to your well-being as work; you need a break from your daily routine
to just relax and have fun.
Be a
participant. One way to keep from getting bored, sad, and lonely is to go where
it's all happening: Sitting alone can make you feel frustrated. Instead of
feeling sorry for yourself, get involved and become a participant. Offer your
services in neighborhood or volunteer organizations. Help yourself by helping
other people. Get involved in the world and the people around you, and you'll
find they will be attracted to you. You're on your way to making new friends
and enjoying new activities.
Check off
your tasks. Trying to take care of everything at once can seem overwhelming, and,
as a result, you may not accomplish anything, Instead, make a list of what
tasks you have to do, then do one at a time, checking them off as they're
completed. Give priority to the most important ones and do those first.
Must you
always be right? Do other people upset you - particularly when they don't do
things your way? Try cooperation instead of confrontation; it's better than
fighting and always being "right:" A little give and take on both
sides will reduce the strain and make you both feel more comfortable.
It's OK
to cry. A good cry can be a healthy way to bring relief to your anxiety, and it
might even prevent a headache or other physical consequence. Take some deep
breaths; they also release tension.
Create a
quiet scene. You can't always run away, but you can "dream the impossible
dream." A quiet country scene painted mentally, or on canvas, can take you
out of the turmoil of a stressful situation. Change the scene by reading a good
book or playing beautiful music to create a sense of peace and tranquility.
Avoid
self-medication. Although you can use drugs to relieve stress temporarily,
drugs do not remove the conditions that caused the stress in the first place.
Drugs, in fact, may be habit-forming and create more stress than they take
away. They should be taken :only on the advice of your doctor.
The Art of Relaxation
The best
strategy for avoiding stress is to learn how to relax. Unfortunately, many
people try to relax at the same pace that they lead the rest of their lives.
For a while, tune out your worries about time, productivity, and "doing
right." You will find satisfaction in just being, without striving. Find
activities that give you pleasure and that are good for your mental and
physical well-being. Forget about always winning. Focus on relaxation,
enjoyment, and health. Be good to yourself.
Ken Roys,
CEO
BTF Management Consultants Inc 866-385-1900
Toll Free 713-983-7904 Fax
Ken.Roys@btfmanagement.com www.btfmanagement.com