When people get stressed, anxious, or upset they can become unproductive and emotional. Today, because lives and routines have been disrupted, many people are being emotionally triggered by minor things that they would otherwise ignore. Stressed out people might be set off by work pressure, political issues, health concerns, or differences in opinion.
The reality is that many people stress about things that are in the past, out of their control in the present, or have not happened yet in the future. Things that people have no control over-consume them and keep them from happiness in the present. Then small things can trigger them, and they react in a way that turns other people away from them. They may not even realize how other people are perceiving them in these situations.
Without realizing it, have you let stress impact you in a way that has made other people try to avoid you? If yes, there are some things you can do to prevent overreacting to the minor stresses that you face every day.
- Create a vision and set goals for yourself. Setting goals helps you to compare the things you are stressing about with what you want to accomplish in the future. It helps to have a clear direction in your life so you can leave the baggage that you can’t change behind you, where it belongs.
- Train yourself to follow a new routine or schedule. Routines help to calm your mind so your mind can relax mentally. It also helps to take routine breaks and add in some physical activity. When you engage in regular physical activity, your body will have a visceral response and release endorphins that make you feel better.
- Make a priority list each day. Try to follow the list so you can check off the things that must get done before they build up and overwhelm you. Break down the big tasks into smaller pieces that can be done over time. This allows you to mix in some easy tasks with the harder ones so you get more done and feel a sense of accomplishment.
- Celebrate the small victories as you check things off your list. Positive reinforcement can quickly make you feel a sense of pride and reinforce your success. Treat yourself to a celebration which could be spending time with a loved one, walking the dog, or taking yourself out. Whatever you enjoy do it to observe a victory in staying up to date on your goals for the week.
- Learn to say, “No.” It’s important to say No to the things that don’t align with the goals you need to accomplish. This keeps you focused and on track. It also enables you to sidestep the feeling of being overwhelmed and avoids setting off triggers that can cause people to attack.
- Chat with colleagues & friends. Research has shown that having people you can talk to about stressful situations in your life, like family and friends, can help reduce stress.
- Focus on improving things within your control. Learn to identify present controllable situations that are relevant to your goals. Focus on improving these situations. This is more effective than worrying about everything out of your control.
Face your stress head-on by creating your routine and focusing on the things you can control. This will allow you to increase your productivity while becoming more approachable, relaxed, and more balanced.
Interested in learning more, join us for a complimentary 90-minute webinar, Managing Stress, on October 13, 2021, at 9:00 AM.