Do you often experience headaches, fatigue, restlessness, disturbed sleep pattern, mood swings or change in appetite? These could be the signs of stress.
While moderate levels of acute stress may enhance your performance, long-term or chronic stress can be really draining. Stress that’s not dealt with impacts both mind and body. Thus, it’s important to incorporate healthy coping mechanisms.
The two types of coping strategies are (1) Emotion-focused & (2) problem-focused. While emotion-focused strategies help us to be calm or lighten our mood, problem focused on the other hand is to deal directly with the present stressor.
Emotion-focused strategies
- Take a walk in a garden or a nearby park.
- Practice focused breathing.
- Write positive affirmations and read aloud.
- Call a friend or someone you are close to.
- Take a shower.
- Engage in a hobby.
- Write down your feelings.
- Clean your room or cupboard.
- Listen to relaxation music.
- Practice yoga or meditation.
- Watch a stand-up comedy.
- Go through your childhood pictures.
- Spend time with your kids/pets.
- Start writing a gratitude journal.
- Take a break and go for a hangout/vacation.
Problem-focused strategies
- Remind yourself, how you have dealt with similar problems in past.
- Plan your work.
- Be assertive.
- Organise your work desk.
- Set a routine.
- Don’t over-commit.
- Make a checklist of what needs to be done.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself.
- Track your progress.
- Use your time effectively.
- Take help as and when required
Remember what works for one may not necessarily be effective for someone else. Just like our stressors our coping strategies too vary. Find out what suits best for you from the above-suggested strategies.
Keep calm and Stay stress-free!
In case you wish to get in touch with an online psychologist, contact HopeQure!
