We all will encounter stress; it’s inevitable. However, there are certain ways to help you better manage and prevent it:
Reflect on the last year’s stress. Before you can manage stress, it’s essential to figure out what causes you stress and anxiety in the first place. While events such as the pandemic, isolation, or social and political unrest may have been major causes of stress this last year, try to recognize specific triggers and how this stress played out. It’s different for every individual…do you feel it most during periods of transition? Working on deadlines or specific projects? When you need to have certain conversations? Talking to specific people? Take time to reflect.
Think about what worked before. You overcame a number of stressful situations in the past. How did you cope, and when did you feel relief? What caused that relief? Research shows that repeating what works is effective in creating productive habits. Determine what stress management techniques you used….was it communication? Execution? Planning? Meditation or exercise? Try to pinpoint a few ways you overcame stress, and write those down to reference in the year ahead.
Differentiate between good stress and bad stress. Studies show that ongoing, chronic stress can lead to mental health issues and cardiovascular diseases like heart diseases and high blood pressure. However, not all stress is bad stress. According to Psychology Today, “stress keeps us accountable for our actions. It motivates us and inspires us to be better citizens.” Be honest with yourself – are you experiencing good or bad stress at work, and what’s the result of that stress?
Realize stress is about perception. Psychology Today explains that,“stress is a perceived disconnect between a situation and our resources to deal with the situation. In other words, stress is a (real or imagined) threat that taxes our resources. The key word here is perceived.” If we can change our perception, or give ourselves perspective, it can help mitigate and manage stress.
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