Stress about to Crush you? Step Away
I’ve started compiling a list of all my stress management tips with a view to seeing if I can create a 365 day list (i.e. 1 tip per day for a full year). I’m confident I can do it, because there is just so much you can do to manage stress.
So here’s tip no. 1.
‘Step Away from the Stress.’
The problem with our stress response is that, when it activates, it tends to move us from our more rational considered way of thinking into a more instinctive, irrational response. It senses a threat and drives us to the ‘Fight or Flight’ kind of actions. The trouble is that these may not be the most appropriate response for many situations.
So, when you feel like the situation or event is threatening to overwhelm you, i.e. you believe you cannot or may not be able to cope with it or you feel fear, anger or other strong emotions rising, that is the signal to stop and step away.
In a later tip, I’ll talk about a tactic to employ if you are unable to physically absent (remove) yourself from the situation, but for now we’ll stick with the physical ‘stepping away.’
The trick here is to first learn to spot the situation before it becomes overwhelming and this can take practice and some personal reflection. Start to keep a simple journal where you record on a daily basis your observations on how you have handled various situations during the day. Identify those days where you may have struggled with a situation and record how you felt emotionally and physically, what you thought and how you behaved. This will help you to spot ‘trigger’ events and become more aware of an approaching ‘trigger situation.’
As you spot yourself becoming at risk of being overwhelmed, make a conscious effort to ‘step away’ from the stress.
Now let’s be clear here, I am not advocating a ‘flight’ or ‘run away run away!’ strategy here. The aim is to create a little space (physically on this occasion), allowing you to reduce your stress levels and then apply some rational thought.
An example might be a back log of emails and customer complaints which are gradually raising your stress levels to boiling point. The temptation may be to plough on to get through and then relax, however, if the reality is that there is never an end point, this can be delusional and succeed in simply raising your stress levels further and lead to more mistakes, rushed decisions, cloudy thinking and restricted creativity.
It is at this point that you need to stop, step away form the stress and give yourself space to actively reduce the stress level and then allow more rational, clear thinking to return. Go for a drink of water, put the kettle on, nip to the loo or even step outside for some fresh air. You need no more than a minute or so to start to relaxation process.
I’ll cover techniques to assist this process but for, for now, the top tip is to recognise when you need to step away and do it. Like a pressure cooker, you need to release the build up of pressure regularly otherwise you risk a complete stress-explosion.
My parody ‘Let’s Talk About Stress Baby,’ video includes this very critical advice. Have a quick time out and watch:
That’s Stress Tip No.1 then.
SG out
