Fortunately, you’re free to manage stress even if you cant eliminate it.
Weve compiled 25 ideas that will help you get started.
Decide which ones could work for you, then share your own tips at the bottom of the page.
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1.
Knowing yours can help you tailor stress-management strategies.
Look for the patterns, and youll find the personality, she says.
To practice anchoring, ask yourself these questions: What am I thinking?
What am I feeling?
What am I doing right now?
Finally, rate your acceptance again to see if its improved.
Don a half-smile
When people are under stress, their bodies usually follow their minds.
They might clench their fists, tense their muscles or grind their teeth.
When were scowling, were more prone to think negatively.
And when were thinking negatively, we feel worse.
Research shows that smiling may induce positive emotions.
Scientists call this hormetic stress, and one way to address it is to take a cold shower.
A cold shower is an easy way to get a good dose of hormetic stress, according to Epel.
Can you stay under the cold stream for 15 or 30 seconds?
Match the shock of the stress response with a relaxed mind as much as possible.
This is what builds resilience.
She says the practice can also manage stress.
But what is it, exactly?
It boils down to a simple axiom: How you feel is connected to what you do.
So dont cancel plans or procrastinate if you feel stressed.
Instead, forge ahead with plans and activities that make you feel joy or accomplishment.
Stick to a plan rather than a mood, Taitz says.
Although close friendships are an obvious salve, she says even casual connections can be healing.
Those who embraced the casual connections reported better moods and increased feelings of connection.
A lot of us think in all-or-nothing ways about relationships, Taitz says.
Were either really close or total strangers.
Working on casual connections can be really helpful, because social support is such a powerful stress buffer.
Sweat it out
Exerciseis another reliable source of hormetic stress.
Try one round of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), says Epel.
