Having a stress management plan is an important way to fight off everyday stress and lead a happy and fulfilling life.
What is Stress?
When we feel pressured or threatened, we respond by becoming stressed.
It typically occurs when we are in a precarious position that we don’t feel we have any control over.
When we feel stressed, it may be due to: A person, for instance, having numerous obligations that they are finding difficult to handle.
Stress isn’t always bad, but when it gets out of hand, it can be very damaging to your health and the quality of your life.
What is a Stress Management Plan?
A stress management plan helps us identify our stress triggers and combat them. This allows us to lead a more well balanced life.
Managing stress effectively can reduce tension and help you to live a healthier, happier life—one that’s full of energy and positivity, even when things get hectic or busy.
Stress Management Plan for Daily Stress
Daily stressors can make us feel overwhelmed, stressed and anxious.
We experience these feelings every day, usually when we have more to do than time to do it in, or when we haven’t gotten enough sleep the night before.
Although we can’t always get rid of daily stressors, we can learn ways to manage them so they don’t overwhelm us on a regular basis.
Check out this stress management plan with 5 tips to manage daily stress and help reduce your anxiety levels.
- 1) Identify What Is Causing The Stress
- 2) Have a Routine
- 3) Get Enough Sleep
- 4) Make Time To Unwind
- 5) Exercise More Often
Identify What Is Causing The Stress
The first thing you need to do is identify what’s causing your stress.
Is it work? Maybe you have more duties than you can handle, or maybe you’re unhappy with your current role.
Or is it something else? Whatever it may be, find out what is stressing you and then address that issue as soon as possible.
Don’t ignore it. It won’t go away on its own!
And if you are ignoring it, there is a good chance that other things will start to fall apart in your life because of how much energy you are expending on not dealing with whatever is bothering you.
Get Enough Sleep
It may seem counter-intuitive, but in order to function at our best under stressful circumstances, we need prioritize sleep.
If you’re consistently sleep-deprived, you can find it hard to keep your cool when things start spinning out of control.
Go to bed early enough that you wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested.
Chances are good you’ll handle stress better throughout your day.
Also, take care not to go into sleep debt—it doesn’t just make us more prone to illness; it makes our brains perform less efficiently.
Have a Routine
Our day-to-day lives are often filled with variables—some of which we can control and some of which we can’t.
These variables mean that our stress levels fluctuate from day to day, sometimes minute by minute.
One effective way to reduce daily stress is to establish a morning routine.
A routine will help you feel more prepared for your day as well as more in control of it, reducing your overall level of stress.
Start small: Don’t try to overhaul your entire life at once; instead, start small and build on successes over time.
For example, if you want to exercise every morning but don’t currently have time for it in your schedule, start by exercising during one lunch break each week.
Over time you can add to your routine gradually until each addition becomes a regular healthy habit.
Make Time To Unwind
It’s easy to get bogged down in your everyday life, but it’s important that you make time for yourself.
If you don’t, it will be incredibly difficult for you to manage any stress that may come your way during your day.
If possible, schedule a quick 15 minute break into your schedule so you can take some time out from whatever else you have going on and just relax.
This could mean anything from taking a brief walk outside or sitting quietly with your favorite cup of tea—just give yourself some time to unwind.
You’ll feel much better once you do!
Exercise More Often
According to a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, mild-to-moderate exercise can reduce stress by up to 68 percent.
In fact, physical activity is one of only four proven strategies for managing stress.
So next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, get your sweat on.
Exercise not only releases endorphins (feel-good hormones), but it can also improve your mood and give you a much-needed break from work or other stressful situations.
