How Well Do You Cope With Stress?

No one is immune to stress. And although it is something we might wish to avoid, it is part of life and it can be very unhealthy. Since there does not seem to be a lot we can do to make it go away, it might be well for us to learn how best to cope with it and minimize the destructive effects it may have on us.

One of the obvious first steps might be to avoid as much as possible those things which seem to cause the most stress and frustration. Some of the contributing factors to stress are permanent fixtures in our lives, but other things we have some degree of control over and we should try to eliminate (or at least reduce) them as much as we can. For instance, if you find that being surrounded by a lot of noise (perhaps even the radio or the t.v.) makes you jumpy and jittery, avoid turning it on. Allow some quiet in to your mind and feel the stress level subside. If certain people tend you set you on edge, try to avoid spending much time with these individuals, who hopefully are not family members or co-workers. Attempt to control as much of your environment as possible. Learn what you can do to either reduce the amount of frustration and pressure you feel, or ways to combat the effects they have on you.

Management

Keep in mind that everyone is different and while some methods of de-stressing might work for some, perhaps they are not the right choice for you. Be aware of your body and your moods. Pay attention to the way you are dealing with the circumstances in your life. Are you someone who appears to remain calm and collected on the outside while the pressures build up on the inside causing you to erupt at some particular point even at something that might be considered very minor? Another manifestation of this type of personality is breaking out in hives or being afflicted with mysterious aches and pains when you "reach the breaking point". Many people who are wired this way find that yoga is a great outlet for their stress. Others keep a log of their feelings which allows them to better understand when they are becoming overwhelmed and be proactive in getting things under control.

If you happen to be one of those people who feel stress almost continually and just cannot seem to be able to relax, you might consider stepping up your physical activity. Whether running or kick-boxing or participating in high energy dancing, the benefits you can derive from such activity will be enormous. You may even want to include physical activity intermittently throughout the day if that helps to keep you from pressure overload.

Try a variety of different things and include those that work best for you in your daily activities. While you cannot remove stress completely from your life, you can learn to manage it so that it does not take such a huge toll on your well being.

How Well Do You Cope With Stress?

Nancy Smith is one of the owners of RobbinsSports.com, an online retailer specializing in Warm Up Jackets and Basketball Jerseys.