Stress Management in 7 Easy Steps

The stress of the day has slowly been swallowing you up.

You feel lost, broken down, and like you have nothing left to give.

And at that exact moment, more is asked of you.

Your heart begins to race, your palms start to sweat and your eyes begin to well up.

The weight of stress feels like an elephant has just landed on your chest. And all the air has left your body.

Stress is ruling your life, making your decisions, and clouding your judgment and priorities.

What if there was a way for you to regain control?

A way for you to control the stress and not the other way around.

Gain control of your stress with 7 steps that are so easy you can start mastering the art of stress management right away.

1. Notice the Physical Symptoms of Stress

You know that stomach ache that always disappears the minute you leave work to drive home? That could be stress.

Stress physically affects your body and could be responsible for headaches, stomach distress, even chest pains. What does this mean for stress management?

The next time your physical response to stress kicks in, remind yourself that physical ailment is a signal that you are dealing with too much and it’s time for a break.

2. Allow yourself to Really Feel the Stress

Do you ever try to ignore your stress and pretend it isn’t happening? You are doing more harm than good.

If you take a moment to call out the stress you will be better equipped to handle it and put it in perspective. Now that you know it’s stress, what can you do about it?

Close your eyes and feel the stress, call it out as stress and then plan to tackle it.

3. Take Deep Cleansing Breaths

Have you ever been somewhere and couldn’t react to the stress you were feeling? You have to keep your emotions and words in check.

Try taking a deep cleansing breath during these moments. Breath in for five seconds through your nose and out 5 seconds through your mouth.

This action will slow your whole body down including your racing mind. With a calm mind and body, you will be able to handle the stress with ease.

4. Keep a Positive Mindset

Did you know that negative energy attracts more negative energy? So each time you focus on what is wrong you are just inviting more negative vibes to surround you.

Instead of staying in the negative headspace of stress, why not try focusing on the positive. Take the approach that whatever happens is meant to happen.

You will notice that when you focus on the positive you will start to find and see solutions instead of more problems.

5. Track your Stress in a Journal

Do you know why young people tend to have journals or diaries? They do so because it’s a judgment-free zone where they can express their feelings.

So grab your pen and paper, find your inner child, and start writing! Bring the stress to the surface and write about it.

The action of writing down your stress will help you work through the problem and get it out of your head.

6. Create a Stress Buster Routine

Did you know you have feel-good endorphins that are just waiting to be released? They are right there and there’s an easy way to get them working for you.

Your feel-good endorphins will be released when you exercise. You need a stress buster exercise routine.

Grab your sneakers and take a walk, hike, jog, or full-blown run. Any physical activity will get your heart rate up, your blood pumping, and your feel-good endorphins flowing.

7. Keep your Stress in Perspective

Have you ever looked back on a stressful moment and wonder what the heck you were so stressed out about? In the end that stress was no big deal.

So the next time you find yourself in a stressful situation try not to panic. Instead, try fighting the stress by keeping it all in perspective. Five years from now will this even matter?

If the answer is no, then move on and handle the stress as if it were any other small problem. Learn to not treat every stressful situation as a pivotal moment that can change everything.

Take Back Your Power

Yes, you will still have stress in your life.

Yes, your palms will still sweat and your heart will race, but now you are ready to manage that stress.

Imagine that suddenly the weight of that elephant on your chest disappears.

Your lungs fill back up with air, and your heart rate slows back to normal.

YOU are in control of your stress, not the other way around.

Your clear and level headed approach will be noticed by others. They will envy your ability to stay calm under pressure and keep your priorities in order.

You have mastered stress management.

You can tackle anything.