The Trouble With Stress

 
When you’re struggling & feeling overwhelmed with everyday life, that huge ‘to do’ list, juggling child care, appointments & demands, financial & relationship issues & unable to cope with some small or major problems in your life, then your body will start to respond. This is the warning sign that you’re becoming stressed.

Your heart will begin to race, your breathing will become erratic, you’re shoulders, neck, head or back will begin to ache, you won’t be able to think or plan ahead properly and all rationality goes out of the window. Add to that poor concentration, no motivation, poor sleep, loss of appetite & beginning to feel depressed & anxious, then you can quite honestly say yes, you’re stressed.

The good news is, stress is not an illness. It’s a state of being and one you can manage, control & change. Your body has done the first bit, it’s let you know you’re suffering with stress, but it needs your help to deal with it, and deal with stress you must, otherwise if ignored it can lead to all sorts of complications, mainly a mental health breakdown, where your body & mind will have a total shut down & could well take a long time to recover.

So how do you deal with stress?
Well there is quite a lot you can do to help yourself. Agreeing firstly that you matter is the first step, and without you working on all 4 cyclinders will be of no use to anyone if you totally break down. So let’s see about giving yourself a bit of an MOT. Take a look at your life, write down everything that is right now causing you some stress, this helps you see what the problems are so you can start to deal with them one by one.

Start to delegate jobs that others are capable of doing, stop saying yes to every request that is put your way, get a few early nights, cut down on smoking, drinking & eat a healthier diet. Learn how to manage your time better & start taking time out just for you, whether that’s just to sit & read a book or practice some relaxation techniques. You may need to engage the services of a therapist or life coach to help you work through some of the major problems, learn some stress busting techniques & help you balance your life better.

Remember you are an important factor in your life, just repeat that thought daily and start taking control today to have a stress free life.