When we’re in super stressful situations, it can seem like the only way through is by toughening up and riding it out. After all, feeling stressed about having too many assignments and no time to do them won’t actually change the due date, right?
While this mindset is common, it isn’t necessarily the best way to manage difficult feelings. Ignoring what makes us feel awful doesn’t fix the problem either; it just suppresses it (and makes it more likely to resurface later on). Instead, we’d argue that mastering a few stress management techniques is the best way to go!
What Does Stress Management Mean?
Implementing stress management techniques takes a little practice, but the foundation behind the concept is relatively simple. Essentially, stress management relates to the realisation that you’re in control of your life. By taking steps to manage your stress levels, identify and disempower your triggers, and find a sense of balance, you’ll be happier, more productive, and much less stressed out. Sounds pretty ideal, right?
While we’d love to say that any of these following techniques could work as a magic bullet solution, it simply isn’t true (disappointing, we know). The reality is that different techniques work for different people, so it’s important to commence your de-stressing journey with an open mind and a willingness to pivot and adjust as necessary. By doing so, you’re setting yourself up with the best possible chance of a stress-free life!
Why Do We Need to Manage Stress?
We’ve all been there: completely and totally overwhelmed with tonnes of unfinished tasks, encroaching deadlines, and a stomach that feels totally knotted. It’s awful, and we’re sure that if given the choice, anyone would choose to avoid that nasty stressed-out feeling. However, if we don’t practice stress management, we run the risk of feeling this way extremely often; it doesn’t take much for tasks to start piling up!
Besides the mental issues that stress presents, Healthline states that it also impacts our physical body in a variety of gnarly ways, including by inducing:
- Headaches
- Heartburn
- Tense Muscles
- Depression
- High Blood Pressure
- And many other health problems.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why stress management is so important!
How Can You Manage Stress?
As we said before, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to stress. Rather, you have to figure out a stress management system that works for you and your unique needs!
However, there are a few unmissable steps in the de-stressing process. To start off on the right foot, make sure you’re:
Identifying the Source
The first, and arguably most important, de-stressing step is to figure out where that stressed-out feeling stems from!
While big stressors (like changing schools, breakups, assignments, friend problems etc.) are easy to identify, there can be times when the source of your stress is a little sneakier. Try your best to narrow down the stressful parts of any situation and identify specific pressure points.
Moving More
Feeling stressed can really take it out of you, which means you might be skipping your daily exercise. However, because exercise releases endorphins, it can actually alleviate the symptoms of stress. Trust us, you’ll want to make some time for it!
Remember, you don’t have to be running a marathon to reap the benefits of exercise. Even a simple walk around the block is enough to make you feel a little bit better.
Practice Time Management
So much everyday stress stems from poor time management skills, so it’s a super important skill to develop.
While time management doesn’t sound fun, it can be a great excuse for some stationary shopping! Head to your favourite store and pick out a fun new planner; future you will thank you for it!
Make Time for Fun
When you’re in the midst of a super-stressful period, it’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t have any time to go out and do the things you love to do. However, making time for fun is an incredibly important stress management technique!
Regardless of the amount of work on your plate, set aside some time for yourself. Whether this means cooking your favourite meal, running a bubble bath, or watching a movie with a pal, is all up to you! If you’re feeling unsure about when to take time out from studying, check out our guide on how to know when to take a study break.
Assess Your Stress Management Style
Another helpful step is to assess your current approach to stress and see how well it’s working for you. To help you do so, we’ve put together a list of green flags and red flags for stress management. If you can relate to more green flags, you might be in the clear. However, if you feel called out by the red flags, it’s probably time to make a change!
Green Flags
- You know your limits and avoid unnecessary stress
- You talk about your feelings before they bubble up
- You reflect on the things you appreciate in your life
- You try to look for the upside
- You do your best to stay active and eat healthy
- You nurture the positive relationships in your life
Red Flags
- You find yourself in an endless cycle of procrastination
- You’re withdrawing from friends and family
- You find yourself sleeping more than usual
- You regularly lash out at others
- You constantly fall victim to doom-scrolling
- You’re ‘eating your feelings’
If It’s All Feeling Like Too Much
When stress is really piled up, it’s okay to feel snowed under and unable to dedicate the mental strength to help yourself. However, it’s these kinds of situations the require us to be brave and ask for help.
Whether you’re going to a trusted friend or family member or seeking out professional help, it’s important to be honest about how stress is affecting us. Remember, a problem shared is a problem halved.
If you need someone to talk to, Health Direct has a great list of helplines that you can reach out to. What’s more, most of them are anonymous, so you can feel totally safe sharing all your feelings with the counsellor on the other end of the line.
Lower Stress Levels by Alleviating Uncertainty
Another possible reason for high stress levels is uncertainty about your future career path, and if that’s your issue, we’ve got you covered!
Head over to our career quiz to figure out the perfect industry for you or explore our employer pages and see who jumps out. Who knows, the perfect stress management technique might just be finding an exciting career path!
