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Learn techniques to identify and reduce stress
How many times has it happened that we become aware of our stress until our body speaks? Maybe with neck or back pain, gastritis / colitis nervosa, or when someone asks us: "Are you okay?" and with a annoyed tone we say: "Yes". The goal is that after reading this you can quickly identify when the stress is getting to you and do something to reduce and redirect that energy in a more positive way.
1. Identify how you react to stress
Reality is that not all of us react in the same way when stress comes, therefor it is important to know how you react to it. What may be normal behavior for some may indicate for others that they are feeling stress. How to do it? Identify:
Changes in your mood such as feeling more irritable, others can laugh more often or make jokes.
Actions like clenching the jaw or moving the foot repeatedly can also indicate stress. Others put off doing the job that causes them stress (aka procrastination). Whatever your way of reacting, identify it.
Identify certain trains of thought. Starting to think about many things at once or starting to do catastrophic fantasies may be more indicators.
If you are very observant you will be able to see how others react to stress as well and support them better!
2. Breathe to ease the waters
After detecting that you are beginning to react to stress, breathe. Imagine that your thoughts at those times run at a thousand miles per hour, many times they are extremely negative, catastrophic and unrealistic, e.g: "Everything is going to go wrong", "Surely this guy is not going to deliver things on time" ... (followed by the snowball effect): "They are going to fire me... Then I will end up on the street, I will wander in solitude to finally be abducted by alien monkeys". Cough cough... well the point is to understand that thoughts are like turbulent and unclear water, bouncing from one side to the other, but breathing will calm the waters of anxiety. It will also allow you not to "act under the influence" (substance being an emotion).
Try this:
Inhale 4 seconds
Hold the air 4 seconds
Exhale 4 seconds
(Repeat at least 3 times)
* If you can, increase the number of seconds to 6-4-6. Remember holding the air, this will prevent hyperventilation.
3. Can I do something in 5 minutes or do I address it later?
Well, I already breathed. Now, something needs to be done to prevent stress from coming back. A recommendation that therapist Lucila Pérez gave me is: think if you can do something in 5 minutes that reduces your stress, if possible, do it. If there is nothing that can be done in that time, just allot a time in your day where you will do what you need, this will bring you peace. Sometimes I also take a couple of minutes to make a list of what I have to do or the steps to take to resolve the issue and assign a time to do it in the day. Even my dark side congratulates me on how I overcome stress.
4. Change social media to appreciate nature (even virtually)
En vez de checar Fb o redes sociales sal al jardín o al parque. Date 5 minutos para activar tus sentidos y estar completamente presente ahí (respira profundo, ve las plantas, el cielo). Diferentes estudios han comprobado desde hace ya muchos años (Cawte, 1967; Sacks, 1987) que estar en la naturaleza tiene efectos restaurativos en las personas que pueden reducir tu estrés y hasta mejorar tu desempeño. Si no puedes salir no importa! Incluso ver un video en YouTube de naturaleza o bajar una app de relajación tienen efectos restaurativos. Checa este ejemplo.
Instead of checking Fb or social networks go to the garden or the nearby park. Give yourself 5 minutes to activate your senses and be fully present there (take a deep breath, see the plants, the sky). Since many years, different studies have proven that being in nature has restorative effects in people, reducing stress and even improving your performance (Cawte, 1967; Sacks, 1987). If you can't go out it doesn't matter! Even watching a nature YouTube video or downloading a relaxation app has restorative effects. Check out this example.
5. Exercise
Yes, everyone has said it... Well, it is real. Exercising helps direct our excess energy more positively. Even in the corporate world, doing cardio exercise combined with weight lifting has been used as a cornerstone to increase the performance of top executives in organizations (Loehr & Schwartz, 2001). Please, start small and be very aware of your body so that you don't get hurt. You can start walking for 20 minutes and then increase it, but be consistent, that's the key.
I hope that... These tips will help you relax and get to know yourself more and that you can look as relaxed as this little koala. Remember the 5 steps:
Identify
Breathe
Task in 5 mins
Observe nature
Exercise
Wait for future posts with techniques to help you stop procrastinating, perform at your best under stressful situations, improve your leadership and communication, among others. Also share in our social media if there is a topic you would like to know more about in our Facebook and YouTube Channel.
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