How to manage stress

Often times in our daily lives, we come across situations that leave us stressed out and frustrated. We live with daily anxieties about how the next day will pan out.

Let us, however, consider how stress can affect daily lives and some tips on how we can manage it.

Stress is defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress is our body’s response to pressure. Many different situations or life events can cause stress. It is often triggered when we experience something new or unexpected that threatens our sense of self or when we feel we have little control over a situation.

What are the signs of stress? We may feel: anxious, fearful, angry, aggressive, sad, irritable, frustrated, and or depressed. Sometimes stress can also manifest in physical signs like headaches, nausea, indigestion, constipation, bloating and diarrheoa, sweating, heart palpitations, body aches and pains.

We may find ourselves because of stress: isolating ourselves from other people or snap at them, be indecisive or inflexible, have insomnia, experience sexual problems, smoke, drink alcohol or take drugs more than usual

What can we do to manage our stress? The first step to getting help/relief from stress is to identify stress as a problem. Think about what’s causing your stress. Sort them into issues with a practical solution, things that will get better with time and things you can’t do anything about.

Take control by taking small steps towards the things you can improve. Plan to address the things that you can. This might involve setting yourself realistic expectations and prioritising essential commitments. If you feel overwhelmed, ask for help and say no to things you can’t take on. Consider making adjustments.

Look for opportunities to make adjustments, are you taking on too much? Could you hand over some things to someone else? Can you do things in a more leisurely way? You may need to prioritise things and reorganise your life, so that you do not overwhelm yourself and end up creating stressful situations for yourself.

We cannot face life alone; build a support system, people you can lean on to help you out when you are facing stress or emotional burden. Take a time out. Find time to relax and indulge in selfcare, where you do positive things for yourself.

Striking a balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself is vital in curbing stress.

Get some restful sleep. If you’re having difficulty sleeping, you can try to reduce the amount of caffeine you consume and avoid too much screen time before bed. Write down a to-do list for the next day to help you prioritise, but make sure you put it aside before bed. Be kind to yourself.

Try to keep things in perspective, and don’t be too hard on yourself. Look for positive things in your life, and write down things that make you feel grateful. Get professional help.

If you continue to feel overwhelmed by stress, don’t be afraid to seek professional help. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Getting help as soon as possible is important so you can start feeling better.

If you have persistent thoughts to self-harm call Botswana Suicide Hotline 3911270 to get immediate help.