2 simple techniques to accepting stress

Two simple techniques to accepting stress 😊👍

Accepting stress is the first step in bouncing back and beating stress. Whilst these techniques may seem self explanatory after reading them, it can be difficult to acknowledge how stressed you may actually be, until you stop to recognise it. Let’s delve in to some of the more noticeable behaviours that is stemmed from stress. First, recognise stress and then set aside time to relax.

As covered in our eBook Staying relaxed after 60.

Recognise stress

Obviously, some stress is good for us — it adds interest, excitement and motivation to life, in the right balance. It is when the level of stress in your life causes you to put up with things that are harming or distressing you constantly that you risk sliding into being too stressed.

You could be too stressed if:

• You experience constant body tension, including headaches, neck aches, back aches, and general soreness.
• You’re often irritable, short-tempered, and perhaps unable to focus on completing tasks. Trivial things set you off easily.
• You feel as if you have too much going on and that you can’t hop off the merry-go-round.
• Your sleep is a battlefield and you wake up feeling less rested rather than refreshed. Insomnia has become your norm rather than an unusual event.
• You’re eating too much or too little. Or, you are choosing unhealthy food options.
• You’re drinking too little water.
• You can’t remember the last time you had a good laugh and your sense of humour is sadly lacking.
• All you do and think about is work, non-stop. It might be your own business, a career, a salaried position, a stay-at-home mom or dad position, or anything else that is soaking up your time and life one hundred percent, and this over-concentration is leaving you passionless, disappointed, unhappy, and unfulfilled.

Set aside time to relax

Once you have accepted that there are negative stressors impacting your life, it’s important to make room for relaxation amid all those busy things you’re doing.

Ways to prepare for adding relaxation back into your routine include:

• Let go of guilt. Many religious and cultural beliefs instil the value of hard work very deeply. Over time, and increasingly so with the advent of smart technology that keeps us hyper-wired 24/7, many of us have come to believe that being “on-the-go” constantly is the only way to prove our value. Having an unrealistic interpretation of “hard work” will end up wearing you down. Hard work is giving your tasks the attention they deserve at the time they deserve, not letting it bleed into all hours of your day!
• Accept that sleep is a very important part of life. During sleep, your mind continues learning in ways that are not possible during waking hours. Sleep restores and refreshes your body in myriad ways that cannot happen when you’re awake. Do not be tempted to devalue the worth of sleep. Moreover, the alleged ability of some people to thrive on four hours sleep per night is the exception, not the rule — most of us need the six to eight hour sleep cycle for full restoration. Dreaming is an essential part of sleep; you can explore your inner fantasy and have many experiences that you never encounter in the waking world. (Struggling to sleep? read our 15 sleep hygiene tips here).
• Block out times in your day to relax. Think of it as an appointment with your most important client – you – that you absolutely cannot skip or break.
• If you’re at home, mark time for relaxing in black ink on a calendar for everyone to see. That way, the whole family will appreciate the importance of making time to relax.
• Recognise that finding your own optimal ways to relax may take time, as well as some trial and error. Don’t give up — keep searching until you find the right combination of activities that relax you and rejuvenate your enthusiasm for living fully.

While you’re here, read more of our popular articles on stress

• 4 ways to stay relaxed around stressful people
• 5 techniques to avoid stress
• Improve your memory by reducing stress levels
• Recognising stress and how to beat it in to relaxation
• Being stingy with money increases stress levels

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