Can you limit stress to healthy levels?
Let’s move on in my list of physical health. It is time for STRESS! Well, stress fits in in the mental health department too. Stress plays dual roles in our lives. A little bit of stress keep us moving and alert making us do our best. A lot of stress is on the other hand detrimental to our health. The thing is to find the balance in life where we can use this knowledge to our advantage. Our stress mechanisms are part of our ancestry heritage – the mechanism is there to save us from dangerous situations.
When “the big bad wolf” comes you need to instantly know what to do. It is all about fight or flight. Well, there is a possibility of playing dead as well but that is for more specific situations. So when danger appears our bodies are drowned with stress hormones like adrenalin. This makes us stronger and quicker than we ever have been before and we can run away from the danger.
The problem is that today’s threats are not often physical. They are mostly mental. Perhaps you don’t have enough time to do what you would like and need to do, or you’re afraid of not meeting expectations. The stress you experience is mostly a result of inner and outer influences. This kind of stress do not benefit of the system we have provided within us. It does not help to run away from the person you talk to or start a fight with him/her. Instead we keep the stress within us and the amount of stress hormones add up.
If this goes on for a long time you will eventually get physical damages on your body. But there are ways to not let that happen. Here is a tip around ONE situation of stress.
In today’s society you are exposed to enormous amounts of information – far more than you can take in. Because you have limits as to how much you can absorb, when you feel distracted or under pressure important details can be lost or forgotten. This is your body’s way of conserving your energy. Trying to remember too much at one time is exhausting and overwhelming.
How can you stop this from happening? Close the door to outside stimuli and let your mind be open. Give yourself a chance to focus. Turn the phone off when you need to concentrate. With fewer distractions you will work, read, and accomplish your tasks more efficiently. You will have time for yourself and feel satisfied about getting more done.
It is not enough that the memory gets out of hand when you are attacked with new impressions all the time – you get time inefficient too. Every time you lose your concentration it cost a while to get back on track again on the subject you were working on. All these short moments added up on a day are a significantly long time “doing nothing”.
When you feel stressed you should get up and move around for a few minutes. Then return to your task. Moving your body will reduce your stress hormones and clear your thinking so you can continue your important work.
How do you tackle stress? What is your best tip? Please share in the comment field below.
If you find this information useful I would be happy if you share it in your network. Maybe you even know someone who really needs this – feel free to give them the link to this blogpost.
If you need professional help maybe Dr Annika´s mentoring program for business leaders “Strategies to cope as business leader” will suit you. The groups are small with maximum six participants to keep it confidential; the program can also be done individually.
I have six open groups (1 full day + six month follow up) in Swedish with the program this fall, two each in Lund, Gothenburg and Stockholm and one open group in English in Lund. You can also get the program as teleseminar in group or individual via Skype. Read more or contact for more information.
Keep smiling!
