How to deal with pressure and start managing stresses

Are you feeling stressed out and struggling to manage the pressures of daily life?

We all know that dreaded Wednesday feeling – the weekend of relaxation seems like an eternity away, the pressures from work are building, and you’re juggling endless responsibilities. Often, this can cumulatively feel like too much to handle.

With our lives getting increasingly chaotic and demanding, we wanted to share a little reminder of the importance of taking care of your own wellbeing, and some tips on how to manage daily stresses. With International Stress Awareness Week fast approaching, now felt like the perfect opportunity to discuss all things related to stress.

What is stress?

We all say the words “I’m so stressed,” but what actually is stress, and how do you distinguish the good stress from the bad?

There is no medical definition of stress. Everyone’s experiences of stress are unique to them. Stress can be characterised by situations and events that place pressure on us, and our reactions to being placed under such pressures. It is important to note that not all stress is bad for us – ‘eustress’ can have a positive effect on our wellbeing, provide motivation, and increase endorphins. This stress gives a rush like no other.

Stress is commonly triggered by pressures from work, family life, and common life changes. Symptoms of stress can include constant worrying, avoiding situations, or being unable to concentrate and make decisions. This can often cause us to feel irritated, anxious, depressed, nervous, worried, lonely, and full of dread. When we are anxious, our bodies release cortisol and adrenaline (your ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response), high levels of which can impact your overall health.

The physical side effects of stress are often ignored or not as widely spoken amount, but can in some cases be even more debilitating than the emotional impacts. Common health concerns such as headaches, chest pain, indigestion, diarrhoea, disrupted sleep, panic attacks, sickness, hyperventilating, and lethargy are all common side effects of stress. Chronic stress is also believed to contribute to high blood pressure, causing an increased risk of heart disease and strokes.

How to deal with pressure

Stress is unavoidable in daily life, so it’s crucial that we build and develop our emotional resilience. This can help us to become better at coping with stressful situations, prepare us to be less worried in the future, and enable us to reduce the impact that stressful situations have on our lives.

Having a well-balanced lifestyle and knowing when to take a break are key. When we find ourselves stressed out, it is often very easy to let slip of our healthy habits and turn to bad choices as ways of coping. This further fuels our lack of ability to cope and increases stress levels significantly. The common advice of “eat healthy, get active, and have enough sleep” has never been more relevant.

How to start managing stresses

Finding methods to relieve pressure is absolutely key in managing the impact of stress. Methods of destressing and relaxation vary for all of us. For some, an hour spent in a 40-degree hot tub is bliss; while for others, housework or focusing on something creative is therapeutic.

Identifying your triggers is a good way to understand changes you could implement to help you prepare for similar situations in the future. This could be something as simple as developing new routines and effective time management to minimise the risk of burnout. Some of the bigger causes of stress can be more challenging to tackle. However, introducing small practical solutions gradually can help alleviate the symptoms of stress and make situations feel more manageable. Often, accepting the situation you find yourself in and focusing on the elements you can control – such as diet, exercise, self-care and time management – can have a bigger impact than you think.

If your stresses are caused by pressures at work, Mind has created free downloadable Wellness Action Plans for you to use as a practical tool.

Time to chill out

Taking positive steps to focus on your wellbeing can help you to reduce the impact stress has on your life. Again, these are things with which most of us are already familiar – treat this as a reminder to ditch the negative vibes and baggage, learn to laugh more, and spread kindness.

Taking time to disconnect and switch off your phone can have huge benefits for your wellbeing, despite how difficult it can seem. It is also important to allow yourself moments of positivity – time for reflections about all the good things in your life, and all the things for which you are grateful, no matter how small.

Practicing whatever form of self-care works for you is the most important way to beat the buildup of stress. Whether that be through taking a breather or getting active and soaking up the fresh air, this will help to reduce the emotional tension and nervous energy caused by stress. Nothing quite beats a fresh cold breeze on a chilly Sunday morning along the coast, for example.

If that doesn’t sound appealing, simply taking a step back to do the things you love can be equally effective. It could be reading a new book, listening to your favourite music, or trying something new creatively. You might even discover hidden talents and passions you didn’t know you had!

Connect with others

Sharing stresses with loved ones or colleagues can help us build practical solutions and, importantly, help us to see things from a different perspective. “A problem shared is a problem halved,” after all.

If you are unable to share how you are feeling with someone you know, Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk on 116 123 (free from all phones). For those experiencing prolonged chronic stress, there are a range of treatments available through the NHS. Contact your GP if you are struggling. Stress can affect everyone differently. It is important to look after your own wellbeing and to check in with those around you.

Click here for more information, advice, and resources for International Stress Awareness Week.