Relax wherever you are.
Stress at work is one of the leading causes of sick leave. Overwork, sometimes burnout the syndrome, causing extreme fatigue and exhaustion due to the wear and tear of hard labour.
Definitions of Stress
There are several definitions of stress. Hans Selye defines it as “tensions … triggered by disruptive events.” He sees “potentially destructive forces” and speaks of “stress state” to describe “physical changes caused by a stressful situation.”
Simply put, stress is that feeling you experience when you are faced with a situation you do not think you can cope with properly. It causes a sense of unease. It is like a reflex of the body that acts against external aggressions.
Stress is also a physiological impact (sweat, heart and breathing) and psychological effect (anxiety, sleep disturbances) reactions when a person is subjected to change in a situation.
Flee, Fight, Inhibition or Despair
Faced with what human beings perceive as a threat, the innate responses are flight, fight, or despair. Stress can help mobilize physical and mental forces. It brings readiness to combat. But it can also make people lose their means and hinder their actions. They decide to flee. A prolonged stress situation depletes the body and leads to fatigue that promotes diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, depression, chronic anxiety, etc.
Holistic Stress Management
When you are stressed, there is a break in the normal balance. You will learn several methods to free yourself from stress and regain balance and good health. These methods are as seen below:
A holistic approach will consider the specific needs of various aspects of our being: body, mind, heart, intellect, and soul.
- First, there is a need for auto-diagnostic, a need to identify and understand stress sources.
- Be aware of the mechanisms of the mind to manage better emotions and thoughts. Stressful thoughts fuel negative emotions, which can lead to negative actions and consequences. Learn to stop toxic thoughts and replace them with positive and uplifting thoughts.
- Act on the intensity of stress to reduce its adverse effects. Make a pause, breath, and restore yourself to a state of calmness. Learn breathwork where you understand the necessity of inhaling and exhaling. Breath in peace, breath out all the tensions.
- Communicate effectively to share your messages under challenging situations. Mastering the art of communication can be a way to establish a meaningful relationship free from stress.
- Manage effectively conflict to eliminate stress. There are various ways of solving disputes and stop stress linked to conflict management. You can resolve the conflict by collaborating and reaching a win-win solution. But you can also try:
- D = Describe what has happened.
- E = Emotions: It is essential to explain how you feel and understand your emotions.
- S = Solutions: Look at all the solutions possible to solve the conflicts.
- C = Conclude: Resolve the conflicts and bring this to a successful conclusion.
- Exercise daily if you can otherwise, at least four times a week with intensity.
- Have a great diet and eat nutritious food to be in good health. Let food be thy medicine.
- Practice mindfulness and daily meditation to reach a state of peace.
- Sleep at least 8 hours a week.
- Learn the various practices of relaxation. I have found Yoga Nigra, one of the best forms of relations. You will below my record of a relaxation:
- Practice effective time management to save energy. To be in control of your schedule will help you prioritize your tasks. Have a vision board with life, yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals. Buy a planner where you write your tasks and accomplishments.
- Personal and professional effectiveness improves your organization.
- Know your strengths and weaknesses to avoid the pitfalls of stress. Keep on learning and developing your skills after a robust analysis of your work, competences, and personalities.
- Create your stress management plan to end stress. Have a great strategy to deal with tiredness, exhaustion to avoid burnouts by including all the points above.
In conclusion, it is possible to have a life free of stress by using the above holistic stress management tools. Choose a few that you can practice daily with consistency, and slowly you will reach a state of peace from all stress.
Disclaimer. My views are my own and do not represent the views of my humanitarian employers past, present, or future. I value neutrality in a humanitarian setting. I also cherish the freedom of thoughts and speech of all citizens.