Stress Management Techniques: Causes, Symptoms, Techniques

Edited By Team Careers360 | Updated on Feb 23, 2024 10:39 AM IST

Managing the commitments of being a student in these trying times or a professional looking for work can be a challenge, to say the least. In fact, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the complications of life, be it at work, with friends and family, one’s own ambitions or other vagaries of the human experience. We are no strangers to stress. But stress isn’t always negative. It all depends on how you manage it.

Stress Management Techniques: Causes, Symptoms, Techniques

In this article, we look at what causes stress, what are some of its signs and symptoms, and how you can use stress management methods and techniques to better manage it and make stress work for you rather than against you.

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What Causes Stress?

Stress is our body’s response to demanding situations and challenges. There are a number of reasons why we experience stress, ranging from minor challenges to major crises such as loss of job or academic failure. But it isn’t only the negative circumstances that can cause stress. Sometimes, even positive changes can lead to stress, such as gaining more responsibilities after a promotion or becoming a parent. So, stress is a part of normal living, but unhealthy levels of stress can take their toll.

Symptoms Of Stress

We all experience stress differently from one another. However, there are a few symptoms that are commonly associated with stress. These include the following:

Feeling irritable
Trouble sleeping
Social isolation
Tiredness
Problem concentrating
Panic attacks
Feeling overwhelmed
Sweaty hands or feet
Stomach pain

These are a few effects of short-term stress which can be curtailed through stress management methods given below. But if no action is taken to manage them, long-term stress can occur. This can cause burnout, acute fear of stress-inducing situations or the manifestation of psychological issues that can vary in intensity. It is best to resolve these issues before things get out of hand.

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Stress Management Techniques

Because stress is a normal part of life, it cannot be eliminated completely. A more realistic goal is to learn to manage it through different stress management methods. Let’s consider a few of them and see how you can develop a working stress management strategy.

Exercise

Exercise is a powerful stress relief technique that combats stress, releases endorphins, and makes us feel good. Exercising regularly also helps improve mental health and provides the much-needed energy for the day.

There are a number of things that you can do for daily exercise. Join a gym or exercise by yourself, play a sport or go for morning jogs - anything that gets you active and exercising vigorously, even in short bursts, is good for your mind and body and is an effective stress management strategy.

Deep Breathing And Meditation

In the short term, stress levels can be brought under control through deep breathing. Whenever you feel stressed out, bring the focus back to your breath. Sometimes, that alone can make a huge difference to your stress levels. Breathe through the nose and count to five as you inhale, hold for a second, then slowly exhale as you count to five again. Do this a few times and you will feel right as rain.

Talk It Out

Stressful circumstances can be overwhelming and these feelings multiply when there’s no outlet. Talking about what’s bothering you can work to reduce stress. Expressing your frustrations and worries out loud makes you conscious of the issues, re-frames and changes one’s perspective towards them. This can be an extremely cathartic act and is always a good option to explore.

You can talk to your friends or family members, a therapist, or even practice self-talk. Just make sure to focus on the positives for this to work as a stress relief technique.

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Manage Your Triggers

Stress relief techniques work great in the short term, but they do not solve the root problems. It is important to figure out what the biggest causes of stress in your life are. Is it exams, your job, a conflict in the family? If you can identify your stressors, you can work to eliminate or reduce them.

Too much negativity in the environment can cause unnecessary stress too. To ensure that you do not become embittered and can focus on what’s important, speak up for yourself and be assertive for what you want. Negotiating with others and learning how to set boundaries is an important stress relief strategy that will minimise the stressors around you and give you space enough to manage your stress when the symptoms arise.

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Get Out Of Your Head

Managing your triggers has as much to do with minimising the noise inside you as it does with dealing with the noise around you. Stress can also come from overthinking about things and allowing negative thoughts to crowd your mind. Practising gratitude is a good remedy for this as it switches one’s focus to all the things that one is grateful for, rather than what one is worried about.

This, along with keeping a positive outlook are important stress management methods that keep negativity at bay and keep oneself from getting agitated by unruly thoughts and daily hassles.

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Manage Your Time

Stress is a common response when we’re dealing with deadlines and last-minute work. Being cramped for time is usually the result of not managing time well. But stress resulting from the pressure of not having enough time to complete your tasks is completely avoidable. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a plan to manage your time -

Are you giving yourself enough time for difficult tasks?
Are the tasks prioritised based on importance?
Do you have enough free time for socialising and self-care?

Managing your time is a long-term stress management strategy that will ensure that you don’t get overwhelmed by your work or studies and have enough time to cover everything with a calm head.

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Eat A Balanced Diet

Often neglected by students, eating a nutritious and balanced diet is a highly effective stress relief technique. It also does wonders for one’s mood and keeps the stress hormones in check. Make sure your meals include green vegetables, fruits, protein, and carbohydrates to keep up your energy levels. Limit the intake of caffeinated drinks as caffeine in large amounts can increase anxiety and lead to stress. Skipping meals can also increase your stress and anxiety levels, so make sure you eat something every few hours.

Make Time For Hobbies

Doing what you love is one of the best ways to fortify yourself against anxiety and stress. Your hobbies and interest in extracurricular activities provide that outlet where you’re free to explore, create, and express yourself.

In our busy lives, it can be difficult to make time for ourselves and engage in things that don’t serve any explicit purpose. But the act of doing what you love for the sake of it is a highly rewarding experience in itself that relieves stress and keeps your spirits up. Be it playing an instrument, reading books, or playing sports, even if it is for 15 to 30 minutes, make time for your hobbies for they are crucial to your mental well-being.

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Small amounts of stress can prepare and prod us when we are in challenging situations. But un-managed stress can easily take its toll and make us uncomfortable and afraid of our stressors. Knowing what those stressors are and implementing a stress management strategy will help you keep stress levels under control and lead to good mental and physical health.