STRESS MANAGEMENT IN THE COVID SEASON

The global COVID 19 Pandemic has turned things around from the familiar to the unfamiliar and scary darkness is looming all around us! It is a season to learn to adjust and manage the uninvited stress situations that have been tagged along.

How are you managing the current season? One of the best methods of dealing with stress is taking charge. You must learn to take charge of your emotions, thoughts, environment, schedule and the way you handle problems like unexpected problems like the current crisis.

The ultimate goal is living a life that is balanced with time for work, relationships, fun and building resilience under pressure by confronting challenges head-on.

Unfortunately, when most people get stressed they turn to unhealthy habits such as drinking, smoking and withdrawing from friends etc. These ways may relieve stress temporarily but they may have damage in the long run.

In life, stress is inevitable bills will flow and even pile up with the changing world, time will hardly be enough to run all your errands, family and work responsibilities will need your attention.

The most positive thing in all this is that you have more control than you would probably think. I've been through tough painful situations including been homeless sleeping hungry and losing everything in a fire!

Ultimately, I become a better person by holding on to resilence and hoping for the best amidst all these unimaginable situations. Now, I'm able to be sensitive and to empathize with people going through difficult situations.

Tough seasons never last but tough people do. You can if only you learn how to take charge of your life.

To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your attitudes, habits and excuses.

Do you always blame your stress on other people your upbringing or your environment?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in maintaining or creating it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

We will look into some healthy ways of managing stress.

Identify Your Stressors

Stress management starts with identifying your stressors. It's not always easy to do this and it's easy to overlook some self-induced stressors. This includes your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Another factor could be your procrastination to meet deadlines that lead to stress.

Keep a Reflection Journal

A stress journal can help you to identify your regular stressors and ways to deal with them.

Keep this habit of writing whenever you feel stressed and as you keep a daily log you will see patterns and common themes.

Some important things to note are: What caused the stress? How did you feel physically and emotionally? How did you respond? What did you do to make you feel better?

Look at the different ways you Cope with Stress

You can have a background check on ways on how you handle stress previously and a stress journal can proof handy at this juncture. Are your strategies for coping with stress healthy or unhealthy? After identifying the different ways whether positive or negative then you could either change them or stick to them if they are healthy.

Avoid Unnecessary Stress

It's not possible to avoid some stressful situations that need to be addressed however, you will be surprised to note that many of the stressors in your life can be eliminated.

Let's check some ways of eliminating unnecessary stress; learn to say "No" a simple word that carries a lot of weight! Know your limits and avoid to commit to tasks that are more than you can handle whether they are personal or professional.

Taking more than you can handle is a sure recipe for unnecessary stress. Avoid toxic people who stress you out, by spending minimal time with them or alternatively end such relationships entirely.

Pare down your to-do list; Analyse your daily schedule and if you find that you have too much on your plate, distinguish between the" should's" and "musts". Identify the tasks that aren't truly necessary or eliminate them entirely.

Learn and Practice Relaxation Techniques

Use various techniques such as meditation, engage an exercise regimen in your schedule especially in this COVID 19 season. Your body fights stress when it is fit, and also ensure you eat well-balanced meals. Make time for social events and hobbies that make you relax.

Accept the Things you Cannot Change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. The current COVID 19 is beyond our control's people have experienced job losses and losses of loved one's. It's not easy to accept such situation's but it's easier to accept than to rail over a situation you cannot change.

Don't try to control things that are uncontrollable. Many things are beyond our control in life like the behaviour of other people or the loss of a loved one. Rather than stressing over them, it's good to focus on things you can control such as your reactions on such challenges.

Sharing your feeling's with trusted friends or consulting a counsellor is a healthy way of dealing with things that cannot be altered because the weight is lifted.

Learn to forgive the wrongs that are done to you, is a stress reliever. We are living in an imperfect world where people do all sorts of hurtful things to others. Freeing yourself from negative energy and moving on is key.

In Conclusion

Once you've identified how stress shows you can start fleshing out a plan that fits you. This will help you put some solid solutions such as social support, emotional, better healthy ways of tackling problems and making the world better. COVID is here with us but ultimately, it will exit no matter how long it may take but it will.

Accept the negative effects attached to COVID 19 and remain positive," it shall surely come to an end! Stay Happy because it's within your control.

Leave your comments on how you are coping in this COVID Season.

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