Who knew when I decided to create a spring series focusing on stress management that there would be a pandemic and all of our stress levels would shoot through the roof? Not me.
2020 is giving us a run for our money, and now it’s more important than ever to learn how to manage our stress so it doesn’t permanently move into our lives.
What I’ve been hearing about most from people over the past two weeks is the stress of managing uncertainty.
There is an understanding that most things in our lives are uncertain, but moving through our general fast-paced days pre-pandemic, we could forget that fact. But now uncertainty is screaming at us. And with this much uncertainty, stress is never very far behind.
When will this be over?
When can I go back to work?
What if I get sick or someone I know gets sick?
Will this happen again?
When can I see my friends?
These are all good questions, and not having the answers right now gives stress a good chance of taking over our lives. So how do you manage stress when feeling bogged down by uncertainty?
Here’s one tried and true strategy I live by (I’ve been using it for the past two weeks) and want to share with you:
Break tasks into slivers, not chunks.
Breaking any task that causes stress into smaller pieces causes a big picture idea—which can feel overwhelming—to get slivered out into several small and more manageable bits, creating steps toward the bigger goal. This strategy allows us to see a way through to the end. That’s why it’s one of my favorites. Seeing slivers gives a starting point. Chunks can create panic.
For example, looking at our current situation as a chunk can get overwhelming very quickly. Then the questions I listed above have room to grow in our minds. We don’t know the answers, and that alone can cause stress. So I suggest slivering this situation out to make the unknown less daunting.
An example of a sliver would be “I got through yesterday and today is going OK so far.” That is honestly as far as any of us can go with being certain about anything, and saying a statement like that to ourselves can help us get into the present, to focus on what we are doing in the moment instead of looking into the uncertain future.
Another way to manage the challenges we're all facing is to introduce elements into your daily routine that you look forward to. This could be a work-related task, a catch-up call with friends, or tackling household chores that you've been postponing. Additionally, if you're dealing with mental health issues and seeking to make them more manageable, consider exploring your support options. This might involve finding a therapist, joining a support group, or seeking more intensive treatment. For instance, if you are struggling with alcohol use, recovery services like alcohol rehab near me play a crucial role. Such support can help you establish a structured schedule and routine that you can depend on throughout the day, providing a framework that supports your recovery journey.
Creating some structure or focusing on something that will make you feel good or you know you have to do (you might dislike laundry, but clean sheets can feel nice!) helps break down the unknown into some certainty: “I know what’s coming today; I’m going to do laundry.”
Staying mindful and focused on slivers reduces stress and helps us take it one step at a time, one day at a time. That’s why I always say: Slivers, not chunks.
I encourage you to practice breaking your day into slivers. See if that helps improve your focus and decrease any stress you are feeling through this uncertainty.
If you are interested in learning more about managing your stress, I also encourage you to check out my online store, where I offer tons of skills to manage all types of stress.
Stressed? Here’s How to Manage It
Welcome to the Progress Wellness newsletter spring series! Last summer I got great feedback on a series of newsletters and blog posts that focused on mindfulness strategies. So, I decided to start spring a little early with this new series on stress management. Over the next several months, I will be focusing on different types of stress and specific skills to manage it all. Hooray!
I felt this was an important topic to explore because when stress starts working against us, we become unproductive and unhappy. This is why having effective coping skills to manage stress is imperative to our well-being.
Stress is something most of us have felt at some point in our lives. But how can we define it? Well, stress is an emotional strain—usually caused by life events—that can negatively affect how we think and perceive situations, impacting our internal well-being.
Here are just a few examples:
You’re experiencing a lack of sleep, or you’re having difficulty falling or staying asleep.
You’re experiencing ruminative thinking, which means you’re having a hard time shutting off your mind from your worried thoughts. It almost feels as if those worried thoughts are like a running stream in your mind, a stream that never rests.
Your mind is engaging in negative self-dialogue, meaning your inner thoughts are beating you up. Phrases like “I can’t do this,” “I am going to look like an idiot,” or “I have no idea what to do” are common refrains.
Do these symptoms resonate with you?
If you’re experiencing stress, here is one strategy I often recommend trying as a first line of defense:
Make a list of all the things you would like to do or get back to doing—aka self-care! This could be making sure you’re still saying your favorite mantra periodically throughout the day; getting back into your favorite hobbies; learning something, like a new language or recipe; taking quick breaks at work; scheduling time to see friends; or even creating alone time. Or why not more than one!?
Once you have your list, ask yourself which thing you first want to incorporate into your life. How can you choose?
I recommend that you start with an item that is relatively easy to incorporate into your schedule. Then, once that’s part of your routine, consider adding in another. Think about adding these things into your schedule like you would a meeting in your calendar. This strategy can increase the likelihood of the routine sticking—and at the very least it can give you a visual reminder that you want to improve self-care!
Even small positive shifts in self-care can have dramatic effects in reducing stress levels.
If you’re interested in becoming an expert in managing your stress and kicking it to the curb once and for all, check out my online stress management course, covering in-depth strategies to combat every type of stress. The course includes printable worksheets and access to a private Facebook group, where I host a weekly livestream and answer questions for course members.
As always, I am sending good energy your way!
Stress Management and the Holiday Season
The holidays are fast approaching, and that can bring both excitement and stress rolled up into one tangled ball. That’s why I wanted to focus this month’s newsletter on strategies that help target holiday stress! I know we’re all extra short on time during this season, so let’s get to it.
Stress Busters for the Holiday Season
The bathroom! This is an underused strategy, in my opinion. The bathroom is a room that offers so many options. After just a few minutes in this porcelain haven, you could leave feeling more grounded and mindful.
A trip to the bathroom offers periodic pauses, opportunities to breathe and take a needed brain break. The skills I have listed for this strategy only take a few minutes—just long enough for you regroup without making others think you disappeared.
*Run warm or cold water on your wrists. This can be very soothing and calming. Or splash cold water on your face!
*Sit on the edge of the tub (if there is one) and describe the room to yourself. What do you see? Are there tiles? Is there a pattern? What colors do you see? Can you hear anything? A vent perhaps? Dripping water?
Say your answers aloud. You can say it all in a whisper if you prefer, but it’s better to do it verbally as it helps increase focus on the skill.
*Play a quick game on your phone. Word puzzles can be a fun break from whatever else is running through your mind.
*Watch a two-minute YouTube video of something funny or lighthearted.
*Do push-ups against the wall.
*Practice deep-breathing exercises, either while sitting or standing. You can try breathing in through your belly to the count of four and exhaling to the count of eight. Or find a different breathing technique that works for you. If counting isn’t your thing, that’s OK! There are so many out there, I know you can find one that you like.
*Text friends to check-in and take yourself out of your current situation.
Who knew you could be so skillful in a bathroom! Going out to a restaurant for a holiday dinner instead of going to someone’s home or hosting? No problem! Most of these skills can be used or tweaked to work in public restrooms.
Appreciation is another skill that can be particularly helpful during the holidays. Practicing appreciation increases awareness that you have things to be grateful for, which can help reduce challenging emotions such as anger, anxiety, sadness, and stress.
Even the smallest thing we can come up with creates a positive shift in our brains. Feeling appreciation causes us to pay attention to what we do enjoy, have, and love, and leaves less room for any negative thoughts.
Give it a try! What are five things you appreciate at this very moment? It can be anything. Here are mine: I am grateful that I have eyes that can see, for my morning coffee in my Britney Spears mug, for the work I am doing, for my daughter and family, and for having the heat on this cold November day.
The idea is to practice both skills now, that way they will be on the front burner of your brain when you need them. There are a few days left before Thanksgiving. What skills will you be practicing to help prep for the day?
As always, I am sending good energy your way!