Managing Stress for Goal Achievement
Stress management
wouldn’t seem like something that would be a part of setting goals but it
could be the difference between you achieving them and not achieving them.
There is positive stress and negative stress. Positive stress adds
anticipation and excitement to life, and we all thrive under a certain amount
of stress. Deadlines, competitions, confrontations, and even our frustrations
and sorrows add depth and enrichment to our lives.
Our goal is not to
eliminate stress but to learn how to manage it and how to use it to help you
achieve your goals. Insufficient stress acts as a depressant and may leave you
feeling bored or dejected; on the other hand, excessive stress may leave you
feeling all mixed up inside.
What you need to do is find the optimal
level of stress which will individually motivate but not overwhelm each of
us.
How Can I Tell what is Optimal Stress for Me?
There is no single level of stress that is optimal for every person. We are all
individual creatures with unique requirements. As such, what is distressing to
one may be a joy to another.
And even when we agree that a particular
event is distressing, we are likely to differ in our physiological and
psychological responses to it. That’s just human nature.
The
person who loves to arbitrate disputes and moves from job site to job site
would be stressed in a job that was stable and routine, whereas the person who
thrives under stable conditions would very likely be stressed on a job where
duties were highly varied.
Also, our personal stress requirements and
the amount which we can tolerate before we become distressed changes with our
ages. It has been found that most illnesses are related to unrelieved stress;
for example, anxiety disorders, bowel disorders etc.
If you are
experiencing stress symptoms, you have gone beyond your optimal stress level;
you need to reduce the stress in your life and/or improve your ability to
manage it.
Stress symptoms include, but are not limited to:
- Hair falling out
- Anxiety attacks
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Increase of appetite
How Can I Manage Stress Better?
Identifying
unrelieved stress and being aware of its effect on our lives is not sufficient
for reducing its harmful effects. Just as there are many sources of stress,
there are many possibilities for its management.
However, all require
work in order to be effective. Changing the source of stress and/or changing
your reaction to it. So you might be wondering how do you do it? Let me show
you.
1. Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and
physical reactions.
- Notice your stress and its beginnings. Don't ignore it.
Don't gloss over your problems.
- Determine what events stress you out. How much do these
events mean to you?
- Determine how your body responds to the stress. Do you
become nervous or physically upset? If so, in what specific ways?
2. Recognize what you can change.
- Can you change your stressors by avoiding or
eliminating them completely?
- Can you reduce their intensity over time?
- Can you shorten your exposure to stress by taking a
break, or leaving the physical premises?
- Can you devote the time and energy necessary to making
a change (goal setting, time management techniques, and delayed gratification
strategies may be helpful here)?
3. Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to
stress.
The stress reaction is triggered by your perception of danger
and/or fears physical danger or emotional danger, and fears of failure etc.
- Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated terms
and/or taking a difficult situation and making it a disaster?
- Are you expecting to please everyone because I’m
telling you that you can’t?
- Are you overreacting and viewing things as absolutely
critical and urgent all the time? Do you feel you must always come out the
winner in every situation?
- Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the
stress as something you can cope with rather than something that overpowers
you.
- Try to temper your excess emotions. Put the situation
in perspective. Do not labor on the negative aspects of everything find a
positive in them if you can.
- Take personal time to evaluate your surroundings
clearly.
- Take a deep breath when overly stressed and count
backwards from 10.
- Exercise a little bit or take a walk daily
4. Build your physical reserves.
- Eat well-balanced, nutritious meals.
- Maintain your ideal weight or appearance.
- Avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine, and alcohol.
- Mix leisure with work. Take breaks and get away when
you can.
- Get enough sleep. Be as consistent with your sleep
schedule as possible.
5. Maintain your emotional reserves.
- Develop some mutually supportive
friendships/relationships.
- Pursue realistic goals which are meaningful to you,
rather than goals others have for you that you do not share because they
won’t succeed.
- Expect some frustrations, failures, and sorrows and let
them go.
- Always be kind and gentle with yourself be your own
best friend.
To your Success, may you reach your goals.
Gary
Killops
Using the Plug-In
Profit Site System has help Gary Killops achieve his financial income goals
by creating multiple streams of residual income.
Copyright © Gary
Killops.
All rights reserved.
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