Affirmations should always be present. Repeat to yourself, “This isn’t a complicated problem,” or “I can handle this situation with no problem.” This takes you away from the automatic reflex of stress, which can include hyperventilating, sweaty palms and butterflies in your stomach. It helps you to separate your intellectual self from the part of you that is under stress. Therefore, you become calmer.
Take Deep Breaths and Count
When stress attacks, take a few deep breaths and count to ten. This will put you in the habit of relaxing as soon as stress strikes. If the phone has been ringing off the wall, or desk, and it’s ringing again, take a few deep breaths before answering it. Shake your arms and let them go as limp as those of a rag doll. This puts you in control and being in control lessens stress. This response will become habit after you’ve used the technique a time or two.
Look Out the Window
No matter what the view is, a few minutes looking out the window will take you away from a stressful situation. When your eyes relax, your body tends to follow.
Emotional Outbursts
Emotional outbursts can help you reduce stress levels. Yell or cry. If you are at work, this isn’t possible, but when you are in a private office, a washroom or your car, an emotional outburst can provide a release for built-up stress.
Massage Muscles
You, like everyone else, have particular muscles that knot and tense up when you are under stress. Stress produces adrenalin and adrenaline produces stress. It’s a vicious circle that can remain unbroken. Break the circle by massaging the knotted and tense muscles. These are often in the neck and shoulders. When you massage them, you will feel some of the stress drain away.
Exercise
Exercise is a great stress buster. Go for a walk, use the treadmill or hop on a real or stationary bicycle. Because humans respond to stress with muscle tension, stretching muscles and getting a bit of exercise reduces stress and our muscles relax, leaving us to face our problems and challenges in a calm and relaxed way. Regular exercise builds stamina, which will keep stress levels normal. If you experience a stressful situation, take a walk or do other exercise that will help you get your stress under control because exercise burns the chemicals that make us feel stressed.