Coping with Stress - All in the Mind - Dr Sangeetha Madhu and RK Shivani

Coping with Stress

Stress is an element of everyday life affected by multiple contributing factors from all areas of functioning: personal and professional in nature. When stress persists, it can take a toll on your health and well-being causing a burnout. This could further impair functioning in various areas of life. A stressful environment can cause physical symptoms (for eg: headache, sleep disturbances, stomach aches), cognitive symptoms (for eg: difficulty concentrating, difficulty paying attention) and emotional symptoms (for eg: short temper, low mood).

The 3 A’s of dealing with stress are as follows:

●      Adapt to the stress

By adapting to a stressful situation, the impact caused reduces which in turn can provide health benefits. Choose healthy coping options such as exercising regularly, meditating or engaging in leisure activities to handle stress. Engage in following a healthy diet since food choices have a great impact on mood and cognitive functioning throughout the day. Use relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises, meditation and practising mindfulness. Start by taking a few minutes out of your day to focus on simple activities like breathing, eating your meal and breathing. The ability to focus on these activities increases with time and can be easily applied to other areas of life.

●      Alter the situation

By changing the way you communicate and operate in life, the situation can be modified. Taking help from trusted friends and family members can improve your ability to handle stress. If you continue to feel overwhelmed, seeking help from a counsellor and taking part in programs at work designed to provide professional help can be beneficial.

●      Avoid unnecessary stressors

It is not healthy to avoid stressful situations that need to be addressed. However, by eliminating the emergence of stressful situations can be beneficial. Creating a balanced schedule and planning tasks ahead of time helps in avoiding stressful situations that may arise due to not meeting deadlines and time pressure.

Dr Sangeetha Madhu , a clinical psychologist and Leadership expert & Shivani RK presenting articles related to well being, leadership/personal development, cognitive mastery, positive emotions, building resilience, and relationships.