Stress is not just a feeling. It is also recognized as a mental health issue and can be hugely detrimental to physical health as well. It causes high blood pressure, heart attacks and heart disease, ulcers, insomnia, obesity, diabetes, and much more. Being stressed for too much of the time really can be fatal.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to take a look at the things in your life that are the most stressful and try to either remove them or make them easier to deal with. Here are some ideas and solutions.
Running Out of Time
We are all so busy and there is so much to do — plus so much that we want to do on top of the chores and tasks that are essential — that for some it might feel as though there is never enough time to do it all. This can be extremely stressful; it feels as though we’re working for nothing as we never get any further forward and the to-do list never ends (in fact, it seems to just be getting longer).
Feeling this kind of pressure will clearly lead to feelings of stress as well. In order to combat this problem, making a to-do list is an excellent idea. If you write down what has to be done in order of priority, you’ll soon see what is really important and what isn’t. The tasks that aren’t so important can go at the bottom of the list and, if you don’t have time to do them because you need a walk in the park or a nap, they can be left for another day.
Looking After Others
It also might be that your stress comes from having to look after others. Whether that be children, pets, elderly relatives, or friends, it can be very hard to take care of them and yourself at the same time.
The key here is to ask for help when you need it. The Internet is a good place to start. When it comes to your pets, you can check out heartandpaw.com for advice, and for relatives (young and old) there will be forums and websites offering help. In some cases, you might need more than the advice of strangers, in which case you can hire a nanny or carer to ease the load.
Remember also to take time for yourself. Even if you think you’re coping well, taking a couple of days off every now and then to recharge and have some space is a good idea. When you are well, you can take care of others much more easily.
Not Being Able to Say No
What do you immediately say when you are asked to do something? If it’s always yes then you are probably causing yourself stress for no reason. If you can learn to say no when you need to, then you will be much happier.
If you say no when someone asks you something, it’s not a case of being mean or unhelpful. It will be for a legitimate reason, such as:
- You don’t have time
- You don’t have the skills
- You need to take some time for yourself
- You are unwell
Of course, no one wants to let anyone else down, but you simply cannot say yes all the time and be completely happy. Something has to give somewhere, and it could be your mental health that suffers.
Learning to say no when you need to is an important life skill and one that can make a lot of difference to your stress levels and overall health and happiness.
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