They say that a little bit of stress is good for you, for it pushes you to get up and get things done. Being too stressed out though, especially on a constant or ongoing basis, can have devastating consequences for our health, wellbeing and even relationships.

People often feel over-stressed as a result of some event, or trigger. This doesn’t necessarily have to be negative (such as the death of a loved one, divorce). In fact, it could turn out that a new job, or even a new lover may induce feelings of stress when you’re trying to impress or please, for instance. Then, there is also stress induced by acute emotions as the result of a death or loss of a job, for instance, or chronic stress brought about by trying to cope with long-term unemployment or being in a bad relationship.

Did you know that there is also such a thing as too little stress in one’s life? Yes, when a person is experiencing elevated levels of stress, we know it can get difficult trying to cope. A lack of stress, on the other hand, may result in the body and mind being under-stimulated, leaving a person feeling bored and isolated. In an effort to find stimulation, many people do things which are harmful to themselves, such as taking drugs.

Over-stressed or under-stressed, people tend to deal with it in different ways. Some may reap desirable positive results, in terms of relieving their stress levels, while other ways may prove detrimental. They may think they are coping well with their stress, due to the temporary relief their actions bring, but more often than not, these solutions don’t do much to reach into the source of the stress. Negative stress management actions include:

  • Drinking alcohol (it changes your mood, not your problem).
  • Denying the problem (the problem will remain).
  • Taking drugs (including stimulants such as caffeine or pain medication).
  • Overeating (binge-eating, poor diets).
  • Smoking cigarettes

Chasing time is a popular stress factor
Every one of us has 24 hour in a day to get things done – and countless people from all over the world feel overwhelmed when it comes to managing their time, for there seems to be too many things to do in a day, and too little time to do them all. This is regardless if you’re in the corporate world, or a housewife, for instance. In a day in the working life, individuals may feel bogged down by endless work assignments, expectations from their superiors, the desire to perform their tasks well (to the point of not taking good care of their health), etc. Stay-at-home moms, on the other hand may experience stress due to a plethora of factors: the endless household chores, meal preparation, her children’s homework, her children’s problems at school, grocery shopping (and parking!), lack of time to sit down for a proper meal, dealing with sibling rivalry among her kids, etc.

Time is today’s most valuable commodity. We all juggle choices, anxious to please family, workmates, and friends. Here’s the thing though: we can’t please everyone without ignoring our own needs – for it’s quite impossible to do that! So, what you need to do is to determine what your priorities are, and see to them first, before tackling all the others in your ‘to do’ list.

Here are a few tips.

  • Determine what’s important to you
    Set aside some time to think deeply about your life and goals. Write them down! Writing such a ‘mission statement’ is a good way to firm up your opinions about what’s essential to you in life, what you’d like to be, and what you’d like to accomplish. Write in ways to inspire yourself, so that you will be encouraged to plan out your day and prioritise what’s important to you.
  • Make those checkboxes count
    Yes, it’s that checkboxes-making time. It may be daunting at first, for everything feels important to you. Believe us, some of those tasks can wait! Sit down and categorize your daily tasks into ‘important’, ‘quite important’ and ‘unimportant’ boxes. You can also make similar lists for weekly/monthly goals. This will guide you and you will be able to carry out tasks smoothly, without double-guessing your decisions.
  • Identify a goal/goals
    Begin by identifying a goal for the coming week in each role. These goals don’t necessarily have to be an activity; they can be as simple as determining an area on which you want to concentrate, such as being more patient with your children. Limit yourself to two goals for each week.
  • Organize and evaluate your week
    Use a week-at-a-glance diary or draw up your own chart to plan the week ahead. Don’t feel that you can’t deviate from this, however. If you plan an activity and something prevents you from completing it, just readjust your schedule. At the end of the first week, take a realistic look at how it went. Where were the big successes? And which scheduling details were less successful? Learn from the last seven days and identify those times when you consciously decided to prioritize one activity over another. If your goals need to be adjusted, adjust them – the aim here is to make them attainable without having to sacrifice your peace of mind.
  • Count your blessings
    24-hour happiness is rare in this world, but what’s certain is, you can be in full control of your own life. Things may happen, and not everything may please you, but like everything else in this world, life will still go on and you too, will have to go on. Count your blessings each day, before you go to bed and when you wake up. This way, you’ll find a shift in your thoughts, and take on the day or week with gratitude and renewed enthusiasm. After all, if really think about it, there are many, many things in life to be grateful for!