Managing Stress Before it Gets Out Of Hand

Ah, stress. It’s something we all encounter, which means we all have to learn to manage it.

Stress is also a strange phenomenon. It's often unnoticeable until it reaches an all-time high. As the saying goes, if you throw a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will hop right out. But if you put a frog in a pot of warm water and slowly heat it, the frog doesn't know what's happening until it's too late.

No one wants to be a boiled frog. So what can we do to hop out of the pot before it boils over?

The best way to manage stress is to get out ahead of it by being extra mindful of your body. The body shows signs and symptoms of stress before our minds start to register what’s going on. Here are some things to look for (🚨), followed by some tips on stress management (👍).

🚨Pay Attention to Your (Literal and Figurative) Gut

People say to follow your gut instinct for good reason. The gut informs us when something is off – from trouble digesting food to giving us that sinking feeling in the pit of our stomach. Both can be indications that you are in the midst of a stressful situation.

In fact, tummy issues are an extremely common symptom of anxiety.

🚨Keep an Eye on Your Skin and Hair

Our skin is the largest organ. It's most exposed to the elements. And it's a great indicator of stress. If you're noticing unusually dark circles under your eyes, acne breakouts, or that your skin color is turning pale or gray, your body may be fighting toxicity.

The same applies to your hair. If you're experiencing more hair loss or breakage in the shower, that could be a sign of an unhappy nervous system.

🚨Remember to Check Your Memory and Focus

When we get overwhelmed, short-term memory can really take a hit. You might start one task, then leave it to start another one – and can’t remember where you began. Holding and processing information can also become a challenge. When your brain has too many tabs open, so to speak, it can severely strain personal and social interactions.

🚨Everything Is Worse When You're Overtired

Racing thoughts often makes it hard to fall asleep, and disturbing dreams can make it a challenge to stay asleep. When that combo hits, not getting a sold 8 hours will only make days seem more stressful. When we're overtired, we can feel irritable and become prone to over-reacting.

Noticing any of these signifiers? De-stress by incorporating some (or all!) of these strategies into your daily routine:

👍Meditate/Pray

Set aside 10 minutes every day to just sit and breathe. That’s all it takes to actually meditate! You could utilize a mantra, focus on your breath or heartbeat, or speak to a higher power. Contrary to popular belief, there's no wrong way to meditate! Whatever shuts out the stress should be your go-to strategy.

👍Exercise/Move Around

Take a walk. Get outside. Move your body. The best way to get rid of anxious energy is to release some endorphins. A brisk two-mile walk is enormously beneficial, and you can even incorporate meditation into many exercises (like hiking).

👍Set Boundaries

Don't be afraid to say no. If you find yourself saying yes to everything just to please people, then you will burn out. When you don’t set boundaries and take time for yourself, the stress in your life will increase – and so will the resentment toward yourself and others. That creates even more stress!

👍Unplug

Staying connected to social media (and all other forms of technology) can cause stress. It’s beneficial to have a tech detox day at least once a week, where you can step away from it all and be unreachable. Plan ahead, and tell those closest to you that you’ll be unavailable. That way, people won’t freak out when they don’t hear back from you! You don't want to cause others stress, after all.

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