Seven Tools for Tension Management

Leadership & Management | Written by Dr. Soliman

Simple to learn and relatively easy to carry out, we can use the tools below for our tension management and help others manage theirs.

Let's cut to the chase.

1. Make stress a good friend! Acknowledge that stress is not bad. Mentally frame stress as your friend. The energy you get from a healthy dose of stress or anxiety can increase your work efficiency. This is why we tend to become suddenly more efficient closer to deadlines and exams' dates. When it counts most, use tension sensibly to push yourself forward.

2. Keep a distance from worriers: Tension is contagious. Worried individuals sneeze tension germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are contaminated with stress germs too. Protect yourself from tension germs by identifying stress in others and limiting your contact with stress sources. If you've got influence on them, try to teach them how to better handle their own tension. It will pay you and them dividends.

3. Imitate strategies of good tension managers around you: When individuals around are losing their minds, who keeps composed? What do they do? Figure it out from a distance or call them for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do!

4. Mindful breathing: You can tip your body into relaxation by utilizing heavy breathing. Inhale for a count of 2 then breathe out for a count of 2. If you can't focus, why not whisper to yourself "one-two" breathing-in, and the same breathing out? Repeat the 2-2 breathing for 3 minutes using a timer or until you feel that things begin to feel more typical.

5. Untangle the stress thought-trains: It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all on your own. "If this happens, that might take place and after that, it will be a mess."⁣

When you see the tension thought-trains approaching, turn on your mind red traffic signal and stop them in their tracks. If you think things might go wrong, ask yourself "how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it?" Most of the things we fear never take place anyways.

6. Know your stress "activation" points: Discussions, interviews, meetings, offering tough feedback, tight deadlines... My heart rate is already racing simply composing these down! Specify. Is it only discussions to a particular audience that gets you tense? Does one project cause more stress than another?

Knowing what triggers your tension is effective details, as you can do something about it to make it less difficult. Do you require to find new coping skills? Do you need to switch to decaffeinated coffee?

7. Sleep and be merry! Low sleep wreaks havoc on our body and mind. It is kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it's often ignored as a tension management strategy.

And these are seven effective stress management tools. Have a handle on your stress and you will be a healthier, happier, and more enjoyable person to be around!

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I am a Certified Life Coach. More tips could be found on my website: www.drsoliman.com/blogs