Three quarters of the MENA population is stressed. Yes, you’ve read that right. Three quarters. According to Bayt.com’s ‘Work Satisfaction in the MENA’ poll released in November 2012, a whopping 74.1% of professionals in the MENA region are stressed by their jobs, with 34.8% affirming that their stress is ongoing. Stress is inevitable. It walks in and out of our lives on a regular basis, and it can easily walk all over us unless we take action. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to minimize and cope with stress. Here are 12 ideas for handling stress without causing more strain and hassle:
1. Take control of your environment. If someone causes you stress, limit the amount of time you spend with that person; if traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route; if going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online, and so on…
2. Pare down your to-do list. Analyze your responsibilities and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts”, and drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list.
3. Learn how to say “no”. Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, learn how to refuse added responsibilities. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
4. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
5. Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead, you can alter the amount of stress you’re under.
6. Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Try to make exercising or walking to work a daily habit.
7. Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
8. Do not eat lunch while working. Take a break for lunch. Do not eat your lunch while you’re working. If you eat under pressure then most likely you will suffer from indigestion or flatulence.
9. Get some fresh air. Take a few minutes to get out of the air-conditioned workspace and breathe some fresh air.
10. Avoid online distractions. Do not let social networks or your emails distract your attention. When this happens it is difficult to concentrate again and go back to work. Try to check your email at specific intervals and not all the time.
11. Sleep the stress away. Lack of sleep reduces your energy and has an impact on your performance at work. Get at least seven hours of sound sleep every night.
12. Take a day off. Needless to say, a holiday does wonders for your emotional health. While most of us would love an exotic getaway to our location of choice, holidays need not entail a suitcase, an airline ticket and a huge expenditure. After a really stressful month, checking into your local spa for the weekend may be just as effective! It may seem that there’s nothing you can do about stress. The bills won’t stop coming, there will never be more hours in the day, and your career and family responsibilities will always be demanding. But you have more control than you think. In fact, the simple realization that you’re in control of your life is the foundation of stress management. Indeed, managing stress is all about taking charge of your thoughts, emotions, priorities, and the way you deal with problems.
Do you have your own tips to deal with stress? Share them with us in the comment section below!
