#57 - Stressed? What...me?
16 Apr 25
'I'm stressed' is something we all hear people say regularly. And the stress that is manageable varies from person to person as we all have different tolerances and resilience levels.
But, recognising when it has all got too much and admitting that you can't cope is the very first step to being able to deal with it.
Exposure to continually high levels of stress have consequences for long-term health and so it is important to take action to address it before your body responds on your behalf!
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#57 - Stressed? What...me?
What?
Stress is one of the biggest threats to health in the modern age. A 2018 UK YouGov survey found that 74% of a population of 4619 respondents reported being so stressed that they had been overwhelmed or unable to cope.
In anyone's determination, that is a shocking statistic. But not entirely surprising. Whilst it is acknowledged that some stress in life is actually a good thing in order to motivate, the balance appears to have been tipped such that most people appear to be consistently operating in the zone where there are likely to be real consequences to long-term health.
Why?
The reasons are many. We now live in an 'always on' culture, where our availability is pretty much 100%. Couple this with financial uncertainty, children living at home for longer, and also caring for elderly relatives (who are living longer), it's no wonder that the 'sandwich generation' feel under attack on all fronts.
However, the problem is that most people don't realise they are en route to experiencing unhealthy stress. Or if they do, they don't want to admit it!
I liken this to driving the same car for years then deciding to trade it in for a brand new car. If you have ever done this, the change to the driving experience is quite dramatic. You suddenly realise exactly how bad the old car was. My point is that the old car was clearly steadily degrading over the years at a rate which was hardly noticeable. The point at which you buy the new car highlights in an instant what you have been living with.
If you know that you're suffering from stress, but won't admit it then you are self-sabotaging yourself and creating yet more stress on top!
How?
So, if we don't know how much or even if we are stressed, how can we take action to firstly recognise how bad it has got? More importantly, what can be done to offset and course correct?
Here are some ideas:
- Create a 'life audit' and look at all of your commitments, not just those that are associated with work. Rate them in terms of the stress associated with them in descending order. Starting at the top and working down, ask how best you can reduce the stress level for each.
- Be active. Exercise is undoubtedly a release and an escape from stress, especially by 'zoning out' as you exercise. You'll be amazed at how refreshed you will feel afterwards.
- Take back control. Identify what is outside your locus of control, and forget about it. Focus on controlling what is in your orbit and take charge of your own destiny.
- Connect with people. Draw on your support network for distraction and also to talk things through, or even to 'vent' to them. Get it off your chest!
- Dedicate time outside exercise for yourself or 'me-time'. Pursue a hobby, read, do what you enjoy.
- Challenge yourself. Set a goal to achieve something, examples could be to run a marathon, learn a language or play an instrument. Again this is a distraction technique.
- Avoid unhealthy habits. Most people default to over-indulging either alcohol or food, or seek release through smoking. Set better habits!
- Help other people. Never under-estimate the dopamine effect received through helping others.
- Work smarter, not harder. Learn to say no and take control of your work day.
- Maintain a positive outlook. Mental health is hugely important and maintaining a positive outlook goes a long way to preventing you from descending into a 'pit of despair'.
In Summary
I hope that you enjoyed reading this newsletter and that it has given you food for thought.
Stress is one of the silent killers. Understanding and acknowledging that you are stressed is just the very first step in the journey you need to embark upon to reduce it and build resilience and coping techniques back into your life.
Have a great week!
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