How do you cope with stress and pressure?

Even through stress forms part of our everyday lives, we all have our own unique way of dealing with it. Some may falter and collapse under pressure and go into a downward spiral of negative productivity, whilst other may thrive and actually do better when faced with a stressful situation.

Understanding what stress is may help you to put your challenges into a better perspective and develop a more positive outlook. What it really boils down to is that stress can be defined as the demands that are being made of you versus the resources that you have available to you to cope with these demands. When the demands are equal to the resources then you are likely to experience pressure. If the demands on you are greater than your resources or coping mechanisms, then you may suffer from stress.

These demands may be internal or external. Internal demands are the expectations that you have of yourself. Sometimes these expectations may be too high and you will definitely get stressed out when you cannot meet them. In this instance it is advisable to check in with yourself and ask yourself whether you are not setting goals that are too high or completely out of your reach. If they goals are too high then find goals that are achievable or take small steps to reaching your goal instead of trying to get things done in one go. There is a saying that goes “if you want to eat an elephant, you need to take one small bite at a time” and this is very appropriate in this instance.

External stressors come from people and situations around you. It may be family, friends, loved ones or work that may place extra stress on your life. If you have the resources like good time management skills, patience, compassion or an ability to set boundaries with others, you may find it easier to deal with external stressors. Noise pollution like very loud machinery, loud music or traffic may also be considered an external stressor. Getting stuck in a traffic jam or dealing with rude people is another form of stress that can cause irritation and anger.

Your body responds to stress by showing physical signs and symptoms, and by becoming more aware of them, you can alleviate the stress before it takes hold. When under stress the body releases hormones into the bloodstream. These can cause physical symptoms like nausea, body aches and pains, skin irritations or rashes, palpitations, constipation or diarrhea, and breathlessness to name but a few.

Stress may lead to indulgence in unhealthy activities like drinking, overeating and smoking too much. It can also have a big impact on one’s sleeping patterns which in itself can cause stress.