Tips against stress, what do you do when you're stressed?

[Athena]

I am stressed a lot (including now), so I was wondering, maybe some of you have some tips for me, how to best deal with this stress. What do you do when you're stressed? How do you take these worries off your mind? I have to say, I stress a lot, about many things. My main point of stress is university, though there are many other things I'm stressed about too (ie. my health, close ones, upcoming things)

I do several things:

When I stress while I'm working:

- Try to focus on the task I'm doing.

- Go to the bathroom for a few minutes to focus my thoughts. I allow myself a few minutes to think (in a quiet, alone space).

- Tackle the problem head on, this only applies if the problem I'm stressed about, is one of the things I'm doing for work.

When I stress in my spare time:

- Talk to someone close about the reason(s) why I'm stressed. It can also mean to send an email or message someone. May include hugging my boyfriend if he's near me.

- Sometimes I try to distract myself. This often means reading a book, but can also be watching a film or visiting facebook or this forum.

- Sometimes I take a bath or a shower. I find this relaxes me and allows me to focus my thoughts. I sometimes also do this when my mind is tired.

- In some occasions, it helps me to window shop (looking for items while not buying anything, but thinking about what you might want to buy in the future or later on) or even do some actual shopping. This is mainly online, as I can't go out shopping that often due to my condition (it also wouldn't be that fun on my own).

Does anyone else have any things they do when they're stressed? Any tips perhaps they can give me?

[ian]

Reading is obviously going to be big one for most people on here I would imagine. It certainly is for me. Failing that, anything that can make the brain "switch off" from whatever is bothering me - not always an easy task. I've found going to a coffee shop and lingering over a cup with whatever free mazagines are lying around helps me. I found the other week that I had been sat, totally silent, absorbed by a woman's gossip mag for 20 minutes. When I "came round" (and it really did feel like that), I felt completely refreshed, as if i'd been alseep for an hour. ) At least till I realised I'd been reading Closer or whatever in a public place!!

 

Another very good one I find is large menial tasks. Cleaning the bathroom is a great way of scrubing some stress and aggression out. Plus you get a sense of satisfaction at the end of it for a job well done. That's one you can do at work as well - filing fits the bill for me there.

 

There are plenty of others - hobbies, meditation, exercise, listening to music.

 

Hope that's been of help

[bree]

Long walks alone help me.

As does yoga.

 

Also massaging my neck and feet.

Edited February 28, 2013 by bree

[risingdawn]

I was quite stressed during my exams and I stress out over homework/coursework that I can't do there and then as I keep trying to figure it out and it annoys me that I can't. Sometimes I end up just venting a bit and swearing to myself which doesn't really help but usually I will just leave it so that I can go to my teacher for help. Sometimes I just can't get rid of the stress. I can't exactly stop revising for exams but I do give myself breaks. Revise a couple of hours for a few days and then have that many days off to compensate for my brain overworking. And obviously, reading also helps me relax or watching movies/TV shows that I can really get into.

[Nollaig]

I do nothing constructive that's for sure. I usually listen to loud music to distract myself. If I'm stressed at work, about my work, I just focus a lot more, but if it's general worries occuring in my spare time then I just blow my eardrums away with music.

[emelee]

I am seldom stressed, but I can still recommend a few things. Maybe it's because of these things that I am seldom stressed? The trick is bodily relaxation and forcing yourself to think about something else for a while.

1) Don't ever thing it's the end of the world if you fail something. It never is. If you fail, you fail. We all fail sometimes. It can be repaired.

 

2) Massage. If you can't afford, pair up with someone and give each other free massages. Your body can't be tense all the time, as it is when you're stressed. 

 

3) Have a notebook next to your bed. Cause when your brain is still working overtime at night, it's better to write things down than keep thinking about it. Then you know you won't forget your ideas.

 

4) Music. Doesn't even have to be relaxing music. It can be any music you love. Take a break and dance around and sing to music like a mad idiot. 

 

5) Take a break and watch something on TV or DVD. Something that you know will take your mind off of whatever you're stressed about. Like documentaries about something you can care about. You have to get invested in what you watch, or else your mind will drift back to what you're stressed about.

 

6) Take a swim and sit in a steam room afterwards. 

 

7) If you work out, take our your maximum level for as long as you can take it, and relax a couple of minutes before doing it again. It's better for your mind than 30 minutes jogging IMO. Also better than walking. There is no way you can possibly think of anything else if you workout at your maximum level of running or sit-ups etc. 

 

8) If you can find any: a bed of nails! Your body simply can't stay tense on it because it will hurt as long as you're tense. It stops hurting and becomes warm and relaxing when your body relaxes!

I have this one, the purple medium size: http://www.yantramattan.se/eng/index.html

[Hayley]

I escape to the bathroom when I'm stressed too, sometimes I actually do it unconsciously and wonder for a second what I went in there for 

 

I think it depends on what kind of stressed I am how I deal with it... If I'm trying to relax at night but feeling stressed I like having a hot shower.

 

If it's the kind of stressed where I have loads of work and feel a bit like I don't know what to do, I like to make a mental (or physical) list off the individual things that need to be done (makes it seem like I'm making more progress somehow). Or if I haven't already done it, going through my calender and writing in all my deadlines to help put it in better perspective.

 

Sometimes I get a sort of stressed where I feel really restless (usually when I've been concentrating on work for a long time) and (weirdly) I usually clean. Just things I don't have to actually think about, like washing up or wiping worktops or cleaning the shower. That way I don't feel guilty about stopping work, because I'm still doing useful things, but my brain gets a break!

 

Hope you're feeling less stressed soon Athena 

[Athena]

Thanks for all your tips ! I already do a few of them (I didn't think about it when I wrote my post XD), but there are lots of other tips that might help me! Thanks again .

[frankie]

I've tried relieving myself of stress in a lot of bad ways. But I'm trying to become a healthier, more responsible person, and these days I've thought about relieving stress in other ways.

 

For me ice skating works. I think jogging might work. And going to gym. Listening to good music, the kind that suits your mood.

 

And talking about one's problems with friends always helps!

 

Edit: I was silly, I was asked to speak in general terms and I only spoke for myself. I think any kind of exercise is good.

 

And lying on a spike mat, listening to good music, is great!

 

Edit2: Sometimes reading self-help books helps.

[~Andrea~]

Exercise (for me that's usually walking or swimming but a good workout in the gym often does wonders)

Camomile tea.

Cleaning.

[Talisman]

Meditation - in whatever way works for you - as long as it switches off the monkey mind. Meditation comes in many different ways and doesn't have to mean sitting staring at a candle flame (although that works for some). You could try visualisation techniques, breathing techniques, or my favourite - walking meditation, which is basically just going for a long walk in nature. Martial arts like yoga and tai chi are also good. You have to experiment and see what works for you.  

[kushy]

I do yoga, meditation and share my worries to my dear ones.

[frankie]

I've been thinking about meditation and different sorts of stress release exercises and realised there might be some audio material to be borrowed at the library. Then it hit me: there are probably stuff on youtube, as well, and I was right. Earlier this week I did one of those exercises, it was about 30 minutes long. I'm thinking these things can be really helpful and I want to look into it more.

[Cumberbabe]

When I'm stressed because I have a lot of things to do, I write a list of what needs doing. The feeling of crossing something off that lift is seriously so good.

 

I tend to go to the gym when I'm feeling stressed, and work my anger/stress out. It's a double win, because you leave feeling significantly less stressed and it's good for you.

 

Try writing down what is getting to you as well. I tend to find that my thoughts become more ordered and easier to work through when I put pen to paper.

 

And remember, if all else fails, getting spectacularly drink often works wonders.