Take it Easy.

Stressed-out much? Relax. Nobody can live their life without stress. Stress comes naturally as a mental response to problems we face on a daily basis. With the problems there comes the stress and without them, well, there’s no life. But it is not to imply that you cannot avoid or minimise stress in your life. How else would you make your life happier, healthier and more productive? Modern-day pundits suggest that living in the moment, being present in every moment can help reduce stress, while the realists, boasting of the science behind it all blame its occurrence to the lack of sleep. The reasons of its existence in our lives, therefore, range from being scientific to being spiritual.

In this day and age, with so much information download, even planning to go on a holiday can be a daunting affair. Let us see how we can maintain a balance and unwind on the days when stress seems to be playing its part.

Sleep: Try to sleep for eight hours in a day. Weekend of not, make sure you are getting up at the same time every day. It is important to maintain a consistent sleep-cycle and failing to do so may result in unnecessary touchiness.

Breathe: Breathing right is one thing and focusing on your breaths is quite another. It is one of the most powerful tools there is, to help get yourself in the present moment. You can count your breaths or practice the holding-your-breath exercise that you were taught in school to drive yourself in the present moment. Meditation helps, too, but we will have a separate post on its positives soon.

Give Up: Sometimes, in work and life in general, there comes a moment when nothing goes in your favour. You will be overworked, overstressed and solutions wouldn’t come by that easily. When you encounter such situations, just stop and relax. Let go! Get busy with something unrelated before inspiration finds you and anchors you rightfully.

Accept: Accept yourself the way you are. Don’t curse yourself too much if you cannot handle a situation. If you cannot let go, see if you can change what’s bothering you. For example, if you have a habit of completing your tasks at the last moment and feel stressed-out about it, try to be more determined and finish it in time. If you can cannot, then that’s who you are. And you really cannot change it.

Try these tips to make a difference and lead a stress-free lifestyle. Do you have tips to eliminate stress from your life? Share with us in the comments.

Quit Rage.

Anger is a natural emotion. Everyone gets angry on occasion but the need of the hour is to manage anger. Anger can take many forms including irritation, self-botheration, explosion-like and avoidance. Rage controls you, which is why they say that you have lost your temper. When anger gets uncontrolled, it becomes rage. Busy lifestyles, tight deadlines at work, familial and peer pressure to outperform competitors, the rush to become a success and lack of patience are some of the many subtle reasons causing stress, anxiety and depression, ultimately leading to rage.

Let us explore ways in which you can quit your rage:

Breathe it Out: Let go of rage by simply counting your breaths. Breathe deeply and not from your chest. Many experts suggest that neurological rage response does not last for more than a few seconds. Like the legend goes, count till 10 when raging and see if your flared nostrils have subsided. Slowly repeat the words or phrases that can relax you, such as “take it easy,” “relax”, and the like.

Own your Feeling and Communicate: When angry with someone, first confess to yourself the reason and own it up in front of the other person, instead of flying into a rage and making a menace of yourself. Rage is known to get you overly exaggerated and dramatic. If you say things like, “I am upset with your behaviour,” or “I was not expecting this out of you,” and talking in a calm manner about what has upset you, it can keep the situation from becoming volatile.

Exercise: When you exercise, a lot of pent up energy exits from your body. And a composed mind is better equipped in handling issues of anger than anything else. Go for a walk in the park and try to divert your attention to the beauty around you. Return when you feel calm. You can also try changing your environment. Change your surroundings. Take a break from anything that is causing you anxiety. Be at peace and have some personal time. You can also visualise yourself in your favourite place doing things that you love the most.

Always remember, anger is not necessarily a bad thing when used as a constructive response to a threat. But one should work on anger before it becomes an uncontrollable rage, understand it and take steps to change the situation. Redirect your anger in a positive way. Anger is a healthy emotion if expressed appropriately. As they say, decision taken in a rage, while having lost your temper, is a decision you are sure to regret.

Quit Rage. Manage Your Anger to Achieve More.