Stress is the norm in today’s world – we experience it at work, in our finances, relationships and health. But here’s the question: is stress in the driving seat, or are we in control?
Click start to play today’s Spell It, where you can find ways to keep ‘calm’ when facing hurdles.
Stress is unavoidable. According to a November 2019 report by the Greater Good Science Centre at the US-based University of California, Berkeley, around 50 per cent of people are burned out in industries like health care, banking and nonprofits.
Learning to cope and dealing with stress, however, makes a big difference. A massive study by TalentSmart, a US-based training and coaching organisation, which involved more than a million people, found that 90 per cent of top performers are skilled at managing their emotions in times of stress, in order to stay calm and collected.
Here are some strategies to use when you’re faced with stress, according to US-based business news magazine, Forbes:
1. Embrace gratefulness
Showing appreciation for what you have, and being grateful, has been known to not just improve your mood but also reduce the stress hormone cortisol by 23 per cent. According to a study conducted by US-based University of California, Davis, people who made it a habit to consciously find things to be grateful for, every day, experienced an increase in mood, energy and physical wellbeing.
2. Don’t speculate with ‘What if?’
People who have mastered the art of staying calm know that if they start asking ‘what if?’, it’s like throwing fuel on the fire of stress and anxiety. The more time we spend thinking about possibilities in which things could go wrong, the less time we have to dedicate towards calming activities that build a positive mindset, like taking action.
3. Stay positive
When things go wrong, our minds are suddenly full of anxiety driven, negative thoughts. Wading through them and coming up with something positive to think about can be a challenge, but it’s vital to shifting our attention away from negativity and inaction. According to the Forbes report, positive thoughts help stress to become intermittent, rather than all-consuming and ever-present, since the brain’s attention is diverted by something that’s stress-free.
Other things calm people do, include disconnecting from work and taking the time to recharge, as well as making sure they get enough sleep, so that they are able to regulate their bodies and stay clear-headed.
What do you do to stay calm in stressful moments? Play today’s Spell It and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
