Feeling stressed? You are not alone. Stress is a common experience for many adults. As common as it may be, one should not take it lightly. Failure to manage stress can lead to physical and mental health issues affecting your quality of life. Here are some of the effective strategies to help combat stress in your daily life.

1. Identify and manage stressors.¹ When you feel troubled, recognize the cause. It could be work-related, financial concerns, health problems, major life change, relationship issues, societal pressure, and many more. Once identified, take your time to find out how to manage them or minimize the impact. If it’s a problem you can solve, go ahead and take action. If it’s not, remind yourself that you have the power to manage your response to it. Focus on self-care, develop coping strategies, cultivate a positive mindset, and seek support when needed. You can build resilience and navigate stress in a healthier way.
2. Physical relaxation or stimulation. Take a few minutes to relax your muscles, organize your thoughts, and visualize a peaceful and calming place/situation. Other relaxation techniques that you may try includes the progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) technique², meditation, yoga, aromatherapy, and massage. Exercising improves mood by releasing endorphins (happy hormones) so this is a sign for you to exercise regularly!
3. Eat and sleep well. Consume well-balanced meals and do not skip any throughout the day. Doing tasks on an empty stomach may put you in a bad mood and increase stress. Sufficient sleep is also essential for your mental well-being. For adults, at least 7 hours of sleep is recommended.³ Do get professional treatment if you are suffering from any sleep disorder.
4. Set your own pace. Life is not always a race. Everyone has their own goals in life, but you do not have to be chasing them all the time. Slow down when you feel tired. Social media use has been associated with lowered self-esteem so if you find yourself comparing your life negatively with others you see online, self-reflect and spend less time online.⁴ Most of the time, people share their success and happy moments online, and keep their struggles to themselves. You may be in the struggling phase but have faith in yourself and you will get there too one day. Utilize the mute and unfollow functions when you encounter toxic accounts. These contents may affect your mental well-being without you noticing.
5. Engage with the world around you. Give full attention to what you are doing and focus on one thing at a time. Your mind may find joy in what you are doing and the results may turn out better too. You will probably feel more satisfied as you have put your best effort and attention to it. Do not forget to engage in self-care. Love yourselves first so you can love others too.
6. Manage time wisely.  If there’s a big task you have to get done soon, break it down into smaller achievable tasks first and set realistic deadlines for each of them. Prioritize the tasks well and avoid overestimating your capacity.
7. Money management. Personal finance can be a major stressor. Learn to manage it, create a budget plan, and avoid impulsive buying.⁵ Slowly save up for big purchases. This gives you more time to compare prices and evaluate whether it is a need or simply a want. Make a habit of saving up a portion of your earning, even a little. Make an emergency saving of 6 months of expenses just in case you are faced with financial distress at an unexpected time. Strictly assess your own financial standing before applying for a credit card or loan. Your application may be successful but that does not mean you can afford to commit to the repayment.

Remember that stress is a normal part of life, but when all your efforts to manage it fail, do not hesitate to seek help from healthcare professionals or mental health experts for better understanding and guidance in managing your stress effectively.

REFERENCES

1. Healthline. Causes of Stress: Recognizing and Managing Your Stressors. https://www.healthline.com/health/stress-causes (accessed 24 May 2023).
2. Varvogli, L.; Darviri, C., Stress management techniques: Evidence-based procedures that reduce stress and promote health. Health Science Journal 2011;5(2):74.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Much Sleep Do I Need? https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html (accessed 22 May 2023).
4. Midgley, C.;  Thai, S.;  Lockwood, P.;  Kovacheff, C.; Page-Gould, E., When every day is a high school reunion: Social media comparisons and self-esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2021;121(2):285.
5. The Balance. 10 Simple Ways To Manage Your Money Better. https://www.thebalancemoney.com/ways-to-be-better-with-money-960664 (accessed 24 May 2023).