Stress Management - Learn To Manage Stress
Let’s be real for a minute — we all, in some capacity or another, feel stress. Because life involves constant change , there is no avoiding stress.
Problems with stress can cause headaches, stomach aches, short temper, and problems concentrating. Long-term chronic stress can cause symptoms such as high blood pressure, insomnia, anxiety, and weight-loss and gain.
According to the American Institute of Stress, over 61% of Americans feel stressed about work. Over half of the adult population feels this way, so if you feel this too, you are not alone. So, the question is, how do we fix this?
The answer is self-care. It is ESSENTIAL to have routines in our lives that revolve around the concept of mental well-being. So, here are some great tips on how to manage stress in the workplace and at home to maintain balance!
Clean Clean CLEAN!
It is scientifically noted that the process of cleaning alleviates stress by giving you a sense of control and responsibility over your space in your life. A clean space is also less distracting, and less cluttered. When we are stressed, its’s normal to feel disheveled and unorganized, and CLEANING resolves all of this!
Exercise
Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can act as a stress reliever. If you're not an athlete or even if you're out of shape, you can still make a little exercise go a long way toward stress management.
Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits including increasing the production of your body’s endorphins.
Catch more “Zzz’s”
Without adequate amounts of sleep, we experience fatigue, inability to focus, moodiness, irritability, forgetfulness, and most importantly: STRESS.
Following a regular sleep routine calms and restores the body, improves concentration, regulates mood, and sharpens judgment and decision-making.
Meditation
Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace. Anyone can practice meditation. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't require any special equipment. And you can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you're out for a walk, riding in a car, or even waiting at the doctor's office.
Go spend some time OUTSIDE
Whether you enjoy hiking, picnics, or just sitting out on your front porch, being outside is proven to alleviate stress. Fresh air and open spaces can bring relief and relaxation to your life like nothing else can! Try and step outside, take a walk, or even enjoy a meal out in the open.
Find a support group
If your stress is chronic, you should look into seeking professional help, or finding a support group in your area. Support groups bring together people who are going through or have gone through similar experiences, and can provide coping strategies and methods to manage any issues they are dealing with.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
All TPCO employees have access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offered through Cigna. This program is available at no cost to you. EAP personal advocates will work with you and your household members to help you resolve any issues you may be facing, connect you with the right mental health professionals, direct you to a variety of helpful resources in your community, and more. They provide a well-balanced offering to help you live a well-balanced life.
If you have any questions about EAP or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Human Resources department (hr@tpco.com)
Helpful Stress Management Apps
Some apps aren't specifically geared toward stress management but have been found to be helpful in relieving stress just the same by supporting other healthy habits. Here are a few recommendations:
My Fitness Pal: This app helps you to track your eating patterns and provides articles and recipe ideas for staying in shape as well as a tracker to enable you to track your weight, caloric intake, and more.
Fitbit: Because physical activity can affect your mood and because sleep is so important, this activity tracker and sleep monitor can be used for stress management by helping you to see what you're doing well and motivate you to sleep more and move more, both of which can be mood boosters.
House Cleaning: The House Cleaning app is a complete checklist of housekeeping tasks to keep you on track. From kitchen cleaning tasks to the bathroom and beyond, following this list will have you well on your way to a clean home.
Colorfy: This is an adult coloring book brought into the digital realm. With a selection of images to choose from, or the option to upload your own sketches to color, you can spend hours in a flow state or focused meditation through this app.
Headspace: This is a meditation app but so much more. With targeted meditations led by a former monk on sleep, happiness, productivity, mindful use of technology, and dozens of other topics, Headspace can help bring balance and peace across all aspects of daily life.
Calm: This app promises a "journey to a calmer mind" and it has many ways to lead you there. It boasts guided meditations and breathing exercises as well as bedtime stories to aid relaxation and promote sleep.
7 Cups: This is a fantastic tool for when you just need someone to talk to. Trained active listeners are available to chat with you via text or online, and to be there to help you through difficult times.
So if you are feeling stressed, know that you are not alone. Untreated chronic stress can result in serious health conditions, so please make sure to take the necessary steps to deal with any stress in your life.
If you find yourself experiencing physical symptoms you think may be related to stress, talk to your doctor to be sure you are doing what you can to safeguard your health. Symptoms that may be exacerbated by stress are not "all in your head" and need to be taken seriously.
There are so many outlets and coping strategies for stress that you can find that may work for you. Stress is normal, and manageable if taken seriously. Everyone is different, and so are the ways they choose to manage their stress.
