8 Techniques to Manage Stress (and practice them here and now)

Phew! Another holiday season has come and gone. Whether you work in customer support, run your own retail business, or have a million deadlines to reach, we know this time of year can create an unforgiving amount of stress. We know exactly how you’re feeling. Now that the season is over, we can take a breather — sit back and relax, take a well-deserved vacation, treat yourself to a spa day.

But the reality is, unfortunately, that we don’t take enough time to do this. We hop right back into it and begin preparing for the upcoming year. All of us have and will experience stress, whether we realize that we’re stressed or not, and this is where we want to support you along the way — because long-term stress can have adverse effects on both our mind and body. Check out this video to see how stress affects your body.

As you read this article, take a moment to practice some easy stress management techniques shared by Dr. Psych Jānis Grants. Keep in mind that these techniques aren’t a one-and-done deal. Your stress won’t magically disappear after one breathing exercise (or maybe it will — if it does, consider yourself very lucky). For these techniques to be most effective, practice these strategies regularly, even if you don’t feel stressed!

What is Stress?

First, we need to have a basic understanding of what stress is, why we get stressed, and how to actually identify when we’re stressed.

Let’s start with the fundamentals. Stress is a person’s mental or physical response to any pressure, and can be caused by external or internal stimuli. According to Dr. Grants, the primary sources of stress are:

• Work/School — We have deadlines to meet, we’re overworked, we deal with angry customers, and we’re pressured to reach certain standards.
• Relationships — We’re responsible for the care of people and maintaining relationships — significant others, spouses, children, or aging parents.
• Change/Transition — We start new jobs, move to new cities or countries, and we graduate from university.
• Loss — We lose other people, whether through death or breakup, or we lose jobs.
• Health — We fall physically ill, we get diagnosed with disease, or we struggle mentally.

Stress can emerge from one or a combination of these factors. Chronic stress can lead to burnout. How do we know if we’re burned out? Dr. Grants notes three main things to look out for:

• Exhaustion — We are physically and emotionally tired, we have difficulty getting going in the morning, and we struggle to control our emotions.
• Cynicism and Detachment — We have a negative attitude, we lose enjoyment, we feel disconnected, and we conflict with others.
• Lack of Accomplishment — We become less productive, and we start to feel useless and ineffective.

Now that you’re more aware of the effects, reflect on these questions, or discuss with a colleague or friend if you’re comfortable. Where in your body do you feel stress? How does stress impact your mood? What do you do when you’re stressed?

Managing Your Stress

1. Physical Activity

The minimum recommendation is 20–30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity, three times a week. Aerobic activities that get your heart pumping, such as running, hiking, or cycling, can be highly effective.

2. Reduce Stimulants

Reduce, not necessarily eliminate, things that stimulate your body (coffee, tea, nicotine, sugar, sodas/energy drinks).

3. Balanced Diet

A balanced diet can make you feel more energetic, help you focus, and give you a better overall feeling. Watch this video and learn what happens if you stop eating sugar for 30 days. While it may be ok to enjoy a bowl of ice cream in moderation, keep in mind that sugar is hidden in many different foods in today’s diet, and can have devastating effects on our bodies.

4. Meditation and Relaxation

Meditating, breathing exercises, practicing mindfulness, and doing relaxing activities — massage, yoga, or tai chi, for example — can help us de-stress and remain in the present moment. Many of these simple techniques can be practiced anywhere, at any time. Take five minutes to practice one of these relaxation methods:

• Deep Breathing — Achieve a slow and steady breath through belly breathing. Breathe in slowly through your nose for about four seconds, hold for a moment, and breathe out through your mouth for four more seconds.
• Guided Imagery — Where is your happy place? Use the power of your mind to create a sense of relaxation by imagining a place you’ve been where you truly felt at peace. This may be the beach, a quiet place in nature, or even your favorite spot to sit at home.
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation — By purposely tensing and relaxing your muscles, you’ll notice the difference between feeling tense and feeling relaxed. This exercise can be modified to your abilities. Remember, stress reduction shouldn’t be painful, so do only as much as you can.
• Meditation — Reset your mind with this 5-minute meditation you can do anywhere.
• Mindfulness — If you have a bit more time to spare, try this 20-minute mindfulness meditation to focus on becoming more mindful and present.

5. Build a Support System

You might be surprised at how many people share many of the same feelings as you. Seek support from family, friends, colleagues, or a therapist.

6. Sleep

Sleep is essential to mental health. The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7–9 hours per night. The right amount of quality sleep will help you stay focused and energized throughout the day. You’ll be surprised by how beneficial practicing good sleep hygiene, aka a sleep routine, can be. Did you know you can train your brain to fall asleep? Check out these tips for getting a good night’s sleep and improve sleep with progressive muscle relaxation.

7. Cognitive Strategies

Implement various cognitive strategies to your daily life to reduce stress:

• Positive Affirmations — I am confident. I am happy and grateful that ___.
• Positive Self-Talk — I have many reasons to smile. I am striving for progress, not perfection. With every breath, I release tension.
• Setting Boundaries — For example, not checking work email after a certain time.
• Grounding Strategies — Bringing yourself to the present moment. Use your senses to list things around you with the 5–4–3–2–1 Method, a quick grounding exercise you can do anywhere. Count five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one emotion you can feel.
• Rewarding Self — Do or buy something that motivates you and reinforces your hard work.

8. Apps

We have stress management tools and guidance at our fingertips. There are a ton of different apps to help you manage stress, focus, practice meditation, and so much more. Here are a few that we recommend:

• Calm
• Insight Timer
• Headspace
• Buddhify
• Unplug
• Simple Habit

With a little bit of Internet browsing, you can find countless free resources to guide you through stressful times. Thanks to Dr. Grants, you now have a solid starting point. Think of it as a gateway to your stress management journey.

So, there you have it. Stress management neither has to be time-consuming nor difficult. Remember, the little things add up. As you’re creating and planning your goals for the upcoming year, we here at Printify encourage you to incorporate at least one of these stress management techniques into your routine before you enter crisis mode, aka when you’re already burned out. Find a friend or colleague to do these exercises with together, and keep each other accountable. Enjoy your life.