Give your brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about. Any positive thought will do to refocus your attention. Image: Stock.
We can’t avoid stress, but being continually subjected to it can damage us mentally and physically. Travis Bradberry has some advice for ensuring stress stays under control.
Over the years, I have found some startling research that explores the havoc stress can wreak on one’s physical and mental health.
One study by Yale University found that prolonged stress causes degeneration in the area of the brain responsible for self-control.
The tricky thing about stress, and the anxiety that comes with it, is that it’s an absolutely necessary emotion.
Our brains are wired such that it’s difficult to take action until we feel at least some level of this emotional state.
In fact, performance peaks under the heightened activation that comes with moderate levels of stress. As long as the stress isn’t prolonged, it’s harmless.
While I’ve run across numerous effective strategies that smart people employ when faced with stress, I have listed some of the best.
A few may seem obvious, but the real challenge lies in recognising when you need to use them and having the wherewithal to actually do so in spite of your stress.
They appreciate what they have: Taking time to contemplate what you’re grateful for isn’t merely the right thing to do. It also improves your mood because it reduces the stress hormone cortisol by 23 per cent.
University of California research found that people who worked daily to cultivate an attitude of gratitude experienced improved mood, energy, and physical wellbeing.
They stay positive: Positive thoughts help make stress intermittent by focusing your brain’s attention on something that is completely stress-free.
You have to give your wandering brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about. Any positive thought will do to refocus your attention.
When things are going well, and your mood is good, this is relatively easy. When things are going poorly, and your mind is flooded with negative thoughts, this can be a challenge.
In these moments, think about your day and identify one positive thing that happened, no matter how small. If you can’t think of something from the current day, reflect on the previous day or even the previous week.
The point here is that you must have something positive that you’re ready to shift your attention to when your thoughts turn negative.
They disconnect: Given the importance of keeping stress intermittent, it’s easy to see how taking regular time off the grid can help keep your stress under control.
Forcing yourself offline, even turning off your phone, gives your body a break from a constant source of stress.
Studies have shown that something as simple as an email break can lower stress levels.
Choose blocks of time where you cut the cord and go offline. You’ll be amazed at how refreshing these breaks are and how they reduce stress by putting a mental recharge into your weekly schedule.
If you’re worried about the negative repercussions of taking this step, first try doing it at times when you’re unlikely to be contacted – maybe Sunday morning.
As you grow more comfortable with it, and as your co-workers begin to accept the time you spend offline, gradually expand the amount of time you spend away from technology.
They limit their caffeine intake: Caffeine can put your brain and body into a hyper-aroused state of stress, allowing your emotions to overrun your behaviour.
The stress that caffeine creates is far from intermittent, as its long half-life ensures it takes its sweet time working its way out of your body.
They sleep: I can’t say enough about the importance of sleep in increasing your emotional intelligence and managing your stress levels.
When you sleep, your brain recharges, so that you wake up alert and clear-headed. Your self-control, attention, and memory are all reduced when you don’t get enough – or the right kind of – sleep.
Stressful projects often make you feel as if you have no time to sleep, but not taking the time to get a decent night’s sleep is often the one thing keeping you from getting things under control.
They quash negative self-talk: The more you ruminate on negative thoughts, the more power you give them.
Most of our negative thoughts are just that – thoughts, not facts. When you find yourself believing the negative things your inner voice says, it’s time to stop and write them down.
Once you’ve done this, slowing down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity.
They reframe their perspective: Stress and worry are fuelled by our own skewed perception of events.
It’s easy to think that unrealistic deadlines, unforgiving bosses, and out-of-control traffic are the reasons we’re so stressed all the time.
You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control how you respond to them. So before you spend too much time dwelling on something, take a minute to put the situation in perspective.
If you’re thinking in broad, sweeping statements such as “everything is going wrong” or “nothing will work out”, then you need to reframe the situation.
A great way to correct this unproductive thought pattern is to list the specific things that actually are going wrong or not working out.
Most likely you will come up with just some things – not everything – and the scope of these stressors will look much more limited than it initially appeared.
Any time you are overcome with enough stress/anxiety to limit your performance, just follow some of these steps to empower yourself and regain control.
Travis Bradberry is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling book Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and the co-founder of TalentSmart. His books have been translated into 25 languages and are available in more than 150 countries. He can be contacted at TalentSmart.com. This article first appeared on the TalentSmart website.
