Written by: Claire Johnson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In today’s modern world, it is very common for people to say that they feel stressed out, either by someone, something or through managing multiple responsibilities. So, what is stress? It can be defined as anything that causes a physical, emotional, or physiological response which places strain on a person. Various situations or life experiences could cause someone to feel stressed, and everyone will respond differently. Triggers to stress can range from an unexpected change, undertaking something new, something that makes us feel threatened, or generally feeling like we out of control with a situation.
Small amounts of stress over a short period of time can be a useful motivator when working to a tight deadline or in response to an increased workload. It should be expected to experience an amount of stress when striving to achieve success. Whilst stress is difficult to avoid altogether, it is important to learn how to manage your stress levels to maintain optimum health, focus, and productivity long term. Our ability to cope with stress varies and can depend on our previous life experience, personality, social or financial circumstances.
The first signs of stress include feeling anxious, being irritable, experiencing headaches, and a mind racing with many thoughts. This can cause sleep problems, loss of appetite, and poor concentration. Your immune system can be weakened, and you may also experience digestive issues and reoccurring colds. This can affect your productivity, ability to function at your best and may result in an absence from work.
From a physiological perspective, when your stress response is triggered from a physiological perspective, your body is flooded with cortisol and adrenaline, the natural stress hormones designed to put your body into action. It’s the classic fight or flight response. Your heart will beat quicker, blood pressure rises, and your breath quickens. The impact of experiencing this repeatedly over a prolonged period of time can lead to bigger health problems.
If you are striving for success or pushing through a busy period, there are ways you can manage stress to maintain your health, so you can continue to be productive and achieve your goals.
The first step is to take the time to calm the body down, find something that is relaxing, and allows the body to switch into the parasympathetic nervous system, in effect putting the brakes on to stress. At the end of your working day, set aside time for yourself to quiet the mind and process the events of the day. This could be reading a book, doing some meditation or breathing exercises, or a short switch off in front of the TV. Generally, try to avoid additional screen time when you are winding down. Never underestimate the power of a hot bath too!
During the day, try to take breaks to walk outside, grab some fresh air and reoxygenate the body. Avoid eating at your desk so you can slow down, take time for lunch, and let it digest properly, ensuring you do not experience indigestion and maximize your nutrient absorption.
As a rule, look to reduce your alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine intake as these will increase the feelings of anxiety associated with feeling stressed. Highly processed fast foods or foods full of sugar will further negatively impact your overall health and ability to handle the effects of stress on the body.
The key to maintaining a high work output level is to focus on creating a healthy lifestyle that supports the stress you put your body under to achieve the goals you are working towards. Creating an overall healthier lifestyle combines regular exercise with the right eating habits plus regular sleeping patterns. You will find you can release frustrations easier, focus on a positive growth mindset more frequently, and have longevity in your chosen career pursuit.
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Claire Johnson, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
Claire is an expert mindset, nutrition, and training coach for women, author, TV presenter, expert speaker, and female empowerment mentor.
Claire is the CEO of The Naked Warrior, which delivers 3 winning online coaching programs and Founder of The Naked Warrior Tribe online female empowerment community plus the author of two books — The Winning Formula: Discover the Secrets to Unleash Your Alpha Female and The Winning Physique: How to Get the Competitive Edge on Stage.
