Four key strategies to focus on calm and avoid stress

Change, the challenges that come with change, and stress are a reality in every workplace. Here are 4 key strategies helpguide.org has offered to help overcome stressful situations.

Dealing with Stressful Situations: The Four A’s

Change the situation by:
                                           Avoiding the stressor.
                                           Altering the stressor. 

Change your reaction by:
                                           Adapting to the stressor.
                                           Accepting the stressor.

 Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress.

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

                    • Learn how to say “no”
                    • Avoid people who stress you out
                    • Take control of your environment
                    • Avoid hot-button topics
                    • Pare down your to-do list

 Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

                    • Express your feelings instead of bottling them up
                    • Be willing to compromise
                    • Be more assertive
                    • Manage your time better

 Stress management strategy #3: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

                    • Reframe problems
                    • Look at the big picture
                    • Adjust your standards
                    • Focus on the positive

Stress management strategy #4: Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

                    • Don’t try to control the uncontrollable
                    • Look for the upside
                    • Share your feelings
                    • Learn to forgive

Stress is a part of our daily work lives. Continued practice of these strategies in stressful situations will help mitigate the effects of the stressor on you, your team, and the workplace in general.

And, when the time is right, we’d love to share how we can provide some learning opportunities to help people address the stress they are feeling from organizational change and the challenges that brings.

We’re ready to talk when you are.

James Wills
 
Excel Thru Learning
A Division of Patricia DeMers & Associates
Tel: 519-383-6002 | Fax: 905-789-0595
jwills@excelthrulearning.com | www.ExcelThruLearning.com

For a more detailed look at these avoidance strategies follow this link:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm