Stress Management Techniques You Can Do Now to Help You Relax  

Sometimes when we experience stress, negative thoughts about ourselves creep in. These invasive thoughts may declare that you aren’t good enough or you can’t handle what’s going on. Therapists teach and utilize tools such as “cognitive reframing” to help people avoid a feeling of spiraling into stress. Take a moment and notice any negative thoughts you’ve had about yourself. Include anything you thought about yourself but would never say about your best friend. Once you have identified these thoughts, turn them around.

Examples of turning negative thoughts into positive ones include:

• “I can’t handle this!” becomes “Considering all that’s going on, I’m handling it well.”
• “Nothing is going my way. Everything is awful.” becomes “I’ve hit a few obstacles, but I know good things will happen too.”
• “I am alone in this.” becomes “I can reach out for help if I need it. People care about me.”
• “I made a huge mistake. I’m so stupid!” becomes “I’m smart and capable. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.”

Consciously and purposefully think the exact opposite of your automatic negative thoughts. This helps to moderate your viewpoint to something less catastrophic and more reasonable and comforting.

We use our senses to observe and interact with the world around us. However, when one or more of these senses is a little too stimulated, it can make stress worse.

If you can, take some steps to lower your sensory input, even if just for a few moments.

Examples to reduce your sensory intake:

• Turn off sources of background noise.
• Close your eyes.
• Look away from the screen.
• Anything you can do to reduce sensory input can help you find stillness and combat the stressors in your life.

Flipping the script on negative thoughts and stopping sensory overload are great techniques, but sometimes the racing thoughts are just too much to contend with. Another strategy to try is metaphorically escaping for a moment. Do something that gets you “out of your own head” and thinking about anything but the stress.

Examples of escaping in a healthy way are:

• Try taking a walk or just step outside to get a breath of fresh air.
• Art and crafting projects can be a great way to escape.
• Go to the gym and get some exercise. Frequently this reduces stress and gives some clarity.

This could mean playing a game, calling a friend, watching a show, or playing with your pet. Whatever gives you joy and gets you away from the negative thoughts for a few moments counts. Then, when you’re ready, take a few deep breaths and get back at it. You’ve got this!

If you’re stressed, take a moment to notice any tension in your body. Is your jaw clenched? Are your shoulders tight? Maybe there’s excess tension in your legs. This is a common part of the body’s stress response. Turn the cycle around by intentionally relaxing each muscle.

Here’s steps to relax your muscles:

• Start by focusing on relaxing your scalp.
• Then release the tension in your brow, mouth, jaw, and so on.
• Continue down your body, spending at least a few seconds on each body part.
• By the time you’re relaxing your toes, you may feel less stressed and more capable of taking on the day.

This exercise can also be an effective technique for falling asleep.

Laughter can almost immediately turn your mood around. Of course, laughing on command probably won’t do the trick. Instead, try:

• Chatting with your funniest friend.
• Watching or listening to your favorite comedian.
• Checking out your favorite source of memes.
• Watching an episode of a comedy show.
• Recalling your funniest childhood memory.
• If you can only manage a smirk or a giggle, that’s ok too. Purposefully finding joy and humor is the point here.

The techniques above are helpful in many stressful situations. However, sometimes the stress is too great or chronic to tackle on your own. A licensed therapist with LifeStance can help you via in-person or online appointments. By working with you to develop a personalized plan to help you manage your stress and live a happier life, LifeStance is your mental health resource.