Stress is the most common problem among humans these days. It causes physical, emotional and psychological strain which can lead to an inability to function effectively. There are plenty of reasons because of which we face stress in life – stress is usually caused when there is a lot of pressure being put on us. Sometimes, stress can be caused due to our own mistakes. There are both short term and long term effects of stress depending on the type of stress. If stress is left unattended, it can cause havoc in life and your mental peace can get ruined. Many a times, people don’t try to find and rectify the cause of their stress. Here are some of the most common causes of stress along with the strategies to overcome them.
1. Not Having Enough Money:
One of the most common causes of stress is lack of money and this type of stress is called financial stress. Financial crisis can put you under a series amount of stress. There are numerous circumstances under which a person can have financial stress – it can be in the form of credit cards, job loss, unplanned expenses, debts, unpaid bills, EMIs, rent and taxes.
Solution: Spend money wisely
Do not take up much of a burden on yourself. It is advised to spend money wisely and not to take up many commitments at once. Always make sure that you buy only crucial things rather than spending money on unimportant stuff. Managing money in an appropriate way can really put you at ease because when you spend money wisely, you will not need to take up any debts. Hence this can reduce a lot of your stress.
2. Taking Too Much on Yourself:
Learn to say “NO” when you are actually busy or already burdened with a lot of responsibilities. Do not think that if you refuse to take up more work, it may let people down. Taking up more than what you are capable of can reduce your potential and you may not be able to give your best in what you’re doing. If you take up more than what you can do, you may get acquired with stress and might not be able to manage everything at once and deliver everything on time.
Solution: Set limits and don’t take up more than what you can manage to do
Set expectations before people and tell them about your limitations. This will prevent you from getting unnecessarily stressed and end up doing more than you should actually be doing. In this way you can easily manage work and do it comfortably without any stress.
3. Unable to Meet Deadlines:
Time scarcity is the feeling that you have very little time. Even if you have been racing through the day trying to complete all the tasks on your to-do list but still not been able to tick everything off! This could lead to a stressful situation. When you don’t have enough time, you can’t focus on important tasks and thus end up getting unsatisfactory results. This can be due to poor time management.
Solution: Manage time effectively
Prioritize tasks based on their importance. Wasting precious time on unimportant tasks can make you forget things and leave the important tasks unattended, and this can put you under a serious amount of stress. It is advised to determine urgent tasks and set priorities for the day. Make sure you complete all the important tasks first and then head towards the others.
4. Worrying About Things You Cannot Change:
Unhelpful thinking is what most of the youth do these days. They waste their time and energy on things that cannot be changed. Some people do not have the ability to accept things as they are. Trying to change something that can’t really change can create unnecessary stress. Also, when you keep worrying about it, you won’t be able to concentrate on other important stuff – which will make you even more stressed and depressed.
Solution: Accept the fact that you cannot change everything
Changing something is not always possible. It is best to accept that you can’t control everything and stop worrying about the things you cannot change. Accept things as they are and keep in mind that certain situations are out of your control. This will help you feel more positive and feel less stressed.
5. Not Getting Enough Relaxation:
Constantly working and having no leisure time can keep you high on tension all the time thus making your body lack rest and relaxation. You will not be able to destress yourself because of which you won’t be able to work effectively. Your body also needs rest to rejuvenate itself. Long hours of working can make you bored and worrisome.
Solution: Involve in relaxation activities and have some leisure time
It is important to spare some time for relaxation. You can indulge in relaxation activities like meditation, yoga, muscle relaxation and breathing exercises. Or you can preferably have some “me time”. All this can help you get recharged and leave you feeling refreshed and energized again and you can perform much better after this relaxation.
6. Personal and Professional Conflicts:
It sometimes happens that there is disagreement about certain things at the workplace or sometimes even at home. Different people perceive things differently and hence there is a difference in opinion. It is obvious that one feels very much stressed when there are such conflicting situations at home or at the workplace.
Solution: Try avoiding and resolving conflicts as much as possible
Identify the points of agreement and disagreement and communicate effectively to clearly demonstrate your point of view rather than unnecessarily being argumentative and confronting. Don’t blame anyone during the conflict, rather try to simply arrive at a mutual understanding.
7. Loneliness:
Loneliness has a negative impact on your mental health. It is associated with a high risk of mental heath issues like depression, sleep problems and increased stress. Social isolation can lower your self esteem and make you feel all alone.
Solution: Connect with people and make friends
Connect with people who care for you, support you and make you happy – it could be someone among your friends, your relatives, your neighbors, or your colleagues. You can share your thoughts and feelings among people so that you don’t feel stressed and get supported through difficult moments.
8. Trouble Accepting Change:
Sometimes change can make us feel stressed. It can be change of job, change of residence, or change of preferences. Whenever changes happen in life, our brain is challenged, and it perceives it as negative. This tends to trigger our anxiety levels and has a great impact on our decision-making process. Even if that change is positive, it induces a feeling of unfamiliarity and anxiety among people.
Solution: Welcome Positive Changes in Life
Start accepting changes as positive challenges. Changes are important because they help you grow, expand your perception, and evolve. Embracing change is not so easy but don’t give up, instead take risks, and keep learning through the beautiful changes in your life. Change allows people to move forward in life and experience success you have always desired. Learn to embrace change.
9. Breakup/ Marital Separation/ Death of a loved one:
Loss of a person is intolerable. Ending an intimate partner relationship is the saddest thing that can happen to a human being. This includes the end of a marriage, death of a close relative or other personal relationships. It is often a difficult time because you feel unsure about what to do next. Break ups with can lead to feelings of being hurt and rejected.
Solution: Allow yourself time to heal
Avoid overthinking after a breakup, because what is meant to be with you forever will always stay with you. Just think that whatever you have lost was not meant to be with you. Remember that nothing is permanent. Everyone is meant to leave this world sooner or later. Take care of yourself and talk to people with whom you feel comfortable. Make yourself busy to stop worrying about the past and start working to achieve the life you’ve always desired.
What are the Effects of Stress:
Constantly being under pressure will surely make us function less. Excess stress had adverse effects on both body and brain. If left unchecked, stress can put you at an increased risk for a variety of physical and mental health problems. Your body responds to a stressful situation by releasing hormones that prepare you to either fight or take off. This process is called the "fight or flight" response. That’s why when you're in a stressful situation, your heartbeat speeds up, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, and sometimes you even start to sweat.
Stress hormones are released every time you’re stressed, which over time can lead to decreased immune functioning and a lot of other health problems such as:
1. Frequent headache and dizziness
2. Stomach or digestive problems
3. Loss of interest
4. Abnormal weight loss or weight gain
5. Abnormal irritation and anger over silly things
6. Lack of concentration and motivation
7. Feeling of being worthless and isolated
8. Memory loss
9. Constant worrying and overthinking
10. Trouble sleeping
11. Sadness and depression
12. Panic attacks
13. High blood pressure
14. Restlessness and anxiety
The Bottom Line
Plenty of us are dealing with major stresses at any point in time because stress is unavoidable. It is natural to be stressed at times, but prolonged stress is clearly harmful for your physical and mental well-being. Try relieving and managing stress using a few simple strategies like exercising, being mindful, listening to music, spending time with a pet or talking with a friend. Alternatively, if you avoid these causes of stress, you could even avoid stress before it occurs!
If you need someone to help you relieve your stress, connect with expert therapists and start taking care of yourself from the comfort zone of your home!