A Non Proffesional Guide to Stress Management

A Non Proffesional Guide to Stress Management

I’m a very calm guy, I have however had problems with anger, anxiety, borderline depression and overall stress just like any other primate that has lived beyond their childhood years.

I think we are now far more aware of mental health, at the same time I think we have become less adept at self management because getting help is so much easier now. That’s not to say that people shouldn’t reach out, they absolutely should, I just believe that if we lose all our self reliance and self adaptability we will suffer in the long term. To that end I thought I would write about a few things I do that let me live my life happier and more relaxed.

1. Routine

Routine is the backbone of my life. Everything from working out to my morning shave. It creates micro goals in your day to day life that always allow you to have some sense of accomplishment. Implementing it is easy as well. Start of by writing a list of things you need to do tomorrow before bed, putting these down on paper will make you less likely to think about them when trying to fall asleep. Keep doing this until these tasks become second nature and bam. You have a routine. It doesn’t need to be complicated. Nice and simple.

2. Martial Arts

I’ve done Karate from a young age. I’ve dabbled in various others but Karate has always been my go to. Traditonal martial arts instill discipline into the practiononer through respect and repetitive practice. This builds character and teaches natural stress management techniques such as meditation and breathing which I will come onto later. Karate for me was a winner due to its incorporation of Kata, a sequence of moves fighting imaginary opponents. Those reading this who have never been in a fight, I can tell you that you can’t think about anything else while it is happening. The same goes for Kata.

3. Meditation

I practice kneeling meditation. I have for a long time. There are many ways to meditate, it is a skill that you can get better at with time but even beginners can benefit from it. As an example my wife uses Headspace which is amazing and I’ll link it below. It has guided meditation that works an absolute treat. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes an hour. No matter what I always feel more centered and present after meditating. Give it a go…

4. Grounding

If feeling totally overwhelmed grounding can be a quick leveler. Simply absorb your surroundings. Five things you can touch, hear, see, smell or taste. You don’t have to hit every sense but it is a good way to bring you in the moment and to stop past or future stresses overwhelming you.

5. Fitness

I keep fit, partially because I need to for my trade but mostly because I enjoy it. Doing daily exercise will help you sleep better, boost confidence and science says it will fill you with mood boosting hormones. Go for a walk, lift some weights or a good romp in the bedroom. Burn some calories and reap the physical and mental rewards.

6. Cooking

If you hate cooking this isn’t for you. I personally get so much joy out of cooking for myself, my wife, my friends and on occasion my cats. Creating something tasty that looks good really gets me in a positive mindest. Again works for me, may not work for everyone.

7. Mind Construction

This is something I was told about as a kid. I suppose it is similar to meditation. Close your eyes and think of a landscape or place that you feel calm or content. Mine has always been a tropical beach. Visualise building in your safe space and really focus on the details. I always build a very modern beach house, furnish it and even stock the bar. This is one of my favourite stress management techniques.

8. Box Breathing

Box Breathing is simply: Breath in for four seconds, hold for four, breath out for four, hold for four, repeat. This helps regulate your breathing and stress levels, this has kept me calm more times that I can remember. (Top Tip: For those who like shooting, it’s great for resetting your breathing cycle before you send a round down range.)

9. Video Games

Again, personal preference. I love video games, always have, probably always will. I’m not advocating playing some online, fast paced first person shooter to calm down but something with a sense of escapism. I’ll play Elite Dangerous, which is an amazing space simulator or something like Assassin’s Creed or another open world game. It takes up three senses just to play so it is easy escapism to forget what you are stressed about.10. Put it all together

If you start with routine and add a few other stress management techniques in you can create a baseline of calm which you will always revert back to. Add 15 minutes of meditation to your morning and a run in the evening and already your day starts and ends with a dip in stress. Using Mind Construction and box breathing for example, you have tools throughout your day to bring you back to your baseline when things get too much. Try different things and see what works.

I hope even one person can get something out of this. I am not a proffesional as I said at the start but I am human and have had to adapt a lot in my life as I am sure most people do. The main thing is to live in the now as the only thing you need to do right this second is breathe…

If you have any tips please leave them in the comments. The more tools you have the better.