These days, it is impossible to not feel some semblance of stress in our crazy lives. Being that virtually everyone lives their life in some form of the public eye, there is a sense of societal overstimulation when it comes to feeling the pressure to succeed.
Somewhere along the way a stigma has been developed in which people feel that the only way to live successfully is to constantly be doing something. While there is no scientific proof of this, I am willing to bet it has something to do with wanting to post our accolades and accomplishments on social media in order to get some form of gratification.
Varies from person to person
I do recognize that this is not the case for everyone, and everybody feels their own version of pressure. This is often felt in the workplace as we want to accomplish as much as possible, leading to multi-tasking and feeling burnt out.
Whatever the situation may be, there is no denying stress is prevalent in most of our lives. Marc Chernoff writes on his blog about the five signs it’s time to do less.
Five signs of stress
These signs include:
– You feel overwhelmed by all there is to do
– You’re trying (consciously or unconsciously) to be superhuman
– You have no time to appreciate the space in your day
– You have lost track of your priorities
– Your physical space is a cluttered mess.
The thing about these signs is that one may think it would be a no-brainer to recognize a cause of stress on your life. However, we often get so caught up in at least one of these from time to time, that it is good to be reminded to take a step back and reflect.
How you can help yourself
Because stress affects people in all different ways, there is no one form of alleviation. But, in my personal opinion, there are a few universal ways to help tend to stress.
First, be organized. Whether you’re a digital person or a pen to paper fan, keeping a calendar can be a lifesaver in terms of keeping yourself on the same page as your responsibilities.
Second, it’s okay to ask for help. Sometimes we get so caught up in the idea that we can do it all by ourselves, but this isn’t always feasible. Whether it’s asking for assistance on a project at work, asking a relative to help with something around the house, or just talking to a friend to keep your sanity, asking for help is not a form of failure.
Lastly, and I will defend this until the day I die, take some time for yourself to decompress. Whenever stress rears its ugly head, I need to take a step back alone and collect my thoughts. If I didn’t do this, I think my family and friends would be completely alienated with me by now.
In the end…
What’s most important to remember is that stress does affect all of us. It is okay if you cannot accomplish everything in one day. Taking care of yourself, above your tasks, should always be priority number one.
#BlessedNotStressed
