Stress (and how to curb/reduce/eliminate it)
Despite the advances in medical technology, we have not gained a lot of advantage in our fight with stress. This continue to ravage our society such that we are seeing a increase of death cases due to suicide in people ages of 10-44, second only in cause of death after accidents.
Definition of Stress
By definition, stress is just a reaction of our body due to the unintended and unexpected change in our daily life. However, what we have observed is that the effects of stress is not just mere mental/psychological but becomes a contributor to higher blood pressure, ulcer and other undesirable diseases. In addition, the stress is adding to the already existing issues due to the rise of number of dysfunctional families, declining sense of community, erosion of trust in religious or political leaders. So stress is not just one thing but a combination of issues that we all face such as finance, loneliness, premarital/extramarital sex, drugs, alcohol addiction, natural disasters, etc.
The good news is that despite all these, we have observed some who are able to manage stress effectively. Here are some good practices - do review if you fit any of the below and perhaps generate your own ideas to overcome stress.
Reducing the Workload
If we really take a stock of what we are doing in our daily lives, it's probably correct that we are doing much more than we can handle: we wake up early in the morning to do breakfast, and quickly rush to bring our kids to school, before dropping our significant other to work and then we go to work which, in itself is a high intensity environment depending on what type of work we are doing. After work, we get back, bring our kids for swimming lesson/training and dinner. Then it is piano lessons and possibly extra tutoring lessons. We may bring our work home with us to complete that PowerPoint presentation due the next morning or 10pm meeting with our colleagues the opposite side of the world. Yes, we have too much to do!
The only way to reduce the stress level before burning out, is to reduce the activity. Take stock and write down the one that are absolutely essential and remove the rest. You will have more time for yourself, and probably enjoy the break in between.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
When is the last time we laughed?
It's said that laughter is the best medicine and there are studies that laughter really have short and long term benefits. Short term benefits include stimulation of heart/lung function and also reduce stress levels, lowering blood pressure. Long term benefits are improved immune system. But when is the last time we really laugh, or are we too stressed out that all we could muster is a tiny smile? Well, if that's you, perhaps it is time to change - go get a joke book, watch a comedy, buy tickets for a stand-up comedy show or just switch on Netflix and watch someone making jokes on life in general. Trust me...after that, you will learn to look at life in a different way and exit with a better mood.
Taking Periodic Breaks
It used to be that when there is a too much stress, the common comment is that "I need a vacation" and we go do it. These days, I must admit that this comment is very few and far in between.
Stress is almost like a badge we wear with honor because it tells people that we are important and that we are needed. The odd thing is that the one who does not go on vacation are probably the ones who need it the most - when they do take a break, it is to the hospital. When they get better, it's back to the grind and the entire cycle begin.
Rather than being forced to take a vacation, we should schedule for a break say every few months or so. For those with school-going children, we likely have to plan this around the school holidays. For those with younger or older kids, there is greater flexibility so we can plan to visit countries during festivals; Sakura season in Japan, fall in the USA, summer at the beach, etc. And if we can do it with family or our significant other, then we get to take a break and build up on relationships.
Setting Priorities
In our jobs, we are often asked by management that when we are overloaded with tasks, we have to review and set priorities to focus on the critical few. Once we have successfully completed the top and 2nd priority (plus maybe 3rd), then we move on to the rest.
Perhaps the problem is that our top priority is our job, and not ourselves. In our pursuit for a better life, we put in significant effort and time to do a good job, with the reward of having more jobs (and hopefully higher pay). Perhaps we should spent some time to re-think our personal priorities and see how the job is affecting our life, esp. if it hampers self-improvement.
As we get move higher in the corporate ladder and with higher pay, we should also improve in other aspects as well - eat better, sleep better, exercise better, laugh more, take breaks more. And by doing so, we create an atmosphere that people around us will feel less stress because we are less stressed. In the long run, we will be happier.
Limit (Negative) Media Consumption
Nowhere in the history of mankind that we have something that both a boon and bane to our lives, as our mobile phone. On the one hand, we require it for communication but on the other, the mobile phone is where we consume so much screen time that it affects our daily scheme of things. Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok occupies our free time and we are so absorbed into it that time literally disappears.
While it may start off as beneficial - we learn new things and new experiences - over time, the good life that is so often depicted becomes the standard. The more we consume and believe, the less we are attracted to the real world...we start to think that we deserve better, we have to be more beautiful to get accepted, we have to become rich to be happy.
Yes, the only way out is to limit media consumption. Just as we can fast from food in order to seek God, perhaps it is not a bad thing to fast from social media as well.
Next: Part 2 of reducing stress.