STEP 1:  Identify the current stressors in your life and/or find the source of the problem

Research has shown that stressful situations often contain one or more of the following characteristics:

N – novelty; something new

U – unpredictability; no way of knowing it could occur

T – threat to the ego; feeling your competence is questioned

S – sense of control; feeling you have little or no control in a situation

STEP 2:  Identify ways to reduce stressors 

The following is a list of proven stress reducers that may help:

Sleep & Diet: Eating a balanced diet and getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night is crucial in maintaining your body’s overall health.

Exercise: Reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones and stimulates the production of endorphins.

Simplify your life: Learn to say No when possible. If it doesn’t help achieve your goals, say No or delegate to others

Avoid procrastination: Organization and forward planning can reduce stress. Make achievable to-do lists, break up tasks into achievable chunks, ask for help.

Journal: Keeping a  journal about life has been shown to help boost optimism and can help reduce stress.

Do something you enjoy: Take 5 minutes to listen to music, meditate, talk to friends, go for a walk, or play a game.

Spend time with others: Although it may seem daunting at first, getting out and socializing can help reduce risk factors for stress.

Step 3:  Seek counseling for chronic stress

Untreated stress can lead to both physical symptoms (increased risk for hypertension, muscle tension, migraines, chronic pain) and psychological symptoms (anxiety and depression).  Therefore, counseling is often advised to help manage chronic or long-term stress.