***This content comes from the Joint Pain Programme Journal by Nuffield Health. As a Rehab Specialist running this program, I’m excited to share these helpful insights with you all.
There are many things you can do to manage stress. Stress management techniques will help you improve your physical and mental health.
Different things work for different people. The good news is that there are plenty of different things you can try.
Learning any new skill will often take time and practice. It might take several attempts to learn and practice before you notice any benefits.
This is completely normal and does not mean that you are not ‘getting it right’ or that it won’t work for you. Be patient, keep practicing, and don’t give up.
Knowing Your Stress Levels
Stress is different for everyone, and your response will depend on how you think about the events in your life and how stressful you ‘perceive’ them to be.
What is stressful for one person may not be stressful to another. Your response will depend upon how stressful you perceive a situation to be.
Don’t forget, positive life events such as having a baby, getting a promotion, or moving house can all be stressful, even when you planned for them to happen.
To manage stress, it is helpful to understand what stressors are coming into your life and how these are balanced with helpful coping strategies.
Identifying unhelpful coping strategies can also help you better manage stress.
Balancing My Stress Bucket
Once you have looked at what is in your stress bucket, ask yourself the following questions:
How do I feel about the demands in my stress bucket?
What can I change?
What can’t I change?
What needs to be my priority?
Where can I get support and extra resources?
What are some of my helpful coping strategies?
What unhelpful coping strategies do I need to be aware of?
Do I have a balance of stress coming in and out?
How will I recognize if I am getting overloaded?
Your Space to Reflect
📍 Starting Point
- What's currently filling your 'stress bucket'?
- How do you know when your stress bucket is getting full?
🤔 Looking Deeper
- When have you successfully managed high stress levels?
- How do different coping strategies work for different situations?
💡 Exploring Possibilities
- Which demands in your life could be reduced or better managed?
- What support systems could help lighten your stress load?
🔄 New Perspectives
- How might viewing stress management as a skill change your approach?
- What would a well-balanced 'stress bucket' look like for you?
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