Resources

STRESS MANAGEMENT COUNSELING: AT-HOME TIPS, TECHNIQUES, AND MORE

Written by Grad School Center Team We are a passionate team of experienced educators and advisors at GradSchoolCenter.com, dedicated to guiding students through their graduate education journey. Our experts, with advanced degrees across various disciplines, offer personalized advice, up-to-date program information, and practical insights into application processes.

Reviewed by David Krug David Krug is a seasoned expert with 20 years in educational technology (EdTech). His career spans the pivotal years of technology integration in education, where he has played a key role in advancing student-centric learning solutions. David's expertise lies in marrying technological innovation with pedagogical effectiveness, making him a valuable asset in transforming educational experiences. As an advisor for enrollment startups, David provides strategic guidance, helping these companies navigate the complexities of the education sector. His insights are crucial in developing impactful and sustainable enrollment strategies.

Updated: February 29, 2024, Reading time: 6 minutes

Find your perfect college degree

Grad School Center is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

In 2022, statistics on stress gathered by the American Psychological Association found that most American adults regularly experienced physical symptoms as a result of stress. Factors include the recent pandemic, inflation, and global war.

Stress is the body’s reaction to mental or physical demands. If we are not managing stress it causes a physiological process, the release of chemicals such as adrenaline, that can become magnified as more demands are placed upon the body. The stress response system has been invaluable in human ancestral survival, built to improve performance in short bursts.

stress management

Grad School Center is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Stress Can Affect Our Health

Fortunately for the human species but unfortunately for humans’ mental health states, modern stressors tend to be less dramatic than a charging bear. This chronic nature of modern, long-term stressors actually lowers performance, and over time, it can lead to devastating effects on the body, such as a weakened immune system or heart disease. We must be able to manage stress!

There Are Many Ways to Manage Stress

There are a number of ways people cope with stress, some healthier than others. How someone manages stress has major effects on how the stress affects them. Stress is simply a biological process that can result in either a positive, eustress, or negative, distress, response. As eustress, stress motivates, improves performance, and can elicit euphoria or excitement. Distress, on the other hand, occurs when individuals are overwhelmed by either large task loads or extended periods of unbroken stress, and it results in decreased performance, anxiety, and physical problems.

One’s outlook and stress management ability help to determine which of these stress states is invoked. Taking short breaks between tasks can be crucial to allowing the body to decompress and recover from stress. Breaks that include rejuvenating activities are optimal for improving how a person handles stress in the future. Luckily, there are fun and enlightening ways to manage stressful days from home or the office and get one back to their best, centered self.


Meditation and Mindfulness

stress management

Negative stress and anxiety often result from dwelling on incidents in the past, worrying about the future, or both. The practice of mindfulness relieves this stress by focusing the mind on the present moment. The philosophy is that present focus is a skill that can be developed to calm the mind and get it task-focused, rather than worry-focused.

Two of the best ways to build strength in mindfulness are through regular mindful meditation and yoga. Mindful meditation has been practiced for more than 2,500 years, helping millions handle the difficulties that come with human consciousness. At the present, there is significant scientific evidence that mindful meditation, relaxation techniques, and deep breathing not only reduce short-term stress but physically will adapt the brain to better handle future stressful situations over time. In addition, physical activity and a healthy diet will also help.


Creativity

stress management

A critical element to cultivating eustress and relieving distress is to remember to give the mind periodic breaks. Creative outlets work wonders for providing distractions from stressful thoughts and an outlet for built-up emotions. To reduce stress, creative stress-relievers can be anything from painting to sculpture to origami. Any creative pastime that requires some amount of focus can help to moderate stress.


Games and Puzzles

stress management

Similar to mindfulness exercises, games and puzzles relieve stress by temporarily drawing attention away from the stressors toward a present-focused, low-risk problem. The mind loves problem-solving, and the diversion of a stress-relieving game lets it actively rejuvenate itself. Games also train the mind to see problems from new perspectives, which can be useful when finding unique solutions to potential stressors.


Other Resources

Everyone’s reactions to stress are individualized to their personality, and there is no single universal fix for everyone’s mental health. It’s important for people to explore their personal anxiety triggers to determine how to transform them into positive and short-lived eustress responses. With continued work on personal growth, people can maximize their lives and learn to use stressful situations to their advantage. Seek a mental health professional to help you manage chronic stress if necessary.


Key Takeaways

There’s no way to have stress relief every day; however, through some simple practices, you can excel at home and on the job; therefore… keeping it all under control!


Additional Resources:

We’re certain of one thing—your search for more information on picking the best graduate degree or school landed you here. Let our experts help guide your through the decision making process with thoughtful content written by experts.