To improve your stress management skills, use these 7 tips

That's because stress reduces the volume of gray matter in the area of the brain responsible for self-control.

Coping effectively with stress can improve our overall health and better prepare us for extremely high levels of stress.

It is well known that living under stress can cause us serious emotional problems and even have an impact on our physical health. So why is it so hard to take action to reduce stress and improve our lives?

Researchers at Yale University have finally found the answer. They found that stress reduced the volume of gray matter in areas of the brain responsible for self-control.

So, being stressed actually makes it harder for you to deal with future stress because it undermines your ability to take control of situations, manage stress, and keep things from getting out of hand.

It's a vicious circle.

But don't lose heart. It is not impossible to reduce stress; If you want to reverse this effect, you simply make stress management a higher priority. The sooner you start managing your stress effectively, the easier it will be to prevent unexpected stresses from taking a toll on you in the future.

Fortunately, when you develop new behaviors, the brain's plasticity allows it to shape, change, and rebuild damaged areas. Therefore, using healthy stress reduction techniques can train your brain to handle stress more effectively and reduce the likelihood of future adverse effects from stress.

Here are seven strategies to help you repair your brain and manage stress:

Say "no"

The more difficulty you have saying no, the more likely you are to feel stressed, burned out and even depressed, according to a study from the University of California, San Francisco. Saying "no" is a real challenge for many people. "No" is a powerful word that you shouldn't be afraid to use. Avoid phrases such as "I don't think I can" or "I'm not sure" when it's time to say "no." Saying "no" to new commitments honors your existing commitments and provides you with the opportunity to successfully fulfill them.

"Disconnect"

Technology enables constant communication and expects you to be available 24/7. It's hard to enjoy stress-free moments outside of work when an email that can change your train of thought and make you think (and feel pressured) about work can be hanging on your phone at any moment.

Regularly disconnecting from the Internet can help you manage stress and live in the moment. When you're working 24 hours a day, you're exposing yourself to constant stress. You need to force yourself offline or simply turn off your phone and give your body and mind a break. Research shows that something as simple as not emailing on weekends can reduce stress.

If separating yourself from work-related communication on weeknights is a big challenge, how about weekends? Choose your time to disconnect and go offline, and you'll be surprised at how refreshing these breaks can be and how they can reduce stress by injecting mental energy into your weekly schedule.

If you're worried about the negative consequences of taking this step, try doing it on a Sunday morning when people are less likely to be able to reach you. As you get comfortable with this, and your coworkers start accepting your offline time, you can gradually increase your time away from technology.

Stay away from toxic people

For most people, dealing with difficult people can be frustrating, exhausting, and stressful. You can control your interactions with toxic people by controlling your emotions. When you need to deal with a toxic person, you need to handle the situation rationally. Recognize your emotions and don't let anger or frustration drive you further. At the same time, consider their positions and perspectives so that you can find solutions and common ground. Even if things go completely off track, you can avoid the toxic person so that he or she doesn't bring you down.

Put down the hatred

The negative emotions associated with holding onto a grudge are actually a stress response. This event sends your body into fight or flight mode. This survival mechanism forces you to stand up and fight or flee in the face of a threat. This stress response is critical to your survival when the threat is imminent, but when the threat has passed, this stress can take a serious toll on your body and, over time, can have devastating consequences for your health. In fact, researchers at Emory University have shown that too much stress can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Holding onto a grudge means you're under constant stress, and emotionally intelligent people know to avoid this at all costs. Letting go of resentment not only relieves a bad mood in the moment, it can also improve your health.

The practice of mindfulness

Mindfulness is a simple form of meditation and an effective way to control unruly thoughts and behaviors. People who practice mindfulness regularly are more focused, even if they aren't meditating. Mindfulness is a technique that helps effectively reduce stress because it helps you feel less out of control. In essence, mindfulness stops you from jumping from thought to thought, which can prevent you from repeatedly getting caught up in negative thoughts. Overall, it's a calm and productive way to spend a busy day.

Put things in perspective

Our worries often come from our own prejudices about events. So before you spend too much time dwelling on what your boss said at the last staff meeting, take a moment to look at the situation objectively. If you're not sure when you need to do this, try to think about the small things that are stressing you out. If you want to use sweeping statements such as "Everything went wrong" or "nothing can be fixed," then you need to redefine the situation. An effective way to correct this pattern of unproductive thinking is to list specific things that are really wrong or unsolvable. Most of the time, you'll probably only think of one or two things. The key to staying calm is to remember that your feelings exaggerate the situation and that the range of stressors is much more limited than it may let on.

Use your support system

It's tempting, but inefficient, to try to solve everything yourself. To stay calm and productive, you need to recognize your weaknesses and ask for help when you need it. Tap into your support system when you're feeling overwhelmed.

Everyone at work and/or outside of work has someone on their team who supports them and is ready to help them get the best out of a difficult situation. Find these people in your life and seek their insights and help when you need them. Something as simple as talking to them about your worries provides an outlet for your anxiety and stress and gives you a new perspective on things. Most of the time, other people can see a solution that you can't because they're not emotionally invested in the situation. Asking for help can reduce your anxiety and strengthen your relationships with those you depend on.

Pooling all strategies

These strategies may seem simple, but when your mind is clouded by stress, it's hard to put them into action. The next time your head starts to spin, force yourself to give it a try and you'll reap the benefits of rigorous stress management.