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Although most of the stress that you encounter during the day is psychological, it can still cause physical damage to your body. Stress causes changes in your respiratory system, immune system, cardiovascular system, and even changes in your complexion. However, there are some really easy techniques that will reduce stress.
One of those things is to change your perspective. So here are 5 reasons why changing your perspective could help your stress level.
Table of Contents
5 Effective Ways To Reduce Stress
#1. View Decisions Like They Are Experiments
I was reading a zen habits article where Leo Babauta talks about turning stressful decision making situations into experiments. I thought it was quite fascinating. Most of us do this our own anyway: we just aren’t aware of it.
If you’re facing a tough decision to make (“Should I quit my job and start my own business?”) treat it like an experiment. If you’re considering this, you’re probably already unhappy with your current job. A little experiment won’t hurt, right?
Let’s say that you want to start-up your own non-profit focusing on literacy. In your spare time, try to:
- organize a little book sale
- hold a bake sale to benefit a literacy program of your choice
- volunteer at your local library
Experience a bit of the work that will go into your future career. Afterwards ask yourself: did you enjoy the work? Do you think you could do this everyday as your new career?
Since you’re looking at it as if it is an experiment, there’s nothing to lose. You can’t fail. You can’t fall. You’re not risking anything on it: only a little bit of your free time.
#2. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and It’s All Small Stuff: Simple Ways To Keep The Little Things From Taking Over Your Life
We go through different disappointments throughout the week. When something small disrupts our day, we have a tendency to dwell on it.
Is someone in the next cubicle is being obnoxious? Don’t sweat it. Maybe she’s having a bad day.
So instead of getting angry and gritting your teeth, put in some headphones and listen to some classical music while you do your paperwork. Or go for a walk around the office.
The walk should help you get a little bit of perspective. Take a deep breath.
#3. Break-Up Bigger Problems
When we run across a big problem, it is hard to focus on a solution because the problem looms over us like the 2001 Space Odyssey monolith.
Instead of looking at the whole situation, try to break it up into little problems and fix them, or work on them one little quandary at a time.
There are certain situations where it helps to look at the big picture to see if the little things matter, but when you get overwhelmed, it is much less stressful to do the opposite.
#4. Don’t Try To Change Things You Can’t Control
The Serenity Prayer (grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference) should be placed at every work station in the world.
When we have to deal with frustrating people, it’s easy to say “Ugh, why can’t you just…” but that’s not the answer. You can’t change people. So change your perspective.
Instead of focusing on their flaws, focus more on your tolerance and try to put yourself in a better situation.
That obnoxious gal in the next cubicle? This would work in that situation as well. Take deep breaths. Think about times where you were having a bad day. What helped you? Maybe you can do something considerate for her.
Manual Inspirational Collection Wall Hanging, Serenity Prayer
#5. Be Optimistic
This is the biggest change you can make. Although some people find it hard to be optimistic, studies have shown that changing your POV to a more positive, optimistic perspective not only helps our happiness level, but helps with everyday tasks as well. Everything else in your life will seem more pleasant.
If you find it hard to be optimistic (some people are just naturally pessimistic), take it easy.
It can be hard but there are a couple of things you can try like positive self-talk, re-framing how you define life events (or even small events), focusing on your strengths, etc.
All of these different tips and tricks have to do with your personal perspective. Sometimes the only thing you have to do is change your perspective in order to de-stress.
I think it takes years to master learning how to not let stress overcome a person. I know it did with me. Finally realizing that I can not tackle every single thing every single day is a big one, second to that would be sweating the small stuff.
You wouldn’t believe how much easier it is to solve a problem when you break it up into many problems. I agree with this 100%. I also try to be optimistic about things. To do this I try to stay away from people who are not.
Stress can wear you down and I find I sometimes need to step back and look at it from a distance to work it out. I’m an optimist when it comes to most things in my life and I’d be the first to admit that sometimes it’s not easy. When you work daily with people who are pessimists it wears you down.
I agree. Learning to let go of the things I can’t control has made me a much calmer person. Stressing about things you can’t change is like banging your head against a wall.
I like your tip on not sweating the small things. I find if I start to get irritated with someone I’ll excuse myself and walk around the office. Getting a glass of water usually helps as the anger slowly goes away by the time I get back to my desk.
Mind over matter is one of the best things I have learned over the years. Being able to break things down into smaller projects, bang out what I can quick and the rest can be organized without having to stress over it. I can not tell you how much this has helped my blood pressure alone.
I try being optimistic as much as possible. I’m also a firm believer not trying to change things that you have no control over. It saves you frustration and time to just let it go.
I agree! Break up bigger problems – they seem so much smaller and easier to solve. I also like the saying “Don’t sweat the small stuff”. If we all let small things roll off our shoulders we would all be so much happier.