Take the pressure off
We should take care of these things before they become too painful
© Iryna Danyliuk / Adobe Stock
A cold that goes on for too long can leave us on the back burner forever; Money worries, time pressures or other everyday problems can cause stress if we don’t take care of them. For some things, it’s better to do it sooner rather than later. We have an overview for you of what these could be.
Daily stress can occur expectedly or without any anticipation. On the one hand, when we are in a hurry during rush hour. On the other hand, if we suddenly find ourselves in an argument with our partner. No matter which variant occurs, we should be as aware as possible of the effects it can have on us. Because while the traffic jam on the way to work will hopefully subside, the dispute may not be resolved in one evening.
We put something off for a while – and end up with a bigger problem… who doesn’t know that? We notice it most clearly when we have a cold. If we don’t cure ourselves, we suffer longer – and in the worst case it even becomes dangerous. While your health is a fairly obvious area, other areas are often neglected.
We should pay more attention to these areas
That’s why we now have a little reminder for all of us: It makes sense to take time regularly for certain areas. Because the more we look at them, the sooner things that need to be done can become apparent. This way they don’t accumulate into a big pile of chaos that can push us to our limits mentally and physically. The important thing is: never do everything at once, but always one thing after the other. Because if you tackle too many problems at once, you may end up with a new one.
1. The work
Look at your work – what do you like, what causes you stress? Points could be the team, the workload, the customer contact, the management level or the general question of whether you even like your job. It makes sense to think about these factors because many of us spend a large portion of our waking hours working. Find out where the pressure might be and what you can do to solve the problem. Is a conversation with colleagues or a team-building measure enough or do tougher measures need to be taken?
2. The finances
Most people know what they have available at the moment and what they can afford – or shouldn’t afford. Others have problems with this and only realize when they receive the invoice that they should have budgeted better. If your own financial situation continues to pose a challenge, you should think about it. Why does this situation often occur? Are they private, ill-considered expenses or is the salary not sufficient for the lifestyle – and what about your own retirement provision?
You can find helpful tips for all of these questions in our Brigitte Academy.
3. The family
The family or partner can cause stress. For example, because the house is always messy and no one cares about it except you – or because you’re the one who always has to keep appointments in mind or plan vacations. Those who are constantly stuck in these roles often have difficulty switching off. And often we no longer trust the rest of the family or the other part of the relationship to get anything done. Because trust also slowly depletes after the tenth speech. But we should stick with it and not simply accept that the burden often remains with us. Do individual points stress you out? Then see whether, for example, a shared conversation can help.
4. The inner voice
“Why did I do it like that?”, “Why couldn’t I do it?”, “I’m good for nothing!”. Negative thoughts are a common cause of stress and can have psychological effects including depression. Our worries can mentally exhaust and limit us. A good start to counteracting them can be positive affirmations that you say out loud – or an inner “Stop!” to criticism when it wants to put you down. Question what evidence the voice has for its statements. Discussing your fears with trusted people can also help you feel better. Because most of the time they have a completely different image of you than you do yourself.
No life is perfect
People have and make mistakes – and that’s part of life. Even the most confident and down-to-earth person will encounter problems in one area or another. The question is rather how we approach this. Do you want to find a solution to a problem? Then be realistic and don’t take on too much at once. None of us are superheroes and in addition to looking at our personal challenges, resting is also an important part. Reflecting on the important areas of life is not wrong. But it’s not a main task that should stop you from doing other things. Things you enjoy – like hobbies, sports or spending time with loved ones.
Sources used: psychologytoday.com, link.springer.com, mhanational.org