Are you going through situations causing you stress? That is hardly strange in a country such as Nigeria. With many individuals having to cope with rising cost of living, social pressures, insecurity and political shocks in the country, stress is perhaps inevitable. But it is necessary to apply strategies to deal with stress effectively before it profoundly affects your overall well-being.
We may not be able to avoid stress, as it is a common human condition in the face of day-to-day challenges. But there must be ways to lessen or even eliminate stress. The serious impact of stress on our mental. emotional and physical health cannot be ignored. In this article, we will delve into coping strategies to deal with stress effectively in Nigeria. You can take these tips with you anywhere you go, to improve the quality of your life.
How Bad Can Stress Be on Your Health?
It is a well-known medical fact that stress, if not properly handled, can cause mental disorders. It can lead to depression, panic and anxiety attacks, fear, and general loss of interest in everyday life.
In the short and long run, the prolonged effects of stress become physical. The individual suffers a weakened immune system, and can easily fall sick. Furthermore, there will likely be sleep disorders and heart problems. These health risks can be life-threatening, once a person’s body and mind crosses the threshold of endurance. As such, no one should ignore the symptoms of stress. It is a serious health problem that calls for urgent self-care and stress-coping mechanisms, as we will be explaining below.
Self-Care is Very Crucial
When implementing any strategies to deal with stress, you should begin with taking good care of yourself. A key aspect of stress management and self-care is getting enough sleep or rest. Other meaningful self-care habits you should be indulging in to deal with stress include:
- Practicing relaxation techniques such as Yoga, mindfulness, deep breathing techniques, and meditation.
- Regular physical exercises
- Eating balanced diet (and putting away junk foods)
- Partake more in fun and leisure activities. They include playing indoor and outdoor games, enjoying your favorite hobbies, and meeting with friends and loved ones.
Manage Your Time Effectively
Time and task management can help to declutter your mind and physical space, and thus boost your mood positively. It will definitely reduce stress, if you learn to better organize your tasks and time. This will prevent you from taking on too much work (and expecting too much from yourself) at any time.
To begin with, help yourself by setting achievable and realistic goals for yourself on a daily, weekly and periodic basis. This works both at home and in your workplace. Start by creating a To-do list of your daily tasks. Then learn to organize your tasks on that list by handling the most critical ones first, then do the simpler ones later.
Learning to Be Resilient
It is important to cultivate the habit of calming down to reassess every situation. Learn not to react impatiently to any situation; rather slow down and think first before you react. Also learn to rest and recover from any challenging issue to continue later, but not give up.
It is also important to cultivate the problem-solving mindset. You need to learn deep thinking and problem-solving skills, rather than complain and fret about any situation. You can also look towards friends and loved ones for that needed support in times of need.
You May Need a Mental Health Expert and/or Counselor
Seeking the help and guidance of a mental health expert and/or counselor can be a big source of help to individuals facing stress. This method of stress management is yet to become popular in Nigeria, but it is a proven strategy for stress management.
Depending on which one you prefer (or that works for you), you may partake of individual or group counseling/therapy sessions. You will generally feel safe, and be able to confide your deepest feelings and fears with someone who understands. Mental health experts and counselors can also help you to sort out your thoughts, and find solutions to curb the sources of your stress.
There are now online mental health support services, available as apps or on websites. There are also many non-governmental organizations, community mental health centers, and private counselors offering mental health awareness and assistance around the country. It is important that you recognize when you need that extra professional help to deal with stress. It would preserve your lifespan and happiness in the long run.
Work to Establish a Healthy Work-Life Balance
You must strike a balance between your professional and personal life. None of the two must consume the other. A healthy work-life balance will help you to be useful to yourself and your loved ones both at home and in the office. It will also help you to lead a meaningful, fulfilled life.
It primarily involves learning to keep the majority of work activities in the office. If at all you have to do office work at home, apportion a sensible time to handle it. But make out time to carry out self-care routines, and be able to wind down at home (as we explained above). Allow nothing to take away your rest and fun times.
