Can You Get Control of Your 4 Biggest Stressors?

More than half of Americans report health conditions caused by, or linked to, severe stress. From heart health to mental illness to diabetes, many of the major challenges of our modern society are linked to an overabundance of stress in our daily lives. 

As much as we know about the detriments of stress, it’s a different story for most of us to truly get control over stress in our lives. Instead, we run an endless juggling routine, trying to keep any one thing from overwhelming us.

Well, we’d like to shine a light on 4 of the most common stressors in modern life and help you find some solutions for how to gain control over them in your life. 

#1 Stuff

This might seem beside the point at first. After all, while excessive things that lead to hoarding behavior or heavy debt might be a problem, there’s nothing wrong with a nice house and nice things, is there?

Of course not. However, you might be surprised how much of an emotional toll it takes on us. Many modern minimalist movements claim that the mere fact of ownership can be a daily burden. 

Clutter happens in our lives for many reasons, but often there’s an underlying mental reason. Things stay around because they’re unfinished projects, because we’ll fit in them someday, because they have sentimental value or we feel obliged to hang on to them. 

All of these things act as daily visual reminders of other things that we should be doing. They become tasks that are hovering over us, whether that’s simply cleaning up the house or reaching our weight goals. 

Most people who adopt minimalist philosophies and practices claim that the first thing they notice is that stress is lifted off their shoulders. Still feeling skeptical? Give it a try yourself. Here’s a handy article with some tips on becoming more minimal. 

#2 Money

With 8 out of 10 Americans in debt, money is one of our most common stressors today. It’s the cause of numerous divorces, mental distresses, and sleepless nights. It’s also the subject of thousands of self-help books and shows, podcasts, and apps. 

One of the biggest causes for financial stress is retirement planning. Although we all know we should do it, about 30% of Americans have precisely 0 dollars saved for retirement.

There are many ways to help get out of debt and get control over your financial stressors, but we’re going to boil it down to just two simple things: (1) Re-evaluate your expenses and learn to cut back. 

Sure, you want to be able to provide certain luxuries, but it’s best to get back to basics and examine what you actually need. Live like a college student for a few months and see how much you can save. Eliminate eating out. Bike to work and get rid of one of your cars. 

Whatever the extra luxuries in your life, they’re not usually worth the stress of more debt. (2) If you have complicated finances, call in a financial advisor. It’s in their best interest to get you in control of finances. 

They can help you with refinancing, consolidating debts, and working out a strategy to help you build a better financial situation. 

#3 Work

Work is a necessary part of life, and as much as we look forward to the day of retirement, we’re stuck working until we can save enough to make retirement possible. However, work can provide a lot of things: purpose and rewards, achievement and community. 

It’s important, though, to recognize when work is more trouble than it’s worth. Here are some ideas to make sure that work has positive effects on your life without too many negative ones:

Form bonds with coworkers. This can relieve stress and help you share big project burdens when they come. 

Be proactive. Even when you’re buried under mountains of paperwork, be thinking about creative solutions to your burdens, and move forward on them with positivity. 

Knowing that there’s a solution forthcoming makes the stress much easier to bear, and your supervisors will appreciate it. It will also put you in the habit of reaching for a job and job position that you really want. 

#4 Health

Stress may be an inevitable part of life, but there are many physical things that you can do to manage it. Everything from the way we eat to the amount of activity that we get each day will help us manage stress in the body. 

Furthermore, smart health practices that help you keep control of stress promote overall health and prevent disease. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress, start with the basics. 

Prioritize your sleep, eat healthier food instead of binging on junk, and pick an exercise that helps you feel better and try to get it in a few times a week.

Remember that there are positive and negative stressors in your life. An occasional busy period could be good for you. However, learn to recognize chronic stress and fatigue for what it is. Here’s a guide that can help you identify different kinds of stress in your life.