Dear Editor,
Depression has become a common catchword in our society. Work stress is extremely prevalent in today’s society, and can impact happiness levels, health, and other important aspects of your life. We need to learn more about the link between work depression and happiness, and find resources to have a healthier and happier life.
During this COVID pandemic time, it is more important to learn how to deal with work pressure and stress.
Managing stress is all about taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. Stress Management is the need of the hour.
Stress, tension etc increase heart rate and blood pressure, delivering more oxygen and blood sugar to power important muscles. There are many proven skills that we can use to manage stress. These help us to remain calm and effective in high pressure situations, and enable us to avoid the problems of long-term stress.
Not being too serious or in a constant alert mode helps maintain the equanimity of mind and promote clear thinking. There are lots of things one can do to cut down on stress. Most people probably even know what they could do. It’s not the lack of knowing what to do in order to cut down stress; it is doing what you know you have to do.
Talk to someone. You don’t have to fix the problem, just report it. Notice if any of the muscles in your body are tense. Just noticing that will often relax the muscle. Cut down on caffeine and sweets. Take a walk instead. Tell someone that you’re going to do that and seek help if you need.
Indulge in some physical activity. It can help improve your sleep. And better sleep means better stress management. Doctors don’t yet know exactly why, but people who exercise more tend to get better deep ‘slow wave’ sleep that helps renew the brain and body.
People who exercise also tend to feel less anxious and more positive about themselves. When your body feels good, your mind often follows.
Yoga is also a good option to manage stress and tension. There are many forms of Yoga, an ancient Indian form of exercise based upon the premise that the body and breathing are connected with the mind.
The practice of Yoga is thought to be over 5,000 years old. One goal of Yoga is to restore balance and harmony to the body and emotions through numerous postural and breathing exercises.
These exercises help reduce stress levels and make one feel better. Moreover, one can do the things that make you feel happy and relaxed.
Be it a walk on terrace, having a hot cup of coffee/tea, listening to some good music or having a phone call to your loved one. Anything that makes you happy and joyful can be done to manage stress and reduce tension levels.
It is up to you how you manage your time to get these things done to get relaxed and happy and manage your stress level.
During this crucial time, it is our own responsibility to make oneself happy and stress free.
Mannan Sharma,
Jammu.