topic Re: Community tips for managing stress in Off-Topic

Community tips for managing stress

Marjo — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 17:53:58 GMT

Hi guys, happy Wednesday!

I remember we've had a couple of previous discussions about mental health, specifically, stress. The latest topics I found related to stress were from March 2019 and an earlier one from 2018, and there were some good tips, experiences and info shared by many members!

As today is National Stress Awareness Day, which is a good opportunity to think about well-being and finding information about managing stress, it's also a good moment to revive this discussion a bit and share some further tips. It would be lovely to get some views from all of you as well who haven't participated in the earlier discussions.

Below are some of the things I picked up from our earlier conversations - it's also important to note that what works for one might not work for another, and if you're unable to manage stress on your own, you should seek further help. Getting to the underlying issue would be good too, the thing that actually is causing you stress.

Ideas on how to unwind and manage stress:

Reading a book
Sitting in the sun
Being in the company of good friends
Exercising (cycling, running) with headphones on
Visiting home and spending time with family
Learning about more positivity and self-awareness
Using stress-management apps like Headspace
Taking a nice walk
Talking to others about your troubles
Singing along to your favourite songs
Getting busy with a task for some temporary distraction
Making use of some anger-management practises
Listening to music
Doing some arts and crafts, e.g. knitting
Cooking
Watching your favourite TV shows

Credit to you guys from this topic from 2018 for the above list!

Do you have any additional observations or experiences related to managing stress? I'd love to see some more added to the list above now that a year has passed? Do you use the methods above on a regular basis?

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 20:35:03 GMT

Headphones on.. forget the world!

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 08:02:51 GMT

@Anonymous

Yes, that works a treat.

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Marjo — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 11:59:44 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Headphones on.. forget the world!

Good one, I actually just received my new noise-cancelling headphones this morning. Charging them up now and going to test with some work-related tasks to see how the silence impacts productivity.

I'm curious about using them in conjunction with another relaxing activity. I use adult colouring books sometimes and wondering if using noise-cancelling headphones would double the effect.

@Anonymous , @Anonymous do you listen to music on your headphones or something else like podcasts, or just for the noise-cancelling effect perhaps?

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 12:18:22 GMT

I use my headphones when I’m out walking, running and on the bike. I’ve used Apple standards until a few weeks back when I went for some Sennheiser cans. Not that practical for exercising but I just can’t get on with in ear plugs. (I have to revert to the Apple standards when I’ve got my helmet on..grr)

and it's always for music!!!!

(current running playlist)

Adult colouring books.. never heard of them.. I couldn’t stay inside the lines as a kid, I don’t think much has changed over the years!

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Mi-Amigo — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 12:17:48 GMT

The stress-relief ball included in my O2 Surprise help ; but, more seriously, soft quiet music can be a comfort and help relieve some of the stress I might be feeling; plus taking my mind of what might be troubling me or worrying about by coming onto Off Topic and having fun is a real help

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 12:20:28 GMT

@Mi-Amigo wrote:
The stress-relief ball included in my O2 Surprise help ; but, more seriously, soft quiet music can be a comfort and help relieve some of the stress I might be feeling; plus taking my mind of what might be troubling me or worrying about by coming onto Off Topic and having fun is a real help

Interesting... I'm the opposite.. loud music, doing the dad dance and singing to let it all go!

Re: Community tips for managing stress

ComaChameleon — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 18:52:10 GMT

@Anonymous @Marjo

Adult colouring books are soooo cool!

Look what everyone wants to get on a paramedic site...

It's sexual illnesses (the viruses/bacterias) to colour XD (there are other illnesses, parasites, deadly illnesses etc too)

What helped me the most after therapy in the rehab i went to... To just don't care about other's problems anymore. I always tried to solve problems of others first, so my problems and demands never got solved.

Now that I just give a f**k about others and sort my things first (doesnt mean I don't care for others anymore... but not ALL others), my health improved and I started living again.

Moving away (from the stressors) worked in a good way too. I go there if I (!) want to.

If I do, I get a bad feeling and feel bad for another some days. But the rest of the time is good.

Aswell as I won't contact the people giving me stress anymore.

Like my aunt, she just wrote when she needed something (last message was happy bday - middle of june).... I just didn't contacted after writing thanks. (To see if there comes a question like how are you/your brother doing etc)....

So I radically sorted the people I have a close contact to - et voila - feeling better.

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 19:34:29 GMT

That colouring book is just creepy

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Marjo — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 11:13:30 GMT

My doctor friend would love that colouring book @ComaChameleon !

Speaking of some more random colouring books, there's a Nicholas Cage colouring book for example (it has various illustrations of his face that you can colour). I have a couple of books with cat illustrations but would like to try mandalas next. The viruses one above would be cool too though!

Re: Community tips for managing stress

ComaChameleon — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 17:19:38 GMT

@Anonymous

it is! but cool on the other hand

@Marjo

I so wanna have that...

There is one where you can colour anatomic things... Wanted that and got it from my best friend last year. It's in my old house still tho...

The Dutch love such books, got some there (still in old town...) ... Should bring them here next time I'll go ^^

And hell... I love Mandalas!

Mum and I used to buy a book, copy it, so we could colour it again and again ^^

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 19:01:40 GMT

3 x diazepam (on prescription) they relax your muscles and disengage you from your feelings. Lie down comfortably in bed whilst the tablets do their work, usually within 10 minutes. Maximum 3 tablets per day. They are tranquilizers and can become addictive unless taken wisely, which I do

Snuggling up with my cat Marty

Music just does not do it for me at all

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 20:11:23 GMT

@Marjo

Carry an iPod and tend to listen to music during my lunchbreak away from my desk which tends to be the sort of stuff I've posted in the what are you listening to thread.

@AnonymousThought you were as chilled out as a cucumber in a fridge

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 16:59:49 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

@AnonymousThought you were as chilled out as a cucumber in a fridge

@Anonymous I've never been called that before ha ha ha ... actually, I'm a born worrier ... but getting out into the fresh air once a day helps, so does having an afternoon of non-alcoholic drinks with my close friends at a nearby bar

The most stressful thing in my life at present is looking after my mum who is elderly and infirm, but who is also demanding and it's a strain. I visit her to keep her company and it's my good friends who help me by talking things through with me. I couldn't do without them

Re: Community tips for managing stress

OliverQueen — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 17:16:21 GMT

Easy solution for stress....

Have a W..........ALK!!!!!!

Re: Community tips for managing stress

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 21:26:54 GMT

I’m doing the couch to 5k.. I’m on the final week.. I hate running but it has been quite relaxing..