I am a student and work part-time to facilitate my lifestyle. I find some sense of responsibility and satisfaction in working to meet my needs. Balancing my academics and work can be draining. I have extra pressure to perform in my studies and especially when deadlines or exams are approaching. I often experience tiredness caused by a lack of sufficient sleep. It affects my moods, and I get more emotional and feel less capable whenever I experience tiredness. In addition, alcohol is perceived as a part of the college lifestyle. Engaging in a range of social events and activities that are free of alcohol singles me out from my friends. It also feels like I’m the only one not enjoying myself. I am sometimes forced to do things that contradict my values and beliefs, compromising my personality
My Stress Management Plan and Lifestyle Modification
I need to create a healthy balance through practicing effective management skills. I will begin by identifying the priorities and listing them down, breaking the work into smaller bits, and setting timelines. Time management reduces both long and short-term stress by giving one control over the direction they are taking. This causes reduced levels of anxiety and eventually increases productivity. My main priority right now is excelling in my academics; whatever strategy I choose must focus on achieving this. Therefore, the most appropriate time management strategy would be planning behavior (Adams & Blair, 2019). This means that I will engage in learning activities resiliently even when faced with challenges such as perceived lack of time.
Taking Care of My Body
Self-care is good for me both on the inside and out; it will help in maintaining my physical, emotional and mental reserves to prevent and manage stress. The first form of self-care is regular exercise. Human research indicates that exercises trigger a change in hormone responses, which then causes the body to improve how it handles stress. Further, physical activities affect neurotransmitters found in the brain, for example, dopamine and serotonin that influence a person’s moods and behaviors (Churchill et al., 2021). I will further need to get sufficient rest. A tired individual barely thinks, can’t learn as well, and is easily irritable and highly impatient. I will go to bed around the same time every night, exercise for about 4 to 6 hours, and take a bath for 1 hour before sleeping to ensure the body is cooled and relaxed.
Dealing with Emotions
Visiting a relaxing place and away from the stressors is one of the most effective ways of reducing stress. Take time out for me and be in one of my favorite spots, where I can visualize myself relaxing. I could also engage in hobbies such as traveling and reading novels or trying out new creative activities such as baking. Shoving the problems at the back of my mind without releasing the emotional tension could take a toll on me even after trying out the above activities. It is therefore important to learn to release and deal with one problem at a time. Dealing with many of them at a time or focusing on things I have no control over can be frustrating.
Olivia’s Stress Management Plan and Lifestyle Modification
Olivia is a 48-year-old female who says that her feeling of stress is so intense that when it occurs she can’t even turn around to look at the other side. She hosts a book club in her home weekly. Recently, she got into an accident in her estate that left her with injuries that force her to use a walker. She says the fall happened so fast that she does not remember how it happened. She admits she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the ditch. She experiences high-stress levels from her husband’s worsening dementia, healthcare expenses, family drama, and death, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. Olivia hardly finds time to hang out with her friends, there is even more pressure to keep hosting her book club. Her sleeping patterns have changed and it’s harder for her to find sleep.
Relaxation techniques
Studies show that relaxation techniques are an effective way the reduce and manage stress. Relaxation reduces the severity of the effects of stress on one’s body. It is not always about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby, rather, preparing the body to cope with daily stress and any other stress-related issues such as pain and heart disease. Examples she can consider are visualization, yoga, deep breathing, Tai chi, and music and art therapy. With appropriate practice, one improves on these techniques and becomes aware of muscle tensions or any other physical sensations of stress (Null, 2021). This is important because it helps the individual counter the stress before it spirals out of control. Apps such as Mindbody and Headspace Up will help her with these techniques.
Helping out and participating in social activities
Olivia is naturally a people person; she is very social and is always helping out in one way or another. Currently, she feels there is not much time to do all this, but truth is that she needs it the most now. Engaging in activities that improve the lives of others develop a sense of purpose, wisdom and pride in oneself. Engaging in more social activities increases social support, which in turn affects hormonal balance by increasing oxytocin. Oxytocin decreases anxiety levels and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system that calms down responses (Pilcher & Bryant, 2016). One also receives supportive solutions for their problems and gets to think better away from their stressors. She needs to keep pushing her book club and visit or host her friends more.
Healthy eating
A healthy person handles stress better therefore, eating nutritiously makes a good defense against stress. A nutritious diet reduces oxidation, inflammation and slows weight gain. These processes help in creating a solid more enduring foundation for the body to better handle a lot of stressful situations (Schultchen et al., 2019). Incorporating good nutrition in my diet not only makes one healthier but also helps keep them alert throughout the day and my mood steady. Eating junk alters a person’s energy levels to a great extent, interfering with the body’s ability to fight stress. Other than including more fruits and vegetables in the diet, Olivia should avoid caffeine, eat to relieve stress, take alcohol moderately and ensure mealtimes are calm and relaxed. Olivia will find more information and clarification on healthy eating on websites.
Conclusion
The continued strain on the body from strain over time may lead to serious health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental disorders like depression and anxiety. Therefore, countering the effects of stress before they spiral out of control is essential. All the techniques suggested above have a physical, mental, and emotional positive influence on a person. They are all interlinked in how they work. For example, one needs food to gain enough energy for physical activities. When the body gets more active and used to exercises, one’s calories demands may change, meaning more proteins to rebuild tissues such as muscles. Socializing facilitates dealing with emotions in different ways away from the stressors. Each of the techniques is recommended depending on one’s needs. For instance, instead of recommending exercises for Olivia, I recommended relaxation techniques that are more affordable and can be done from her home.
References
Adams, R., & Blair, E. (2019). Impact of time management behaviors on undergraduate engineering students’ performance. SAGE Open, 9(1), 215824401882450. Web.
Churchill, R., Riadi, I., Kervin, L., Teo, K., & Cosco, T. (2021). Deciphering the role of physical activity in stress management during a global pandemic in older adult populations: a systematic review protocol. Systematic Reviews, 10(1). Web.
Null, G. (2021). Lifestyle modification improves physical and mental health in elderly participants: Observational study in a controlled environment. Alternative, Complementary & Integrative Medicine, 7(4), 1-4. Web.
Pilcher, J., & Bryant, S. (2016). Implications of social support as a self-control resource. Frontiers In Behavioral Neuroscience, 10. Web.
Schultchen, D., Reichenberger, J., Mittl, T., Weh, T., Smyth, J., Blechert, J., & Pollatos, O. (2019). Bidirectional relationship of stress and affect with physical activity and healthy eating. British Journal Of Health Psychology, 24(2), 315-333. Web.