
Analyse your anger and where it stems from, then make a conscious effort to distract yourself.
You feel exhausted and overwhelmed
Your mind is incapable of differentiating a physical threat from an emotional stressor. It reacts the same way to an emotionally-draining fight with your partner as it would to an injury. Despite no physical activity, prolonged stress can make you feel exhausted and overwhelmed by emotions, sometimes causing extreme mood swings, panic, and anxiety.
Don’t lose your clarity. Counter your emotions by taking a walk in the open. Also, you can talk to someone you trust. It will help you get a fresh perspective on the situation.
Focus and confidence take a hit
Stress doesn’t allow you to pay attention to any task as your mind keeps racing with the possibilities of what-ifs and could haves. The lack of focus hits your productivity and you begin to undermine yourself, leading to a complete lack of motivation.
The best way to deal with negativity is to assess your thoughts and exercise self-awareness. Ask yourself, if your thoughts are telling the truth or whether it’s your anxiety speaking. Write down your negative thoughts, acknowledge them, and then tackle them individually. Reinforce positivity—trust your ability, steer clear of comparisons, maintain to-do lists and track your progress regularly.
A goodnight sleep becomes a dream
Dealing with stressful thoughts and tasks keeps your brain awake, and hence affecting your sleep patterns. Those suffering from insomnia usually complain of chronic stress that inhibits them from sleeping when they want to.
Relaxation techniques are useful to manage stress. Try meditation or throughout the day to curb your anxiety and get a goodnight’s sleep.
Dealing with procrastination
While in many cases, procrastination leads to stress, it could be your stress as well that makes you procrastinate. Procrastination gives your mind a false sense of relief. It also feeds your stress because you subconsciously know that you are delaying your tasks—you feel guilty and the guilt breeds anxiety.
Time management is the first step to beating procrastination. Create a plan and put a timeline for each task. Break down your task into smaller steps and reward yourself for each completed task.
The onset of drug addiction
Frequent smoke breaks or alcohol consumption are common stress-busters for many. Some even start using stronger drugs to get by. While drugs or alcohol consumption offers a sense of momentary relief, they can severely affect your health in the long run.
Once you’ve acknowledged the issue, seek help from trusted family, friends, or a therapist. Remind yourself why you need to quit and read about addiction that has destroyed so many lives. Remember, the stronger your self-awareness and will power is, the better the chances of overcoming addiction and stress.