This may affect the quality of sleep, eating, working, or interacting with others because your mind and body stop focusing on their normal functions in order to devote energy to survival and feeling safe.
But fortunately, there are four specific healthy boundaries you can establish to help you manage stress better when it increases, so that it does not affect other aspects of your life.
Having healthy standards can help eliminate unnecessary emotions. For example, wouldn't you like to know how to not feel anxious after a day of hard work and go to meet your friends, or to be able to leave the house and go to an evening yoga session? Setting boundaries helps you with this.
“We can't help anyone as long as we feel exhausted and need to take care of ourselves,” says Dr. Daramus, "and that's what makes these boundaries so important. Therefore, we have to decide what we can offer to our friends, family, and communities before we stop all that to recharge our energy."
What boundaries should you set to relieve stress?
Here, Dr. Daramus explains the four types of boundaries you should set for yourself, depending on the type of stress you're experiencing:
1. Physical stress
This is the kind of stress you feel when you have to use your body for something, like working late and past your usual bedtime to finish your to-do list, skipping food because you can't take a little break from work, or anything else that's weakening your body.
The solution
Dr. Daramus suggests creating a to-do list and stating that when you complete it, your time and body are yours only. Another way to set similar boundaries is to set a specific finish time no matter what, or give as much attention to eating and exercise as you give to work projects. Do this by adding it to your schedule and sticking to it like any other task.
2. Emotional stress
Emotional stress causes us emotional pain. Reading a lot about tragedies that you cannot control or listening to friends' problems without venting what is stressing you may be a cause of this type of stress.
The solution
According to Dr. Daramus, you can set boundaries by letting your friends know that you're there to listen, but you'll want a chance to express how you're feeling, too. If negative news on social media is causing you stress, consider setting a specific time to browse these sites, or unfollow this type of site or account.
3. Social stress
This could be one of two things, either you are getting stressed by communicating too much or you are not communicating enough.
The solution
If you find yourself constantly communicating with others excessively, try to get past that for once and replace this with reading, listening to music, or practicing a favorite hobby. If you are not social enough, which makes you feel uncomfortable, try to communicate with a friend or go out with them in order to communicate and talk.
4. Extreme burnout
Extreme burnout occurs when stress reaches a point that makes you physically or mentally ill. So you'll likely have to set several different types of boundaries to combat this, especially if you're juggling multiple responsibilities.
The solution
Dr. Daramus recommends letting those around you know immediately when you feel extremely tired so that you can save yourself. Seize opportunities and do something that makes you feel that your life belongs to you and not to anyone else, even if it is with simple things.
Try to maintain your relationships, including work relationships, avoid putting everything on your shoulders, assume that people will do the same for you, and most importantly, ask for help when you need it.
Add comment