Are You Inviting Stress Into Your Life?

Stress causes so many uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms. Migraines, stomach aches, sweaty palms, and that terrible feeling of overwhelm that makes you want to curl up in a fetal position. If stress is so misery-inducing, then why in the world would people invite it into their lives? Whether you know it or not, that could be exactly what you’re doing. Read on to find out whether you’re the cause of some, if not all, of your own stress.

Over-Committing
Giving of your time is a noble thing to do, and volunteering can actually increase your self-esteem and overall wellbeing. Like anything else though, doing for others must be done in moderation. If you overcommit yourself, you’ll be running around in circles trying to figure out how to get it all done. Instead of committing all of your time to other people, learn how to deal with stress by learning to say “no.” If you’re a people-pleaser, this won’t be an easy feat, but remember, the less stressed you are, the more of yourself you’ll have to give to the projects that matter the most.

Procrastinating
According to Psychology Today, twenty percent of the population is guilty of chronic procrastination. Ironically, the majority of these people put things off because they don’t want to deal with the stress of completing a certain task. If you know anything about how to treat anxiety, though, you know that procrastination is never the right answer. Even when you think you’re putting the task off, it’s always there lurking in the back of your mind, causing subconscious stress. To make matters worse, once you finally do tackle the beast, you’re up against a deadline or other tasks have piled up that demand your attention. Check items off of your to-do list in a timely manner and you’ll be one step closer to becoming an expert when it comes to how to deal with stress.

Being a Perfectionist
Do you hold yourself to higher standards than you do others? If so, then your perfectionist tendencies may be causing you undue stress and anxiety. Don’t get me wrong; perfectionism does have its benefits. You’re probably a superstar at work, have a super clean house, and are successful in many different areas of your life. Perfectionism taken to the extreme can be detrimental, though. Perfectionists are typically never satisfied with their accomplishments and are always pushing themselves to achieve more. They also spend a lot of time beating themselves up for being human and making a mistake now and then. This mindset can cause you a lot of stress and leave you wondering how to treat anxiety that’s built up as a result.

Learning how to treat anxiety and stress effectively isn’t always about meditation methods or visualization. Though these things certainly have their place, sometimes it’s necessary to take a close look at our behaviors in order to keep from rolling out the red carpet for the unwelcome visitor named stress.