It is more and more frequent to hear expressions like “I am stressed out” in our environment. Stress is so established in our society that we sometimes use this type of comment as a “wild card” to describe a certain activation in our emotional system when we are very busy.

However, it is convenient to understand what we mean when we talk about this problem since it is more complex than we might think at first.

In general, the stress response consists of an immediate and intense reaction, involving the general mobilization of the body’s resources, which occurs in situations that place significant demands on the individual when faced with a task or challenge, a risk (real or imagined), or even the possibility of material or personal loss. The stress response includes a set of physiological (what I feel), cognitive (what I think) and motor (what I do) responses.

Adaptive stress and maladaptive stress

The stress response itself doesn’t have to be bad. In fact, in many cases we speak of an adaptive reaction that has allowed the species to survive and not become extinct.

Just as feeling anxiety in certain situations is vital to cope with a threat, stress can be a tool to overcome everyday demands.

However, when this reaction appears very frequently in a context where there is no real danger, it can lead to a waste of resources and lead to the emergence of problems of various kinds. In this case stress is not useful and therefore we would speak of a maladaptive response .

How to act in the face of stress?

Once we conclude that the physiological, cognitive and motor responses are intense, durable over time, uncomfortable and interfere with our daily lives, we can act on several levels:

1. Techniques for changing stressful situations

They are aimed at modifying the environment in which the person is . The objective would be to change the environmental conditions in order to reduce stress, such as maintaining an adequate temperature in closed spaces, controlling noise or avoiding the consumption of substances that activate the Central Nervous System (caffeine, nicotine, etc.). In the same way, we would try to generate stimuli that favour responses that are incompatible with stress, for example, music, luminosity, taking breaks or even strategies such as relaxation.

2. Time planning strategies

Sometimes, stress appears as a result of a lack of planning . As Labrador (2000) points out, time management is deciding what to do with the time available. This decision must be based on the importance or value given to each task or activity. An order of priority or hierarchy of tasks must be established, according to the importance of each one. Depending on the priority given to the tasks, activity planning should be established.

In particular and especially the time planning of each day. First of all, the urgent and important tasks must be dealt with. Next, the important and non-urgent tasks. Then, those tasks that are urgent are not important. Finally, the non-urgent and non-important tasks.

3. Cognitive techniques

Psychology has thought-change strategies that are very useful in coping with stress. In this sense it is important to work on the following issues:

  • Analyzing perfectionist and self-demanding thoughts . To remember that we are imperfect and limited. We can’t do everything we want, but what we can.
  • Seeing the usefulness of certain thoughts : does it help me to be constantly worried about what to do, does being worried help me to be more effective, does it help me to be happy?
  • Analyze the should : why should I do this? what if I don’t do it now: change “should…” to “I would like…” or “I would prefer…” (produces less guilt).
  • Magnification . It is desirable to prevent dangers as much as possible, but without exaggerating the imminence of their occurrence. It would be similar to seeing a ferocious tiger appear in our house, where what we have is a harmless kitten.
  • Differentiate probability possibility . Learn how to calculate the probability (from 0 to 100 for example) of the worst happening if we don’t achieve the objectives set. Sometimes we confuse something possible with highly probable when it does not have to be that way.
  • Know/learn how to say “no” to those activities or tasks that are not a priority for oneself

4. Behavioral techniques

It is vitally important to shift the focus to pleasant tasks that distract the person as a stress management strategy. Rewarding tasks that “turn off” the person. For this purpose, a weekly planning of rewarding tasks can be done .

5. Relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques are the quintessential strategies for coping with stress. Diaphragmatic breathing is one of the classic deactivation techniques that usually work best.

Currently, the approach to stress from “Mindfulness” represents a good method of choice in the face of stress since combines deactivation strategies such as meditation and thought control simultaneously .

In summary, Psychology has powerful tools that have proven to be effective in managing stress. All these techniques are explained in numerous scientific publications and training courses such as the one offered by Formación Psicológica in its practical course on stress management techniques, the aim of which is to provide useful strategies for dealing with one of the most frequent emotional problems of the 21st century.