In the era of today, everyone is always over-stimulated. Be it with new tech, never-ending validations, or constant notifications, it is a real struggle to deal with. Because of this, it feels like being in a merry-go-round-wheel against time, where fall is destined to happen and stress becomes an uncalled co-traveler of ours. Information overload, constant connectivity, and high expectations have contributed to the widespread prevalence of chronic burnout. As a result, we have transformed into dead creatures walking all around this planet Earth.
Is there a solution? Can we tame this new slave of ours? The answer is Yes. This article is the perfect handbook to learn how to handle and master stress in this modern lifestyle. In addition, we will understand in detail how our lives have changed and what are the different ways in which mental pain creeps in our lives. However, we will also focus on the most efficient tips and techniques that can be adopted to gain control over the stressors of life and become a master instead.
Stress: Uninvited Thief of our happiness?
Stress is the body’s natural response to a “perceived” threat. It is the fight or flight mechanism of the body to deal with dangers that are caused by simple things like traffic jams, or overflowing inboxes. Thus, this new state of low-grade anxiety creates havoc on overall well-being. So, if the body is continuously in this state of fight mode, it is bound to get tired. Because of this, we might feel a little restless, tired, irritated, and overwhelmed all the time. As a result, our body faces all sorts of symptoms like abrupt headaches, sleep problems, changes in appetite, anxiety, etc which is also termed as “stress”.
What causes Stress?
- Information Overload
- News alerts, social media notifications, and endless scrolling tires all of us. Because of the day-night connectivity with all kinds of information, there is no pause. This thereby becomes the sure short way for our minds to feel tired and stressed.
- Work-Life Imbalance
- We constantly try to win the professional race and be the perfect partners as well, but this never happens. In this constant practice of striking the right balance, we somehow forget and lose ourselves. Since we forget the fundamentals of setting boundaries and leaving work at the workplace, the intermixing of these two spaces causes tension.
- Decision fatigue
- With the invention of smartphones, everything is a touch away and every decision appears to be life altering. This is the biggest illusion of our new modern lifestyles. So, we need to make it clear in our heads that not every decision is a life-death decision.
- Fast-Paced World
- We have this urge to be on top of everything in this “always-on” world but sadly we always fall short. The solution to this is pushing the pause button and taking it slow.
- No Physical Activity
- Living a sedentary life and paying no attention to the physical body are the proven ways to live a worried life. To achieve happiness and peace, 15 minutes of daily movement is a must.
- Lack of Sleep
- Poor negotiation with the circadian rhythm puts the overall health at stake. Thus, having a set sleeping and waking up time is mandatory if you are planning to eliminate tension from your life.
- Poor Diet
- Eating at odd times and not consuming a well-balanced diet causes imbalance and heightened emotions in the body.
- Economic Factors
- Being short of money is the prime cause of burnout. The feeling of inadequacy and anxiety messes the mind. As a result, mental tension creeps in and poisons the whole system.
- Social Factors
- Social isolation, nuclear families, strict boundaries, and pertinent belief about “my space”, this is the new value system. We chose to be alone rather than with anyone. Sadly, the latter is the choice we are deliberately making for ourselves, which causes prolonged emotional and mental fighting state.
Types of Stress
| Category | Acute Stress | Chronic Stress | Episodic Stress | Positive Stress |
| Duration | Short term and intense response | Long term and low-level | Repeated bouts of acute stress | Everyday life, Short term and motivational |
| Trigger | Perceived immediate threat | Ongoing pressures and challenges | Triggered by certain episodes like facing deadlines, arguments | Challenges that push to grow |
Cortisol to the rescue!
Cortisol is the hormone that is produced in our bodies in a stressful situation. This hormone helps our body deal with the threat. So, by increasing our blood sugar levels and enhancing our alertness, this hormone directs energy to deal with the disturbances in the mind. Think of it as a temporary upgrade to the brain’s processing power in moments of danger. While cortisol is essential in short-term responses, elevated levels for a longer period can affect overall health. Thus, to manage stress, it becomes necessary to maintain cortisol levels. The effective ways to manage burnout are:
- Mindfulness practices
- Get into the habit of being present in the moment
- Meditation and yoga are the way forward
- Eating a balanced diet
- Sleep hygiene
- Digital Detox
- Exercising and moving the body daily
- Managing time
- Being with our loved ones
- Surrounding yourself with positive energy
- Building Resilience
- Self-love
Achieving a calmer you
Dealing with overstimulated mind is not the same for everyone. The journey could be very different for different people. The goal is to be equipped enough to deal with the daily stressors of life and yet function effectively in society. Incorporating some set practices into our daily schedules is the best way to manage stress and live a calmer life. Modern jobs, endless notifications, and the never-stopping attitude are not helpful for us at all. In the middle of all the busyness, confusion starts feeding our imagination. As a result, we make imaginary stress scenarios for ourselves, and feeding on these is not healthy at all. Take a step back and think, why are you worrying so much? Is it even necessary? In most of the cases, the answer is No. Then why worry? Why take so much stress? So, be capable enough to manage it.
“Once you accept, truly accept, that stuff will happen to you and there is nothing you can do about it, stress miraculously leaves your life.”
– Sri Kumar Rao