Change Your Response To Stressful Events

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could manage your stress levels and change your response to stressful events? The following relaxation technique for stress management will provide you with the tools you need to help reduce the amount of stress in your life.

Here’s the first of my relaxation techniques for stress management…


Relaxation Technique #1: Alternate Responses

This technique works with all aspects of your life, but you should focus on only one at a time. I’ve included a table after each step to clarify this technique.

1- Starting with your home life, list all incidents where stress affects you.

Time of Stress
Stress Trigger
Typical Response
Alternate Response
Winter Holidays
Family Vacation
Move

2- Try to mentally relive some of these moments and pin-point the causes of stress (or stress triggers) for each of these times of stress.

Time of Stress
Stress Trigger
Typical Response
Alternate Response
Winter Holidays
Trying to meet everyone’s expectations

Buying gifts, food, etc.

Booking flights and accommodations

Paying Bills

Family Vacation
Making time for everyone to do the activities they enjoy

Losing luggage

Move
New Neighborhood

Forgetting to change some addresses

Damaged belongings

3- In the next column, try to describe how you normally deal with these stress triggers.

Time of Stress
Stress Trigger
Typical Response
Alternate Response
Winter Holidays
Trying to meet everyone’s expectations

Buying gifts, food, etc.

Booking flights and accommodations

Paying Bills

Buy lots of presents

Postpone shopping until Dec

Book flights and accommodations late fall

Pay minimum balance or more if I can afford it

Family Vacation
Making time for everyone to do the activities they enjoy

Losing luggage

Bring more money

Hope it doesn’t happen

Move
New Neighborhood

Forgetting to change some addresses

Damaged belongings

Hope for the best

4- Finally, you have to think about ways to make the stress triggers appear smaller or insignificant. Try to keep it realistic but keep in mind that your lifestyle may be the cause of stress, and as such, lifestyle adjustments may have to be made. Relaxation techniques for stress management do involve a little bit of effort from your part…

Time of Stress
Stress Trigger
Typical Response
Alternate Response
Winter Holidays
Trying to meet everyone’s expectations

Buying gifts, food, etc.

Booking flights and accommodations

Paying Bills

Buy lots of presents

Postpone shopping until Dec

Book flights and accommodations late fall

Pay minimum balance or more if I can afford it

Start making list and shopping in July.

Book rooms and flights in summer

Put some money in a holiday savings plan every month

Family Vacation
Making time for everyone to do the activities they enjoy

Losing luggage

Bring more money

Hope it doesn’t happen

Book extra activities that your family will like ahead of time

Pack all essentials and enough clothes for a day in your carry-on luggage

Move
New Neighborhood

Forgetting to change some addresses

Damaged belongings

Hope for the bestGet involved with new community

Walk or cycle in your new neighbourhood

Use the postal office to redirect your mail

Use professional movers and pack extra carefully

5- Repeat for work related stress triggers.

6- When these stress triggers reappear in your life, avoid acting the “old way” and try your “alternate response.”

Discover Other Relaxation Techniques for Stress Management


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