Stress is an extremely common mental health issue that we all encounter as we go through life. You might have work stress, money stress or relationship stress. Regardless of what causes your stress, you need to manage it to limit its effect on your life. Read on to learn some proven stress management strategies.

Try to visualize being calm when you feel overwhelmed and stress. You can envision yourself in a body of water or bath and imagine the water whisking your stress away. Also try shutting your eyes, taking slow breaths and picturing a relaxing scene, like the ocean on a beautiful summer day.

Some people turn to alcohol or other drugs when they are stressed out. This is their way of grasping for something that will temporarily relieve the unbearable feelings that are flooding their lives. Drugs and alcohol are definitely not a good solution. In fact, they will often just add more stress to your life.

Think about your stress, and how you deal with it. There is probably a better way to do things. Look at how you respond to stress in your life over an extended period of time. Review the log and note if your actions were productive. If your stress became worse, try to develop new coping skills until you find things that work for you.

Arts and crafts make excellent stress-relieving pastimes. By using your creativity, you will allow your mind to free itself of things such as deadlines.

Breathe deeply before doing anything if you feel stressed. If possible, remove yourself from the situation and count to ten while breathing deeply. When you return, you will be more in control. Waiting a few seconds will help you control your stressful reaction and behave more calmly and more professionally.

If you’re struggling with classes at school, consider hiring a tutor. If you get the help you need, you will not stress out so much on test day. The best way to decrease anxiety is to make sure you are prepared for the situation that is coming up.

Incorporating some breathing exercises into daily life can help to reduce stress. Stressful breathing is shallow and rapid. You can convince your body that you are calm with mindful deep breathing. This is an easy way to relieve stress and can be added to your routine so you can relax.

Learn how to say no when you are overwhelmed by stress and your own responsibilities. Don’t commit to more obligations than you can handle. You’ll only stress yourself out trying to do the impossible. If you’re worried about pleasing your friends, family or co-workers, remember that if you’re unable to do what you said you’d do because of stretching yourself too thin, you’ll end up upsetting or disappointing them as well as stressing yourself out.

Stress can be a horrible and scary thing to deal with. It makes it easier for you to get frustrated or angry, and makes your life less enjoyable, both for you and the people who know you. Interestingly, stress is an unnecessary and avoidable element of your life. By following the tips that were provided in this article, you can change from too stressed out to wonderfully relaxed.