Practical Ways to Manage Stress When Everyone around You Is Stressed

While you can be a self-care guru and have everything under control, stress can be quite contagious. When uncertainty comes into our lives, some people do better than others at managing stress levels and keeping calm. Take me, for example, most of the time I’m able to use my stress to fuel my productivity and work. However, when virtual chaos is going on around me, the stress of others tends to rub off on me, which means I have a more challenging time keeping my GR8 stuff together.

If you resonate with my story, don’t worry. After years of trial and error, I managed to create my GR8 guide to manage stress when others around me around going coo-coo.

Relaxing vs. Calming

Before we even get into the nitty-gritty, let’s make something clear; these are tools that help you remain calm so you can then relax. Not the other way around. As you know, relaxing is a conscious act; you chose to take time for yourself to recharge, aka you invest time in self-care.

On the other hand, keeping calm is more of a preventative measure to make sure you control your peace of mind when everything around you is chaotic. It requires a lot of self-control, skills, and mindfulness to keep the stress of your outside environment from affecting your inner environment.

Relaxing can be easily done through an activity, for example, exercise, skincare, or a massage. Calmness requires you to put in the work and find ways to tolerate stress levels and remain calm under pressure.

Try a Blasting Workout

Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing I love more than my calm yoga flow after a hectic day at work. However, when everyone around me is running around like headless chickens, I need something with a bit more intensity. One of the easiest ways to lower cortisol levels is by blasting them with happy endorphins, and exercise is the best way to get those.

Try a high-intensity workout for improving your stress tolerance. Go for a long run. Perhaps hit the weight room for an intense strength training session. Whatever it is you choose, make sure to pick an exercise that will leave you almost breathless at the end, that’s the ultimate way to blow off steam.

Have a Stress Release Toolbox

Unfortunately, sometimes you have to stay in a stressful situation, with stressed people around you. It happens, we can’t control everything. For these occasions, you need to have your unique toolbox to deal with these situations. Ideally, you’ll want to think about stress relievers you can do anywhere and at any time.

For example, listening to music, an active meditation session if you’re at your desk, and even drinking water. Some people turn to essential oils, such as lavender or lemongrass, to instantly help them calm down and relax. Find whatever works for you and keep these self-care activities at the top of your mind whenever needed.

Be Alone

Remember, you can’t control how others react to stressful situations. Even when you try your hardest to remain calm and find peace in your inner world, others will always try to burst your calmness bubble. Recognize that leaving a stressful situation, when possible, is not a sign of weakness but a sign of self-awareness and self-appreciation.

The next time you find yourself surrounded by stressed crowds, take some time to be alone. Ask to work from home, mute all notifications, perhaps unplug from social media for an hour or two. Find a safe space for you to regroup and recharge your mind before caving int other’s stress signals.

Breathe It Out

Finally, just breathe. But not your regular breathing, I’m talking a loud sigh. Learning a few breathing techniques can be beneficial when dealing with other people’s stress affecting you. Not only will it help you keep your clarity, but it will also prevent you from unloading on them without intention.

Learn how to do the 4-7-8 breathing technique and keep practicing it until you find your breathing groove. Remember that breathing can be the difference between your calmness and your stress breaking through the ceiling.

A Note from GR8NESS

No matter how hard you try, you cannot control other people’s emotions. Please, don’t even attempt to help them stay calm. While you can try to reassure a friend or family member, it’s not your responsibility to find ways to lower their stress levels. During uncertain times, we must practice self-care if we even want to attempt helping others. Now that you have these tips under your belt, you’ll be living a calmer lifestyle in no time.