Category: Stress Reduction & Mental Health

People who are prone to outbursts of anger can find working in professional environments especially challenging. Whether you – or somebody that you work with – have trouble controlling your temper it is especially important that you learn how to control anger before it becomes a bigger problem.

We all know that keeping control of your emotions can be challenging at the best of times. And it can be particularly challenging in a corporate environment where you are constantly dealing with multiple personalities and stressful situations.

It can be the perfect environment to aggravate you – especially if you are already someone who struggles to maintain control and tend to have angry outbursts. However, maintaining control is vital for a healthy working environment.

One of the first steps to controlling anger is identifying your stressors. This guide will help you identify different types of anger as well as anger triggers. I’ve also put together some useful tips on dealing with your own anger or dealing with a colleague who struggles with anger issues.

Types of anger issues

Before we start, let’s look at anger and how it can manifest itself in people. Essentially there are three different types of anger issues people can suffer from.

Outward

This is the most common anger type. Outward anger is where a person expresses their rage in obvious, external ways. For example, a person suffering from outward anger issues might express it by shouting, cursing, throwing things, or being verbally abusive towards others at the office.

Inward

Alternatively, anger can be directed inwards. With this type of anger, an individual directs their rage toward themselves. For example, they might express their anger by harming themselves, denying themselves happiness (including denying basic needs such as food, etc.) and isolating themselves from colleagues at their workplace.

Passive

When a person suffers from passive anger, they use subtle and indirect ways to show their emotions. For example, sulking or refusing to speak to coworkers.

Impact of anger issues

Being angry and out of control can have a negative impact on both your professional and personal life, not to mention your physical and emotional well-being. It can have adverse effects on your relationships with colleagues, family, and friends.

On a physical level, not dealing with your anger appropriately can lead to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system.

While on a mental level, unmanaged anger can lead to various mental health problems, including stress and depression.

What causes anger issues in a person

While the reasons that people suffer from anger issues can be varied, there are several well-known reasons that can trigger anger in people. These triggers can occur on a personal or professional level and the ramifications can be seen at home or the work environment regardless of where the problem started.

• Stress
• Family/ personal issues
• Financial issues
• Depression
• Grief
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Bipolar disorder
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
• Intermittent explosive disorder (IED)

Signs that someone is suffering from anger issues

It is possible that a person can suffer from anger issues, and they may not even realize it. There are, however, some key indicators that you can look out for to help identify anger issues in yourself or a colleague.

Physical symptoms

Physical symptoms cause changes in your body, including the brain, heart, and muscles. Anger can also cause changes in hormone levels by increasing testosterone levels and reducing cortisol levels.

Some physical symptoms you can watch out for include:

• Increased heart rate
• High blood pressure
• Muscle tension

Emotional symptoms

Anger also goes hand in hand with your overall emotions and feelings. For example, a person suffering from anger issues will likely also experience the following emotional symptoms:

• Frustration
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Stress
• Guilt
• Feeling overwhelmed

Tips on how to control anger

Now that we have discussed how to identify anger and what can cause it, let’s take a look at some tips on how to control anger. You can use them next time you feel like you are losing control of your temper in a corporate meeting or event.

• Take slow and deep breaths.
• Count down from 100.
• Say the word ‘relax’ or ‘calm down, repeatedly.
• Stretch using some yoga-like movements.
• Calm down and visualize yourself in a relaxing scenario.
• Listen to your favorite music.
• Note down your feelings in a journal.
• Take a break and move away from others to a quiet room to reflect on yourself.
• Speak to a friend or colleague.
• Watch a comedy or something funny and laugh.
• Reflect on your positives and be thankful for them.
• Practice empathy.
• Find a creative way to release your anger and control your emotions. (e.g., gardening, painting, etc.)

How to deal with someone who has anger issues

The tips above can be especially helpful in controlling your own anger, but what if your problem is an angry colleague? Well, I’ve got some tips to help you deal with that too. If you know someone who is dealing with anger issues and doesn’t know how to control anger, Here are a few things you could do to manage the situation.

• Stay calm.
• Give him the space that he requires.
• Try listening to what he has to say.
• Help him identify why he gets angry by speaking to him and asking questions.
• Assist him in seeking professional help to manage his anger.

It’s also crucial to identify what causes anger in a particular person. Identifying the reason for anger could be helpful in finding the solution.

How to control anger: Treatment options

If your anger problems are worsening or the above techniques are not alleviating the problem, it might be time to seek other treatment options. There are several professional counseling and therapy options you could try to cope with your anger.

Counseling and professional help

Counseling is a type of short-term treatment where you speak to a professional about your issues. A certified professional counselor should be able to help you by identifying your problem and suggesting solutions.

Many workplaces, educational institutes, and healthcare institutions have professional counseling services to help manage emotions in clients, students, and patients.

There are also therapies and treatments such as Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help cope with anger. More on this later.

Anger management programs

There are various online anger management programs or courses available. These programs teach you the cause of your anger and how to control anger, in a professional and personal setup.

The programs sometimes use a combination of counseling and therapy to help employees manage their temper.

Here are a few anger management programs you can try.

• Online-Therapy.com
• Anger Masters
• Open Path
• Anger Management Training Institute
• The Logan Group Int.
• Ultimate Anger Management Course

Seek help from colleagues, friends, and online forums

If all else fails, you can try to get assistance from colleagues, friends, and family. This is a relatively cost-effective way to help deal with your anger. Another option is to seek help for similar anger issues posted on online forums, boards, etc.

They are made by like-minded people suffering from the same issues. A counselor or related professional heads the group or forum, where you can get assistance and learn how to control anger.

Here are a few things they do in these anger management local support groups and forums.

• Talk openly about each other’s feelings.
• Get practical solutions on treatment options.
• Improve your ability to cope with challenges.
• Gaining a sense of self-control, empowerment, and hope.

Therapy options for anger management

Additionally, there are a few anger management therapies you can try to control your rage in the workplace.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is the most commonly-offered therapy for a range of emotional issues. It involves talking therapy in which your feelings, thoughts, and behaviors and their impact on others are examined.

CBT teaches you how to manage your emotions using practical skills. You’ll learn how to calm your mind and relax your body, which will help you control your anger.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy goes much deeper into a person’s inner feelings and lasts longer than counseling. It goes into your past to help you identify the root cause and why you get angry the way you do.

Psychotherapy also helps you identify if certain situations specifically make you angry and, if so, why it happens.

More often, people don’t address their anger issues, which makes it stressful for colleagues at the workplace. How do you manage a colleague who is constantly in a rage with just about everything?

The role of food and nutrition in anger management

Lastly, food and nutrition play an essential role in your anger management plan. Making simple modifications to your diet can make a difference in your mood and emotions. Here are a few tips on nutrition to control your rage.

• Eat many dopamine-building foods, including poultry, eggs, fish, and leafy greens.
• Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids to help fight off depression and mood swings. These foods include flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and fish.
• Eat foods high in magnesium that promote sleep, including spinach, sunflower, pumpkin, and almonds.
• Limit your sugar intake. Eat some fruits for desserts to limit having desserts that are high in sugar.

Learn how you can get a complete and nutritious meal with the above nutrients.

Conclusion

Having anger issues can have a detrimental effect on a person’s professional development as well as their physical and mental health. That’s why it is extremely important to know how to manage anger and identify your triggers before it becomes a bigger problem.

FAQs

Is having anger issues a mental disorder?

Anger isn’t a mental disorder, but it could be a symptom of a mental health condition.

What is the best therapy for anger management?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for anger management.

Why does someone get angry over little things?

Someone could get angry over little things due to stress, anxiety, depression, feelings of grief, personal issues, or financial issues.

 

If we’ve learned anything over the last couple of years, it’s that the world can be an unpredictable place. It has been particularly difficult for business leaders to maintain the status quo at work while living and working through a global pandemic and now, more recently, simultaneously with the war in Ukraine. Being a successful and effective leader means you should know how to work under pressure, but all the planning and strategies that we have put in place aren’t going to be helpful during times of crisis if we can’t first manage ourselves.

As we’ve seen, pressure at work can come from many sources. It could be something completely beyond our control like a global pandemic, or something closer to home like the end of a fiscal quarter, preparing for an important client call, or opening a new business. The cause might be out of our hands, but how we manage through these times is within our control.

While it might sound counterintuitive, proper crisis management should start with managing yourself and focusing on your own self-awareness. For leaders to perform at their best they need to practice self-awareness. Highly self-aware leaders are better at evaluating their impact on others and managing their own emotions.

To achieve high levels of self-awareness, leaders need to be able to recharge, recover and stay fueled. Research has proven that people who exercise regularly have better physical and mental health.

Prioritizing restorative activities such as exercise, outdoor recreation, talking to friends and family, meditation, deep-breathing exercises, supporting household activities, and maintaining a proper diet are the best ways to ensure peak physical and mental condition.

I’ve put together a list of things you can do to start building your own self-awareness to help you manage through uncertain times.

Prioritize self care

As I have mentioned, the most important part of mastering crisis management is making sure you are taking care of yourself. At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, many leaders had difficulty handling the rapid changes in their lives while also dealing with crisis management at work.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that knowing how to work under pressure includes taking the time to properly manage your own emotional wellbeing.

The most effective way to do this is by investing time in activities that promote your own calmness and happiness. While this will look different for everyone, there are some standard activities that can get you started on the right path.

For example, regular exercise and proper dieting have been proven to increase a person’s physical and mental health, meaning you will be better placed to handle stressful situations. Other stress-reducing activities can include reading, playing games, going to a park or museum, listening to music, or creative activities like painting or writing. 

Self-care can also include seeking professional help from therapists or psychiatrists to help process your emotions during stressful work and life events. 

Remain connected

When trying to figure out how to work under pressure, it’s common for leaders to become hyper-focused on the problem. In doing this, it’s easy to let other works and personal responsibilities slip.

If you focus solely on high-priority items, the quality of your work and your personal life will likely suffer in the long run.

Staying connected with your friends and family is the best way to help you handle the emotional and physical weight of a stressful issue. Whether you talk about the problem or not with these people, the mere act of being around loved ones is a great way to lighten the emotional load you are carrying around.

It’s always a good habit to remain connected to the people who care about you and reciprocate that love and gratification.

Reexamine the situation

In times of crisis, leaders commonly find themselves stuck with creator’s block or writer’s block. Due to the repetitiveness of work and daily life, it’s easy to look at a set of issues through the same lens. When a complicated or important situation comes and the standard solution doesn’t work, it can be stressful and difficult to solve the problem in a calm and timely fashion. 

In these situations, it’s best to approach the problem with new, creative strategies. This can involve brainstorming sessions, applying strategies from other businesses and industries, or other unconventional methods that are typically used in your everyday life. Any way you can get yourself and your team to think outside of the box will help you overcome any challenging problem. 

The COVID pandemic taught many leaders to look outside of their own industry for solutions to managing through the pandemic. Harvard Business School examined a series of businesses that took – what became an – opportunity to respond to the pandemic in creative ways. While the pandemic disrupted businesses in different ways, leaders quickly realized that some responses were applicable, with variation, across multiple industries. From product innovation and business partnering to supply chain redesign, business leaders found a way to manage.

Understand your purpose

During stressful situations, leaders can easily lose sight of their purpose. Once again, the pandemic highlighted how little control we have over daily events and it taught us that while having goals is important, it is more important to understand the motivation behind those goals. We need goals that can adapt to external influences while holding strong to our main purpose.

Before the pandemic, many people had established career goals such as a promotion, new projects, or even career changes. Fast-forward a couple of years and the pandemic stripped many of these possibilities away, and with it, the motivating factor many managers relied on.

Many people became disenfranchised, losing value in themselves and becoming stuck with their everyday work.

That is why it’s important to understand how your work goals align with your overall purpose in life during uncertain times. Leaders must make time in their life to evaluate what is meaningful to them and how to effectively work towards those goals.

Be charitable with your time

It can be unsettling to feel out of control during times of crisis. That’s why it can be incredibly helpful to be a powerful force in a situation within your control. And being in control in varied situations can ultimately teach you how to work under pressure in a professional environment.

For example, when leaders take time out of their busy week to help a colleague or a local charity, it can provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment outside their professional work.

By focusing your sense of accomplishment solely on your work endeavors you risk creating a more stressful environment. Breaking this cycle by helping others can alleviate some of the work-related stress you’re feeling. Whether it is volunteering for a local charity or giving your time to a loved one, acts of service can help relieve feelings of stress and anxiety from other parts of your life.

Unplug from the world

The amount of time people spend with electronics is alarming. For some people it means waking up in the middle of the night to check their email, for others, it’s doom scrolling while watching TV. 

While it can be tempting to immerse yourself in the daily news cycle of wars, pandemics, political corruption, and so on, this can be harmful to your mental health and professional proficiency. While it’s not wise to ignore these world events entirely, if leaders don’t give themselves a break it can be damaging to their personal and professional lives.

In truth, unplugging entirely is impossible. However, you should make an effort to disconnect from work, social media, and electronics for at least part of every day. Doing so has not only been proven to relieve stress but to also stimulate your creative muscles. 

Be proactive in improving crisis management abilities

Crisis management is an important skill that all successful leaders need to master. Effectively navigating yourself and your team through a stressful situation is what will determine whether you’re a good manager or not.

While many leaders focus on learning various business strategies and analytical skills to prepare for a crisis (which are important), most people forget to prioritize their personal well-being at the same time.

If you prioritize self-care, you will be better placed to manage yourself during times of crisis both professionally and personally.

Investing in yourself is the best investment you can make as a leader.

Taking adequate time to rest is the best preventative measure against burnout and over-exhaustion at work. Two of the most unrelenting conditions that can take months to recover from. Vacations are the perfect solution for recharging and managing your stress. Although, it can be difficult to know the best time to take a vacation – not to mention how to ensure you achieve adequate rest while on vacation.

Exactly how much rest is an “adequate” amount, you might ask? Well, science is pretty clear on the amount: it’s 42% a day. Essentially, your body and brain need to spend about 10 hours out of every 24 resting.

While this might seem difficult to achieve, remember it doesn’t have to be every day. It can be averaged out over a week or a month or more if necessary.

In fact, taking at least 8 consecutive days of vacation sporadically throughout the year is the magic number for countering an overworked brain.

That’s why regular vacations are so important. It’s easy to get lost in the everyday grind and lose sight of your work-life balance. But regular, rejuvenating breaks throughout the year can balance out and even reduce the impact of overworking on both your body and brain.

The ideal length of a vacation

When it comes to the ideal vacation length there are generally two schools of thought: some believe it’s better to take frequent or semi-frequent short vacations (one or two days) and spread them throughout the year, while others prefer to “clump” vacation days together and take a longer vacation. Ideally, a balance between the two would be perfect.

However, if you’re forced to choose between the two, the latter is the most rejuvenating for your body and mind.

A group of Finnish researchers calculated the perfect timeframe, finding the most effective way to maintain a healthy work-life balance is to take between seven to 11 days of vacation at a time.

And as it turns out, the ‘sweet spot’ for optimized vacations is eight days. After 8 days of vacation, people reach peak happiness, giving them adequate time to unwind and relax.

Unfortunately, vacation days are not unlimited. But if you plan your vacation around a weekend, you can use less annual leave for your vacation.

Remember to space out your vacation days so you can find balance regularly throughout the year. But ensure you organize your breaks in a way that ensures you’re taking at least 7-8 vacation days at a time to allow you to let go of some of that built-up stress and really relax.

When is the best time to take a vacation?

Of course, the most challenging part of vacations is actually taking them – and taking them in an effective way.

Let’s start with when. Ask yourself: when do you think free time will be most valuable to you? Think about the times throughout the year when you enjoy taking time off. For example, do you enjoy visiting family? Or maybe it is better when you are most exhausted and would benefit more from having time to slow down.

Perhaps Thanksgiving is the most important celebration for you? Or maybe taking a few weeks in April is necessary for you to have an extremely productive summer. Start at the base – what are your personal needs? What times throughout the year do you need an energy boost the most?

Think about what you really need. If traveling stresses you out, why not stay at home? Think about your priorities. Sometimes, you can get more quality time staying at home. Trust me, many executives still do not realize the value of a relaxing, peaceful staycation.

To maximize vacation days there are a few tried and true techniques that allow you to get closer to that magic number without actually needing 8 annual leave days

Here are some of my top tips on how to maximize your vacation, including some great planning techniques that will enable you to truly relax while on vacation.

1. Make the most of your bank holidays

By taking advantage of bank holidays you can maximize the number of vacation days you can take at once.

For example, in 2022, by taking five days off from May 23rd to 27th, you can actually enjoy 10 vacation days. Your actual vacation would be from the 21st to the 30th. Alternatively, you could take July 1st off to get a longer 4th of July weekend.

If you have more days to spare, you can also expand your December and January vacation by taking nine days off from the 7th to the 21st of January. In total, that would give you 17 days of rest, starting on the 7th and ending on the 24th.

With 9 bank holidays remaining in 2022, there are plenty of options to maximize your vacation by combining your holidays with annual leave.

Here are the bank holidays for the rest of the year, as well as the next five years to help you start planning:

*Falls on a Saturday, not observed
**Falls on a Sunday, observed on Monday

Be aware that these are often tricks that many employees and executives use to increase their vacation days. So, if you want to extend your bank holidays by taking leave, make sure to plan in advance. This way, you won’t have to be the person who is still in the office because you forgot to request leave early enough!

2. Take advantage of the off-season

Depending on the industry you are involved in, you may have an off-season. If you are in the business world, one option is to rest when other businesspeople are also on vacation. For example, the holiday season in December is typically a good time to take a vacation. It all depends on when is the busiest time of the year in your industry. It might feel easier to take time off without the worry that you’re leaving a pile of work behind.

3. Delegation before vacation

Contrary to taking advantage of the off-season, the best time to take a vacation might be when other team members are not.

Before you start planning your vacation, consider the times when others in a similar position will be present. Can your work be reassigned to someone else who can do it just as well as you can?

Even a great executive can’t be present all the time. This is why skilled business leaders train and delegate competent subordinates.

Give your staff plenty of time to learn the ropes before your holiday. By building experience beforehand, your extended absence will induce far less anxiety for you and your team.

This principle should also be applied between other employees. Encourage cross-training between peers to compensate for eventual absences. In doing so, neither you nor your employees will be caught off guard if someone else needs to take a holiday, gets sick, or quits.

After all, the best time to take a vacation from work is when the office is prepared in advance. 

4. Are you in-between jobs?

Lastly, another option is to take time off when you are in-between jobs. So, if you are in the midst of a career change, taking the time to slow down and recharge before the new job begins is always a good idea. Not only do you start with a fresh mind, but you can enjoy a few weeks to yourself to get ready for an exciting new opportunity.

Vacationing often is better than nothing

If you are not able to take long vacations, don’t worry. Taking regular smaller vacations is also immensely beneficial for your brain. So, a long weekend here or there can help as well.

Research shows that taking regular vacations, especially if you travel to a different environment, provides substantial brain benefits. Although, these benefits dissipate quickly and ideally should be replenished often.

So when is the best time to take a vacation?

A major part of having the right work-life balance is making the most of your vacation time. It’s important to take enough time to truly relax and refuel before you jump back into work.

I recommend at least 8 days at a time. Consider including two weekends so you can get more days for less leave. If you take a holiday from Saturday to Sunday, you get 9 days of vacation for 5 days of annual leave. If you get 10 annual leave days a year, that’s two decent rejuvenating holidays per year.

By effectively planning and taking advantage of the best time to take a vacation, you’re less likely to experience burnout down the line.

There is a thin line between stress and anxiety, and this is the very reason why we often tend to mistake one for the other. And so today, we are going to have a detailed analysis on the differences between stress and anxiety, their symptoms, causes, and solutions. But first, let’s have a look at the misconception surrounding these two terms.

 

1. The Misconception

It is not uncommon for most people to think they are stressed out when truly, they are anxious, maybe as a result of an upcoming event like seminar presentation at work, or loads of tasks that have to be completed.

And this misconception is often borne from the fact that the two conditions share the same attributes such as chronic headaches (like having muscle tension and headaches) upset stomach, obsessive worrying (like always being excessively worried before important meetings or the next business trip) and overall uneasiness (like always arguing at every slightest thing).

Nevertheless, all I want you to know is that these two conditions are very distinct, and I’m going to explain each of them separately so that you can have a better understanding of how stress and anxiety differ.

 

2. What Is Stress?

Taking back to its roots in 1936, the word “stress” was coined by Hans Selye who defined it as being “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”.

Basically, think of stress as a physical response in which our body tends to switch into, thus releasing hormonal fluids such as adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine, because it feels our body is under attack.

Put differently; stress is more like a defensive mechanism our body automatically switches into when we over work ourselves. And these defensive mechanisms often include chronic headache, an increase in heart beat, a diversion of the blood from the bloodstream to the muscle, slowing down digestion, a halt in tissue repairs and so on, just in a bid to stop us from over stressing ourselves further.

However, in contrary to popular belief that stress is bad for you, not all stress is bad for the body. And one of the reasons why this is so is that stress helps trigger our bodies into reaching its optimal state, where it increases our cognitive performance, as well as alertness.

 

3. What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling that occurs in our body when our brain perceives a danger that poses a threat to the body. And sometimes, these threats could be unreal because there are just mere imaginations. 

And one of the advantages of anxiety is that it sometimes instills fear and apprehension in our body, which helps us to be defensive and to adapt to an environment, no matter where we find ourselves. A perfect example of anxiety is the feeling we get when we are about to go on our first date, perhaps a job interview in a well reputable company, a final match fixture between our supported team versus the opponent, a huge upcoming presentation at work, and so on.

Naturally, anxiety is often short but recurring, if you don’t work on stopping it. And if you can’t control your anxiety level in what is often known as an anxiety disorder, you can read how to successfully treat it here.

So, now that we’ve known what these two are, let’s take a look at their symptoms.

 

4. Symptoms of Stress

Chronic stress can show itself in one’s body emotionally, behaviorally, and physically, and they all vary in degree, depending on the person involved. And this is why people all of a sudden become brief tempered, weak, sluggish, and so on. Here are some common physical symptoms that show a person is stressed out.

 

4.1. Physical Symptoms

– Sleep disturbances or changes in sleeping habits (insomnia or sleeping too much),

– Muscle tension,

– Muscle aches,

– Headache, gastrointestinal problems,

– Fatigue.

 

4.2. Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms

– Nervousness,

– Changes in eating habits including overeating or undereating (leading to weight gain or loss),

– Loss of enthusiasm or energy,

– Mood changes, like irritability or becoming easily agitated,

– Engaging in unhealthy habits such as alcohol abuse, smoking, turning to drugs for relief and so on.

 

Disclaimer: As a fact, it doesn’t mean that every symptom listed here are often as a result of stress, no. This is because when it comes to the experience of stress, it differs from individual to individual as I said earlier, whereby, symptoms for Mr. A, might not be the same for Mr. B.

Nevertheless, if these symptoms occur more than once, like become persistent, then it’s surely a sign of stress and you might want to go visit your physician for proper medical attention.

 

4.3. Other Stress Symptoms and Signs

– Constipation

– Depression

– Diarrhea

– Difficulty Relaxing

– Feeling Frustrated

– Feeling Like You Are Losing Control

– Feeling Overwhelmed

– Frequent Colds and Infections

– Grinding Teeth

– Loneliness

– Loss of Sexual Desire

– Low Self-Esteem

 

 

5. Symptoms of Anxiety

Irrespective of the fact that some symptoms of anxiety often coincide with that of stress, symptoms such as feeling nervous, tired, tense, or fearful; insomnia, nausea, digestive problems, still, there are more signs often identified with Anxiety. And these include:

 

– Restlessness

– Obsessive thoughts

– A rapid heart rate

– Fast breathing, or hyperventilation

– Sweating

– Shaking

– Weakness

– Dizziness

– Feeling too cold or too hot

– Chest pain

– Compulsive behaviors

– Panic attacks, in severe cases

 

6. What Is the Difference Between Stress and Anxiety?

So to the main question of the day, what is the difference between stress and anxiety? Well, as I stated earlier, while anxiety can only manifest in the form of emotions/feelings, stress can display itself in several ways including physically, emotionally and behaviorally.

Although most symptoms are similar between stress and anxiety, restlessness and obsessive thoughts are exclusively associated with anxiety. In other words, anyone who is restless and often harbors obsessive thoughts is suffering from an anxiety disorder and not stress per say.

However, given that stress and anxiety often have similar symptoms, the best way to spot out the difference between them is through their origin, treatment and specific symptoms. So let’s look at them.

 

6.1. Differences in Origin

The main cause of stress often originates from the problems we are currently facing in our lives at the time. Challenges such as financial challenges, marital issues, loss of job, argument, and so on. And as soon as those problems are over or solved, so will the stress level reduce.

An example of how stress affects us is when we are in a situation where we have to get like three or more complicated tasks done in the office in less than 24hours, 48hours or any impossible short period of time.

For instance, you have to write a voluminous report of over 70 pages for your boss next week, and also have to attend two seminars and gather reports that you will also include in the 70 pages report, and then endeavor to attend your child’s last high school game still that same week. Automatically, you’re going to be stressed out under such a condition.

On the other hand, the root cause of anxiety isn’t always as easy to detect because, unlike stress that is caused by external factors, anxiety is a result of internal elements. Plus, anxiety is a persistent feeling of fear that unlike stress once again, doesn’t go away even after an event that triggered it is gone.

For instance, if you were anxious because of a presentation at work, after the presentation, the anxiety will still be there. And when next you have something higher to do like field work or perhaps a job interview, the anxiety will manifest once again simply because it is an internal problem. And that takes us to the next point.

 

6.2. Differences in Treatment

Another difference between stress and anxiety is that you can successfully manage stress by tackling the external factors that are causing you to be stressed out.

If your workplace is the primary source of your stress, you could sometimes apply for a leave of absence to take some time off, and rest. Once you do that, your stress level will reduce drastically.

On the other hand, you can’t treat anxiety externally because that job interview, first date, or perhaps the work presentation isn’t the problem. The problem is within you and so you’ll need to read on how to treat and manage anxiety disorder or meet a therapist/psychologist to help you with it. Overall, you can only treat stress externally and anxiety internally.

 

7. Causes of Stress

Below are the most common causes of stress.

7.1. Workplace

25% out of a staggering 80% of workers in America, rate their jobs as stressful, according to research stats from the American Institute of Stress. So it’s no news why workplaces are the most common cause of stress amongst people.

 

7.2. Work-life Balance

For the mere fact that people can’t seem to get around balancing their work-life relationship is the reason why they often take home their office tasks to complete them at home. Don’t be deceived; doing this will cause you much stress than ever.

 

7.3. Task Completion

Even the slightest of things as leaving for work without making your bed could cause you much stress when you come back from office to find an unmade bed. So, when you wake up every morning, try to complete every little task you can.

Basically, any external factor that puts you under pressure is capable of causing stress.

 

8. Causes of Anxiety

Just like in the case of stress, workplace, and not being able to balance your work-life relation can cause you to be anxious.

 

8.1. Social Media

Social media can put us under a lot of anxiety when we scroll through our feeds and come across perhaps the achievements of our peers, and how far they have gone. The fake lives, gratification, and competition in social media as a whole can cause you to become really anxious.

 

8.2. Environment

Lastly, your environment can cause you to become anxious, especially if you’re the type who loves a quiet environment, but happen to live in a constantly busy and noisy environment.

 

8.3. Events

Upcoming and long anticipated events are high triggers of anxiety. Events like having to go on your first ever date with someone, a long anticipated promotion examination at work, and so on.

 

9. Relationship Between Stress and Anxiety

Other than the similarities in symptoms, stress often grows into anxiety if not treated early. And once it metamorphosis into anxiety(anxiety disorder), it is often hard to control except through the specific intervention of a trained medical professional.

A perfect example of this includes post traumatic stress disorder that often starts as a result of a traumatizing incident like robbery, accident, and so on. These things can lead to an anxiety disorder known as post traumatic disorder.

 

10. How To Cope With Stress

As I said earlier, it is way easier to manage stress than anxiety, and here are some of the few ways you can achieve that. However, if you want to know about all the ways to manage stress, you can read all about them here. 

– Balance your work and family relationships. In other words, know the boundaries and don’t let work interfere with your personal life.

– Exercising often releases a chemical known as dopamine in our body, which is often responsible for making us feel good. So, if you want to manage stress, exercise regularly.

– Eat healthily and abstain from alcohol or drug abuse.

– Stay in touch with positive people that will always encourage you always to keep your heads up.

– Always make out time for your passion. If you’re passionate about football, go watch some during the weekend, if it’s volleyball, basketball, and so on, do the same.

– Practice meditation and Stress Reduction/ Yoga regularly.

– Have enough rest.

– Take a break and go on a vacation.

– Visit your counselor or therapist regularly.

 

11. How To Cope With Anxiety

Even though it’s going to take some time in spotting out what triggers your feelings of anxiety, here are some things you could do to manage it in the meantime:

– Avoid negative thoughts at all cost. They are one of the main triggers of anxiety.

– Always try to remain focused, and when you feel the anxiety coming, always try to take a deep breath. Between 3-4 deep breathes would be ideal.

– Make use of Aromatherapy, whether it is in an incense form, oil, or a candle, lavender, chamomile, and sandalwood scents. Whatever form it is, aromatherapy can be very helpful in activating specific brain receptors such as anxiety.

– Practice yoga for at least 15 minutes daily, and always go for a walk to calm your mind.

– Try and inculcate the habit of writing down your thoughts to avoid forgetfulness which often triggers anxiety.

– Try identifying and learn how to manage your triggers

– Experiment food supplements or change your diet. Some of the most helpful nutrients/supplements include; lemon balm, omega-3 fatty acids, ashwagandha, green tea, valerian root, kava kava, dark chocolate (in moderation).

 

However, it is important to note that these above nutrients won’t work instantly in managing your anxiety level, as it often takes about 3 months for the body to actually act on it in regards to anxiety.

 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, stress and anxiety are clearly distinct as we’ve discussed today. However, irrespective of their differences, if stress is not properly handled, it could grow into a serious anxiety disorder.

So, if you want to manage your stress level, consider reducing your work time, basically anything engaging you unduly, and take as much rest as you can.

And if you want to manage anxiety, focus more on the internal by taking medications like supplements, practicing mindfulness/meditation, and so on.

Overall, always try to live a healthy life!

In this article, I will explain to you the relationship between exercise and stress. After reading this post you will know how and when to exercise to fight stress effectively.

Do you know that constant, ongoing stress can lead to illnesses and diseases like anxiety and depression, obesity, diabetes, asthma, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, headaches and migraines, insomnia, chronic fatigue and pain, and even early death?

It is scary, especially if you take into account that our life and work are full of continuous stress.  Therefore, we desperately look for solutions. Some meditate. Some reach out for medication. Many do nothing thinking that high-stress level is a natural part of the life of a busy professional. 

But there is an easy and healthy solution: physical exercise. There have been many studies done to prove that exercise is an effective way to reduce and manage the lasting negative effects of stress. 

Let us first find out how exercise and stress relief are connected. After that, we will recommend the very best stress relief exercises and teach you how to include them in your daily routine.

 

What Experts Say About the Link Between Exercise and Stress

Usually referred to as the flight or fight response, there are a lot of things that happen inside your brain and body when you’re going through a stressful time at work. As your body begins to experience stress, your brain releases cortisol and adrenaline. These are the hormones responsible for your increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and the tensing of muscles. 

Typically your body and mind start to calm down once the fear or the stressful situation has passed. However, if you keep experiencing stress on an ongoing basis, it could be detrimental to your health as well as your relationships with others because your body doesn’t have the proper amount of time to recover. 

Regular exercise is proven to improve your mood by boosting your endorphins and balancing your hormones. 

Another research done by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America used a poll to find that nearly 14% of people regularly use exercise to manage stress symptoms. The study stated that even just 5 minutes of exercise can produce positive effects and reverse some symptoms related to long term stress. 

For example, maintaining a regular exercise program can relieve tension, improve your quality of sleep, and improve your self-confidence and self-worth. It is also recommended to find small amounts of time to exercise, even if it is just a 20- minute walk, according to this study.

The key to keeping up with regular exercising is to find something you enjoy doing. Even better, find multiple things you enjoy doing so that you can keep things interesting. It is also easier to keep a routine when you find a friend to exercise with.

 

What Are The Most Effective Stress Relief Exercises, according to Science?

 

Aerobic Exercises

1. Swimming

Swimming is an excellent example of a stress relief exercise because it is high energy but low impact.

Swimming targets the whole body and all muscle groups, but there is very low stress on your muscles and joints. It is easy on the knees and elbows but whips you into shape quickly. 

Most people prefer to swim in a pool, but getting into nature like the ocean or a lake is even more stress relieving, but always be aware of your surroundings and current conditions if you’re swimming in nature.

Science also says that a 6-weeks routine of aquatic aerobic, twice a week, is a great stress relief exercise. 

 

2. Boxing

Boxing is one of the most intense fitness programs you can do for stress relief. It is a total full body workout and involves a lot of agility and coordination. 

Boxing instantly reduces stress, anxiety, and anger. There are many ways to incorporate boxing into your routine. You can find local classes that are a mix of stations and boxing, you can find a gym with a punching bag, or you can find classes to eventually get into sparring with someone else. 

 

3. Running

Running is another form of fitness that is high intensity and high impact but offers instant results. According to Science, running is an excellent stress relief exercise. 

Running is easily accessible for everyone, even if it starts out as walking. Running should also be paired with deep stretching such as yin or restorative yoga to help protect your joints.

 

4. Yoga

There are SO many types of yoga out there that it can be very overwhelming to find a style or even teacher that suits you. It is great to mix and match styles so you can take full advantage of yogas benefits. The health benefits of yoga are extensive for mind, body, and soul. 

Studies have shown that a regular yoga practice can lower more than just stress; it can also lower blood pressure. Yoga strengthens muscles and mind, and for some people, it has a spiritual element as well. Yoga can help you lose or maintain weight, and it improves your overall health, no matter what style you practice.

Learn How Yoga Helps You Excel at Work

Here you have different types of yoga for stress relief:

– Vinyasa: Vinyasa is translated to “linking breath with movement”. This style of yoga flows from one pose to the next and focuses a lot on the breath. It is a very active, high energy and high paced style of yoga and is commonly practiced in a heated room. 

– Ashtanga: Ashtanga style is one of the more traditional practices and focuses on the 8 limbs of yoga. Ashtanga also uses breath and movement to create flow throughout the practice. Ashtanga differs from Vinyasa because the same poses are practiced in the same sequence and at a moderate pace.

– Iyengar: Iyengar focuses heavily on the alignment of poses. This style also uses props such as blocks, bolsters, and straps, encouraging you to go deeper and deeper into your current pose.

– Bikram: Bikram Yoga is always taught in a room heated to 105 degrees with 40% humidity. The same 26 poses are always practiced along with 2 breathing exercises and there is a heavy focus on alignment.

– Power: Power Yoga can best be described as a mix between the vinyasa and ashtanga styles with a little pilates thrown in. It is a rigorous practice guaranteed to get your heart pumping and build muscle.

– Yin: Yin style of yoga focuses on a deep stretch that gets down into your connective tissues. This class style is extremely passive and is excellent for flexibility. There is no flow in this class and poses are held from 1-5 minutes.

– Restorative: Restorative Yoga focuses on restoring the body, whether that is from an injury or just a long day it aims to bring the body back to being healthy. 

Here you have a Beginner Yoga Routine To Reduce Stress and Anxiety:

9 Yoga Poses to De-Stress

 

5. Tai-Chi

Tai-chi is another stress relief exercise baked by Science that involves the mind, body, and breath practiced with controlled movements. Tai-Chi improves fitness and flexibility, builds muscle strength as well as coordination and helps fight chronic pain. 

There are also several styles of Tai-Chi and they are pretty accessible to everyone. Tai-chi is a really great way to connect the mind body and soul, releasing stress from everything.

Here you have different styles of Tai-Chi for stress relief:

– Chen Style: This style of Tai-Chi involves movements such as jumps, kicks, and strikes with a focus on strength and agility.

– Yang Style: Yang style is passive and graceful. It involved contracting your body with exaggerated movements.

– Wu Style: This type of tai-chi incorporates leaning forward and backward, using the back leg for stability. 

– Sun Style: The Sun style of tai-chi looks more like a dance, Sun style of tai-chi involves footwork and hand movements linked together with breath and flowing movements. 

Here you have a Tai-Chi routine for stress relief:

 

6. Breathing and Meditation Exercises

A study done by Harvard has shown that in addition to the benefits of physical exercise when it comes to reducing stress, breathing, and meditation exercises are also effective. 

Breathing exercises may even be more instantly effective than physical exercise because it is always accessible. Breathing and meditation can be done anywhere at anytime.

Breathing stress relief exercises are easy to learn and can be used in a myriad of situations. They can provide instant relief from stress and anxiety without much effort or notice from others around you. 

Breathing techniques are a power tool to have in your stress relieving belt.

– Equal Breath: True to the name, this practice involves inhaling and exhaling through your nose for the same amount of time. For example, as you inhale through your nose, slowly count to 8 and then slowly exhale through your nose for the same count of 8.

– Alternate Nostril Breathing: Using your right hand, hold your right nostril closed with your thumb and inhale through your left nostril, pause, close your left nostril and exhale through your right. You can repeat this over and over until you feel stress symptoms receding.  

– Ujjayi Breath: This practice involves slowly inhaling through your nose, filling your lungs and belly before exhaling back out through your nose.

– Guided Meditation: Guided meditations are an instant relief and help train you to slow your mind and thoughts down.

17 Meditation Tips to Maximize Your Experience

 

How to Incorporate the Stress Relief Exercises in Your Daily Agenda

– In the morning, to de-stress before an important presentation at work, we propose a short guided meditation and couple breathing exercises. 

Basic Meditation Techniques for Beginners to Reduce Stress

This can be as soon as you wake up, on your way to work or right before your presentation. Even all three if you are extremely stressed.  

– In the afternoon, to reduce your stress levels after a stressful call with a client, we propose to go out and take a walk for at least 20 minutes. Ideally, you would get out into nature and leave your phone behind.

Even if you can’t get a walk in, stepping outside in the sunshine for a few moments will help reduce stress levels. If it’s raining or nasty weather, try going to the gym, we propose to use the treadmill, bike or stepper.

Even just 15 will help minimize stress symptoms. 

– In the evening, after a long, stressful day at work. Get yourself to a yoga or boxing class. Get an intense cardio session for at least 30-40 minutes and you will really feel the day melt away.

Make sure to drink plenty of water and while getting into the habit of working out after (or before) a long day is difficult, it pays off in the long run when your quality of health improves.  

 

Conclusion

The connection between exercise and stress has been proven and backed by science. We know now that any regular workout or fitness program will help you better regulate your stress levels in addition to many other health benefits.

These benefits include but are not limited to weight loss, increased metabolism, lower blood pressure, increased strength and flexibility, increased focus and concentration and better self esteem. Instant relief from stressful situations can include breathing exercises and meditation.

There are an infinite amount of workouts to choose from, not just the six on this list. The key is to find the right stress relief exercises for you, find several you like so you can always mix it up and never get bored. Hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, paddle boarding, dancing, zoomba, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, etc. can all be considered exercises. Anything that helps you refocus your energy will do wonders for stress management. 

In addition to these stress relief exercises, things like learning new hobbies, painting or coloring, journaling, volunteering your time at an animal shelter or soup kitchen or even just getting coffee or drinks with your closest friends can also lower your stress levels. 

Interested in Other Highly Effective Stress Relief Tools? Check out the following posts:

40  Powerful Mantras for Instant Stress Relief

The Best Stress Relief Toys for Busy Executives

12 Stress Relief Games Backed by Science That Will Keep Your Stress at Bay

Natural Stress Relief: 32 Ways for Immediate Stress Reduction

Comment below with your favorite stress relief exercise.

Stress relief games? Can they really help me reduce my work and family stress and relive my end-of-day tension? Gaming creates addiction, doesn’t it?

Playing games during working hours can be classified as cyberslacking, right? The answer is “yes, but…” to all of these questions.

There are several games with a stress relief effect. Some may cause addiction, however. Thus, playing some games requires significant self-control. 

You should not use your work equipment for personal purposes. Nevertheless, playing a short game before an important presentation or a difficult meeting to reduce your overall tension is not cyberslacking.

Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with playing games on the plane, at airports, during lunchtime, or after work at home.

Stress relief games offer you a new way to combat the mental pressure you experience every day. But please do not treat gaming as the only way to reduce stress. There are many other stress relief methods to apply in your daily life.

70+ Ways to Relieve Stress (Permanently!) That Really Work

 

What Exactly Is a Stress Relief Game?

A stress relief game is a simple game that is able to reduce your overall stress and anxiety level as well as improve your mood.

A short gaming activity takes your mind off your daily life problems and lets you escape from work, and social and relationship pressure.

 

Did Science Prove the Effectiveness of the Stress Relief Games?

Yes, it did! Some psychological studies indicate that causal video games assist in treating stress-related medical disorders.

Moreover, research confirms that temporarily losing sight of real life and relaxing are associated with games, allowing them to relieve stress for many players.

Another scientific publication suggests that work-related fatigue can be countered by playing games, especially for individuals lacking social support.

 

What Should You Know Before Playing Stress Relief Games?

Before you start playing these games, there is one very important piece of advice for you. In many cases, the basic level of these games is very simple and relaxing. Please use them to release tension and do not progress too quickly to the next level.

The last levels, due to their complexity, can be frantic and stressful. They may, in fact, increase your stress level. Be aware of this consequence! Again, self-control is key when playing stress relief games.

 

Which Are the Stress Relief Games?

A list of games prepared for you:

1. Flow Free

This is one of the most soothing games that can be found on the internet. The objective is to pair the same colors with a “pipe.” By connecting the colors, you create a Flow®. The puzzle is solved when the pipes cover the entire board. Don’t cross or overlap the pipes, however.

Note that the higher level, the more challenging and frenetic it becomes. To get the real stress relief benefits from this game, please stick to the lower level.

Available on:Web, iOS, Android.

 

2. Candy Crush

This is one of many puzzle games you can find. Candy Crush is one of the most famous stress relief games that has been played all over the world.

It involves connecting the same colored candies and crushing them, thereby giving the user the best experience. Stress release is further enhanced by lining up the candies to the upbeat music.

In a scientific papers we read that because the timed levels are not sequential, players can work at their own leisurely pace.

Note, however, that Candy Crush is one of the most addictive games. In this article you can read why.

Available on: Web, iOS, Android.

 

3. Wordscapes

This is another famous stress relief game. It appeals to anagram and corsswork lowers and anhyone who loves word search challenges. A few minutes is all it takes but you can do it for hours if you like.

Here is how it works. You build words from your given letter without a time limit. You can create more than one. You are not scrutinized as there is no timer or pressure from a countermove.  It is about your time, so no stress is involved.

Available on: iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Android.

 

4. Pigment

If your favorite activity as a child was to color a book, then this is your best pick. In this game, you have to color the designs you choose from a huge set of coloring pencils. Give it a try!

Some researchers say that this kind of activity boosts mental acuity. In fact, coloring is great to pick up your mood and lower stress.

Plus, it is highly creative. In just ten minutes or more, you can relax as if you were meditating to reach mindfulness. You are in the moment with full concentration.

Available on:  iOS and Android.

 

5. INK

 This is a very unconventional puzzle game concept. It works on levels like most games and the point is to conquer the enemies in the room. There are goals at each level.

But you don‘t really know where you are going as the environment is invisible. Therefore, you need to explore a bit before applying any paint. How cool is that!

Neuroscientist Daniel Bor explains why we feel so good when solving puzzles. Most people activate the pleasure center of the brain as they seek to comprehend patterns and complexities.

Available on:  iOS and Android.

 

 

6. Push

Push is a great stress relief game to consider as it is quite different. You press buttons to unlock switches. Sounds simple, right? In the very beginning, it’s easy and relaxing, but soon things become more challenging. 

 Available on:  iOS or Android.

 

7. Tetris

Tetris is one of the oldest computer games around designed by a Russian engineer in Soviet times. It takes you back to your childhood, thereby giving you a good feeling.

Like all games, there is a goal. Here it is to gain points by eliminating the horizontal lines you see in the blocks. You can do this by moving and rotating the “tetriminos” inside the playing field, called the matrix. When no empty spaces are left, you are done.

Some studies classify Tetris as a stress relief game as it seems to work wonders on mood. It is a great form of distraction for anxiety. People get so involved that they lose sight of their stress.

Some researchers from University College of London found that playing Tetris for ten minutes reduces stress better than using a mindfulness app. There is no doubt, then, that this game has proven stress relief properties!

Available on:  iOS and Android.  

 

8. Super Mario Run

 If you are not much of a puzzle game person, then Mario may be a good option for you. It is super popular and an all-time classic.

This stress relief video game not only reduces stress but it also makes you happy. This is what one study confirms. Results show that in-game success boots one’s mood and eliminates traces of anger.  The classic game is the answer to a stressful life.

Available on iOS and Android.

 

9. Prune

This is a game with a simple goal. You prune the Bonsai tree, creating the desired shape.

You do it by cutting away anything unnecessary. It is a relaxing exercise without any competitive pressure. The game’s design is monochrome, which calms the mind. This is a highly recommended form of stress relief.

Available on:  iOS and Android.

 

10. Blue

Even if blue is not your favorite color, you will love this game. The rules are extremely simple: you just need to change the screen color to blue. 

Blue is very enjoyable although quite short in comparison with other games. The puzzles are challenging, but not frustrating. Plus, the soothing music makes Blue a relaxing and calming form of stress relief.

Available on: iOS and Android.

 

11. Word Cross

Did you know that scientists have found that people who do word puzzles regularly have brains that are ten years younger than their real age?

Solving crosswords is a very popular leisure activity. Some researchers from the University of Calgary believe that leisure activities play an important role in stress reduction.

Word Cross, particular, offers the opportunity to do newspaper-like crosswords on your smartphone. It is extremely easy. There are over 2,000 challenges and every day you get a bonus.

Crosswords are an all-engrossing world you can do every day. You become engaged quickly and stress fades away.

Available on Apple and Android.

 

12. Harmony: Melody Mirror

 People who love this game say it is easy. It is a smart music game much like Guitar Hero. Observe the notes and tap the free squares at the right tempo to active a glow. Soon you have created a bit of a melody. You will feel like a real life musician and composer.

This has been a major anxiety reducer for players. Problems like stress and OCD disappear in a jiffy. Some say that you will note a reduction in your heart rate the more you indulge.

No timer, no stressful competition or countermoves. Just relaxing fun on your own.

Available on: iOS and Android.

 

 

Conclusion

Stress relief games are fun and relaxing. They allow you to divert your mind from the tensions of life as entering another realm.

Try the games listed, and if they prove to be an effective stress relief strategy for you, please feel free to share this article with others to help them deal with their stress. After all, sharing is caring!

Also, please tell us in the comment section below what other games you play to reduce stress.

Interested in Other Highly Effective Stress Relief Tools?

40  Powerful Mantras for Instant Stress Relief

The Best Stress Relief Toys for Busy Executives

Natural Stress Relief: 32 Ways for Immediate Stress Reduction