I once heard George Carlin the comic address the point of vacations, and how individuals handle their “stuff.” People more often than not take a little variant of their stuff on furlough and successively little adaptations to their inn room, or to the shoreline and so on. He was insane; reverberating with the need we have for the recognizable keeping in mind the end goal to feel more good. Pondering this I thought about whether it is the same with our anxiety level? Do we take a littler rendition of our anxiety with us in the midst of a furlough? It is safe to say that we are such animals of propensity that we unwittingly take along some anxiety to stay in our usual range of familiarity? Some of the time we go into the propensity for anxiety naturally, not giving any idea with respect to how we may change our lives to have littler and littler forms of it. In the midst of a furlough for example do we carelessly top off “down time?” Can you purposefully work on doing nothing? Is it accurate to say that you are enticed to fill the space?
Over the years people have said such things to me as, “my life is out of control,” “you might as well tell me to be a surgeon as to tell me to relax,” “I have no time to learn how to de-stress,” “I don’t know where to begin.” When people are at this anxiety level, any talk of de-stressing is hard for them to hear. If I told them to get more exercise, eat healthy, work less etc., it would be stressful for them in and of itself, although these things help.
There is an “I Love Lucy” episode whereby Lucy and her friend Ethel got a job wrapping candy in a factory. At first they went at their own pace, pleased with themselves until the manager speeded up the conveyor belt and they were not able to keep up. They began stuffing candy everywhere possible, even down their shirts, hoping the manager wouldn’t notice. Soon everything was out of control, chaotic and hilariously funny as only Lucy and Ethel could make it. This show was years ago when our activities were more in step with the cycles of the natural world and their behavior seemed to be an extreme exaggeration. That imagery however does not seem so exaggerated today does it? America in particular is on a fast clock that we allow to rule us to the point whereby we are stressed beyond limits. So how do we free ourselves from the tyranny of time? How can we make vacation time a slower elongated sense of time without pressure?
Stress is a natural part of living from which there is no escape, and does not respond to simpleminded solutions or quick fixes. Certainly if we have a choice it is only practical to avoid unnecessary misery. It is important to become aware of our “stress signature”, that which we do when there is an accumulation of stressors. Do we avoid, procrastinate, lash out, wall off, use drugs or get busier? It helps to know.
Stress however is so accumulative and insidious that many people are choosing to become aware, while attempting to acquire the tools to better manage the level of life’s stressors. If what you do over and over does not bring you positive results, more of the same won’t work. Taking a cue from the sailor who positions a sail to make the best use of the wind to propel the boat, nobody controls the weather, but good sailors learn to read it carefully and respect its power. If they sail with wind at their backs they go only where the wind blows them. Like the sailor, we can learn how to tackle life’s stressful situations with some basic tools, in order to avoid being overwhelmed. Knowing how to use wind energy, sailors will avoid storms if possible but when caught in one, they know when to take down the sails, drop anchor, ride things out. They control what is controllable and let go of the rest. What a concept!
Basic strategy in having less stress is to become aware, be mindful of what one is doing, how often, and when. No article or book will help if you do not make time to reflect and examine where you are now, not where you want to be.
Here are some steps to become mindful and less stressed:
First: If you are overwhelmed with stress. Stop! Breathe slowly, gently, with eyes closed. Becoming aware of breath and slowing it down is a major precursor to change. If our breath is shallow and we are unaware of it, we remain unfocused, tense and distracted. So without forcing, practice deep slow gentle breaths. Using the analogy of a bicycle, if one has never learned to ride it is of no use in an emergency. Our breath is like the bicycle. It has the power to calm us in the stressful situation on a day to day basis, if we practice.
Second: Look at your life as you are presently living it. Now look at your life as you would like it to be.
Third: Draw a circle, include segments representing the time you spend on major areas as family finances, leisure, health, career, sleep etc. Where are you overdoing, under doing? Where is your energy going? Where are you in this pie of your life? (For example I saw an overstressed banker whose wife was on the verge of leaving because he never had time for the family. After assessing his situation it became evident that in addition to overworking, he was reading four newspapers a day plus listening to local and national news. He reduced reading to one newspaper with a nightly scan of news, gaining roughly two hours a day, thus being more available to his family.
Fourth: Breathe, review and redraw your circle into a more balanced possibility. Doing less in some areas in order to be more available to life in others, is a beginning. Reevaluate your priorities. Pay attention to how you feel, become mindful. In our society busyness is quite addictive, condoned and valued. What I’m suggesting to create change in your life may run counter to your comfort level, and that itself being a clue.
Fifth: How to start being mindful: Do you have 1 minute or 10 minutes a day. 30 minutes would be better, however start where you can and will. Place one hand where your breath is moving usually the chest area and one hand below your navel so you can feel the rise and fall of your belly breathing. Breathe in slowly, pause without forcing, and on the out breath make an “aaah” sound. Remember how it feels to come home exhausted to flop on the couch saying aaah! Continue to breathe gently, slowly and deeply pausing after each inhalation and exhalation. Thoughts may come, just note them and let them go. Thoughts are like clouds, they always change. So go back to breath and relax. Do this exercise for one minute and add to it as you can. Becoming aware, mindful and breathing properly are basic underpinnings for managing stress, and changing your life. Let go and relax.
Drawing a circle to analyze time spent in different areas of life is a practical exercise. It provides a visual representation of where adjustments are needed.
I agree, visual tools can be very effective in helping us understand and manage our stress levels.
The idea that we take smaller versions of our stress on vacation is intriguing. It makes sense that our habits would follow us, even when we’re trying to relax.
It’s true that telling someone to simply ‘relax’ can be counterproductive. A more nuanced approach to stress management is definitely needed.
I agree. Tailoring stress management techniques to individual needs is crucial for real progress.
Indeed, providing step-by-step guidance or tools that people can integrate into their daily lives seems more effective.
The reference to the ‘I Love Lucy’ episode is a clever way to illustrate how out-of-control our lives can feel. It’s a good reminder to slow down.
The analogy with the sailors is an interesting one. It really drives home the concept of using the tools we have to manage our stress instead of letting it control us.
Becoming aware of one’s ‘stress signature’ is a valuable insight. It helps in identifying and modifying patterns that contribute to stress.
I appreciate the practical steps provided at the end of the article. Mindfulness and breath awareness are indeed powerful tools for stress management.
The concept of using our breath as a tool for managing stress is fundamental yet often overlooked. It’s worth practicing regularly.