Stress Stress Management Tips 1 Identify your stressors

stress 

Stress Management Tips 

1)  Identify your stressors, and see if there are some 

things within your control to manage better. Some 

things will be beyond your control, for example if you 

work a job that is based on working towards deadlines 

then you can’t change this without changing jobs. But 

perhaps you can control some aspects, such as 

scheduling to have at least a short lunch break each 

day, or to go to bed earlier so that you have more 

energy to cope with the daytime. 

2) Build regular exercise into your life - as well as being 

part of a healthy , balanced lifestyle and giving you 

more energy, many people find that working out at the 

gym or playing sport helps them to unwind. 

3)  Make sure that you eat and sleep well. 

4)  Take time out for family, friends and recreational 

activities. Most of us know that this is important but 

we do not all do it. If you find it hard to make time for 

this, perhaps you need to take deliberate steps to have 

time out, such as set aside one evening a week where 

you meet up with friends or enjoy a hobby, or set 

aside one day of the weekend for relaxing at home. 

5)  Problem-solving techniques can be a useful way of 

clarifying the problem, brainstorming possible 

solutions, and then choosing one to put into action 

after listing the pros and cons of each option. See the 

handout Problem Solving for more details about this. 

6)  Learn calming techniques such 

as controlled breathing and 

progressive muscle relaxation, to 

train your mind and body to 

become more relaxed. These 

techniques require practice but can 

be helpful with regular use. See 

handouts Calming Technique and 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation. 

7)  You may wish to speak to a professional about 

assertiveness training and communication skills 

which can help you to deal with challenging situations 

more effectively, thereby reducing stress. See the 

handout Assertive Communication. 

8)  Last but definitely not least, consider whether there is 

negative thinking which is contributing to your 

stress. Negative thinking can make us worry more 

than is necessary, increasing stress, and generally does 

not motivate us to take positive actions. See the 

handouts Thinking & Feeling, Analysing Your Thinking and 

Changing Your Thinking. 

 

C

entre for

 

C

linical

 

I 

nterventions

 

•Psychotherapy•Research•Training 

Stress and Stressors 

Stress is something that is part of normal life, in that it 

is experienced by everyone from time-to-time. 

However, some people suffer from stress which is so 

frequent or so severe that it can seriously impact on 

their quality of life. Stress can come from a huge range 

of sources (stressors), such as: 

 

◊ 

Relationships with others 

◊ 

Work-related issues 

◊ 

Study demands 

◊ 

Coping with illness 

◊ 

Life changes, such as marriage, 

retirement, divorce 

◊ 

Day-to-day activities and tasks 

◊ 

Positive events, such as 

organising holidays or parties 

◊ 

Juggling many roles or tasks at 

the same time 

 

Some people are aware of what tends to trigger their 

stress, and this increases their ability to either prevent 

stress or to handle it more effectively.  Many others are 

less able to deal with stress, and identifying stressors is 

a key step in this. If you often experience stress, take 

some time to consider what tends to set it off for you. 

 

Symptoms of Stress 

Some people do not even notice that they are stressed 

until symptoms begin to occur, including: 

◊ 

Irritability or moodiness 

◊ 

Interrupted sleep 

◊ 

Worrying or feeling of anxiety 

◊ 

Back and neck pain 

◊ 

Frequent headaches, minor to migraine 

◊ 

Upset stomach 

◊ 

Increased blood pressure 

◊ 

Changes in appetite 

◊ 

Rashes or skin breakouts 

◊ 

Chest pains 

◊ 

Making existing physical problems worse 

◊ 

More susceptible to cold/flu and slower recovery 

 

These symptoms reduce quality of life, and people 

suffering from stress may notice that work performance 

or relationships suffer more as a result. You may be 

able to use some the strategies listed here, or you may 

find it useful to consult a professional for more help. 

coping with 

This document is for information purposes only. Please refer to the full disclaimer and copyright statement available at  

http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au regarding the information from this website before making use of such information.  

See website www.cci.health.wa.gov.au for more handouts and resources. 

1..2..3..4..