How-to Turn Your Stress into Success

By Bryan Kittman | February 10, 2019

Anxiety can be an ominous cloud over us throughout our days. However it may be caused, stress can result in diminished performance, anxiety, and a driver for lowering our ambition. Thankfully, if channeled correctly, stress can be turned into a powerful motivator that will not only drive success but also productivity. Here’s how you can do this.

Disconnect for a period of time

We live in a constantly connected society where we are also plugged into the swing of things. Sometimes, this can be a source of stress, so take some time out of your day to just disconnect from it all. Step away from your phone, stop replying to emails and texts, and set boundaries when it comes to putting the work down. This time will be for you to re-charge and give your mind a break from the stress. When you come back to it all, you will enter into any situations with a clear head.

Talk it over

If stress is weighing you down, sometimes it can be a good idea to just sit down and talk about it. This could be with anyone who will listen – a friend, a partner, colleagues. When you take a moment to sit down and talk through a problem, you’ll be surprised to realize that the solution was really in front of you the whole time, all you needed was a moment to properly talk through it.

Get fit

One of the best ways to blast through stress is exercise. It’s been proven that staying active and regularly exercising is one of the best ways to reduce stress levels. If you don’t have time to get a proper workout in, you can still get up and go for a short walk. If you need something more, try incorporating exercise into your daily routine.

Stay organized

If your workspace looks like something like a bomb went off, then you might want to consider tidying up and getting your space organized. Working in an environment that is cluttered and messy can be a trigger for stress, so it can be a good idea to get some good cleaning in. If the very thought of cleaning stresses you out, don’t worry! There’s no need to feel like you have to overhaul your entire environment. Start small. Clean off your desk, or organize a drawer. Whatever it be, cleaning can make a positive impact in chipping away at your stress.

Wind down

There is a culture among high performers that work must be a 24/7 nonstop grind. While there’s nothing wrong with working hard, sometimes you physically and mentally need a break, Having a good outlet to unwind and relax can be a good idea to maintain your stress and help you flip it into productivity. Take a break every once in a while, and try to remember to implement that into your week as needed.

Don’t neglect sleep

This works in with constantly staying on your grind. When it is nonstop with your work, sleep often falls by the wayside. You’ll often hear some say, “You can sleep when you’re dead.” – don’t follow this. Sleep is incredibly important for the human body, and a lack of sleep can be one of the most driving factors towards carrying large amounts of stress. It’s easy to regurgitate science and say you need 8 hours of sleep, but let’s be real: sometimes that doesn’t work with our busy lives. In the end, you need to find your sleep sweet spot, where you feel comfortable where you can balance your work life, while still getting an adequate amount of rest.

In the end, stress can weigh heavily on us, but it can be effectively managed with the right tricks. Try these tips out and become the master of your stress, and watch yourself turn it around into a powerful motivator for your success.