Stress explained

The main reason so many people fail to deal with unwanted emotions is that they don't understand them. Stress just like any other emotion is experienced when the mind wants to send you a certain message.

Stress usually happens when one task occupies your mind's resources then another task asks to use the same resources. Am sure you know how working to meet a deadline feels like.

While your mind is fully occupied with the task in hand the regular check for the remaining time overloads the already occupied resources causing stress.

Here is another example: If you had a back ache while working on the computer then two different processes will try using the same resources in your mind. The first is the process of worrying about your back pain and the second is the one that allows you to focus on the task in hand.

I could give numerous examples but in all cases the scenario is going to be the same. Stress happens when your same mind's resources are asked to do two things in the same time.

I am sure you noticed how easy it is to send a text message or to drive a car. Now try sending a message while driving a car and you will become a bit stressed.

5 ways to deal with stress

Now that you understand why stress happens its time to know how to deal with it.

• 1) Don't Lock your resources if there is something else in your mind: Lets suppose you were very worried about a problem you had. In such a case your mind's resources will already be occupied with worrying. Now if you did anything else stress will happen because the same resources will be reused. In such a case you must first get rid of your worries by writing a plan or thinking about that matter until you find out what you are going to do then you can do whatever you want
• 2) Find a way to deal with your long term problems: Some people think that dealing with a problem is solving it but that's not 100% true. Sometimes all you need to do is to calm your mind down by showing it that you have an action plan. If for example you were worried about getting bad marks in an exam you can feel good by just writing down your studying time table. Even though you didn't study yet your mind will still feel better about it. So many people don't provide any solutions to their long term problems and as a result their minds remain busy thinking about them and so they get stressed easily
• 3) Stop right away when a new problem happens: Did you get bad news? Did something bad unexpectedly happened? Then you need to stop whatever you were doing and to think about that new matter until you find out how you will deal with it then you can go back to whatever you were doing.
• 4) Start by the tasks you are worried about the most: Do you have so many tasks to do? Then start by the ones you are worried about the most so that you think of nothing after completing them. Compare this to starting by other tasks and staying worried all day because a complex task lies ahead
• 5)Don't try to multitask: For example while writing that article i got an important email about some logo designs i was waiting for. Now if i left the article and went to check the logos my mind's resources will still be occupied with the article and so i might get stressed. In other words, finish what's in your hand first before moving on to something else. It's also very useful to have a "to do" list opened all the time. If another task appeared all of a sudden (such as the mail i got) just write it down in the to do list. As soon as you dump something to paper your mind forgets about it