Is Stress Making You Angry?

This is a difficult time, there’s no doubt about that.

In the workplace, everyone from the boss to the rank and file employee is often stressed out. We’re all dealing with various challenges that it sometimes becomes difficult to cope with stress and we either abuse ourselves by giving in to unhealthy habits or lash out in anger at others. These kinds of responses to stress and anxiety almost always lead to further complications and even higher stress levels.

It is important to emphasize that we don’t really need to get rid of all the stress, because not all stress has a negative effect on us. What we need to do is manage our stress properly so it can actually help us to complete our goals and improve our lives. But if we can’t do that, it could trickle down to others, lead to excessive fatigue and anger, or even affect our physical or mental health negatively.

Because it is part of life, it’s impossible to avoid all stressful events and situations. As we all know, anger and stress are natural experiences. However, every person must learn how to change his or her reaction to life’s stressful elements. In other words, if you can control your reaction to stress, then you have a bigger chance of becoming more successful in your relationships, your personal life, and your career.

Some of the ways by which one can manage stress are the following: breathing exercises; journaling; meditation and prayer; gentle physical exercises like stretching, yoga, walking, qigong, and tai chi; and other stress management or relaxation techniques. The crucial thing is to gain relaxation and focus so you can neutralize the unpleasant effects of stress in your life.

Mindfulness helps, of course, because our habitual thought patterns can be changed if we practice mindfulness on a regular basis. So if we have difficulty communicating or if we often have a hard time keeping calm, being mindful can definitely help us to pause, assess the situation, and recognize our negative reactions. Then we can gently learn to control ourselves and begin to change our behavior.