Key Takeaways for Managing Stress

The Lark DPP Mission, "Manage Stress," is all about keeping stress under control. Stress is part of life, and it is a part that you can largely control. In this mission, you may have learned about the benefits of managing stress as well as some strategies for doing so.

1 Accept Your Stress

Change your attitude about stress, and you might find life to be less, well, stressful. Rather than trying to eliminate stress and therefore setting yourself up for certain failure, accept your stress and resolve instead to manage it. Identify your sources of stress, get rid or limit the ones you can, and accept the rest. 

2. Put Yourself First

A great thing about putting yourself first is that it lets you put others first, too. When you are healthy and relaxed, you can be more productive at work and more patient and caring at home. You can put yourself first by saying no to extra duties and by living a healthy lifestyle - as with Lark's lead - that includes smart eating and regular activity.

3. Practice Stress Relief

One reason to practice stress relief is to get better at it. Another reason to practice regularly is to feel the results more. You can do things like deep breathing, exercising, meditating, and sipping tea most days, and try to set aside time for a massage or long bath on a weekly or biweekly schedule. Don't forget to have a support list of people you can call when the going gets tough!