According to the World Health Organisation (2023), everyone experiences stress to some degree, and it’s important to remember that it’s “a natural human response”.

We can’t put pressure on ourselves to eliminate stress – it’s an ingrained biological response that has ensured the survival of our species! The goal instead is to become more aware of our stress triggers and patterns, and therefore be able to better manage it. So let’s break stress management down into two slices: how to become more aware of your stress, and how to take action on managing it.

AWARENESS

It might feel silly to ask yourself what stresses you out, because surely you already know those answers. Or do you? Perhaps you’d list things like, the traffic, your noisy neighbour, a busy email inbox etc. And all of that is true. Those can be stress triggers. But do you know why they make you stressed? In order to tackle the outcome, that’s the information you need. 

Step 1 - Write it down

Get a notebook, or start a new note in your phone, and whenever you feel stressed, write down the trigger that prompted the feeling.

Step 2 - Ask yourself why

Take a minute and think, ‘why does this bother me?’ Take the example below:

I’m stressed because my train is delayed. Why does that bother me?

This stresses me out as I don’t want to be late to my work event, because my colleagues will think I’m not pulling my weight. 

Ah… So the stressor isn’t really the train being late, it’s that you don’t want your colleagues to think you’re not doing your part when you turn up late.

Step 3 - Spot the patterns

When you identify the underlying reasons for the stress, it can help you start to make sense of it, and why it comes back time and time again.

Step 4 - Take the Saboteur test

Our Saboteurs are the negative voices in our head that create all of our stressors. Take the test here and get the reasoning behind the patterns you’ve spotted. Understanding your stress reaction is half the battle. You’re halfway there!

ACTION

Now that you understand your stress, here’s some tips to build into your routine to support that new awareness and help tackle your Saboteurs.

Tip #1 - Remind Yourself

Have a list of your Saboteurs on your desk, on your bathroom mirror, on your phone; anywhere that helps you keep them front of mind so you can interject them when they pop up. 

Tip #2 - Curate Your Routine

We all know good sleep, diet, movement and hydration are essential to feeling our best. Make sure you’re prioritising healthy habits and don’t ignore these fundamentals. These give us more energy and a better headspace, naturally reducing our stress reactiveness.

Tip #3 - Find Your Joy

Joy is important! It’s good for the mind, body and soul. Whether that’s making plans with people you love or just dancing in the kitchen while you make a cuppa; finding things that lift your energy and mood has powerful ripple effects.

Tip #4 - Take A Leap

It’s time to try something new! Go to an event you’ve not been to before, take a new class, join a new group; finding things that take us out of our comfort zone gives us a fresh perspective and is great for our confidence.

The steps may be simple, but the result is what shines. We all get stressed from time to time – it’s only natural. Tackle your stress before it starts by setting yourself up for success, and then when the stress rolls in, you’ll find yourself far better equipped to manage it so it doesn’t affect your day to day.

Nicki Coe works closely with The Digital Voice. Running regular 1:1 sessions with our leadership team and hosting workshops for all our permalancers. As a coach, Nicki works with a range of business owners who are ready to take themselves and their team to the next level. She also runs her own marketing agency, LUNA + LION, so understands the rollercoaster of running a business.