Listen on the Pgh Dreamer’s Pod: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/meghan-greenwood/episodes/The-4-As-of-Stress-Relief-e2p200s

Life doesn’t have to be stress-filled all the time. Sure, there are some instances where it is unavoidable, but there are a lot of situations that can feel stressful and with a bit of a mind switch, can become more manageable.

As deemed by the Mayo Clinic, here are the 4 A’s of stress relief and how they can benefit you:

1. Avoid. If you know ahead of time that something will increase your stress, do your best to not put yourself in the situation. For example, the holidays are coming up. If being around certain family members is going to make your blood boil, it’s ok to sit this one out. Or say you have a colleague that likes to corner you and brain dump all of their stress onto you – try your best to bypass their cubicle and possibly eat lunch in a different place, away from their gaze. Avoidance doesn’t have to be forever, but it can certainly help you get through difficult moments.
2. Alter. Create a less stressful zone by establishing boundaries or boosting with a complementary, positive environment. For example, if you are scheduling a call with your boss, limit it to 15 minutes and stick to that schedule. Politely let them know you need to drop the call at the end of the 15. Similarly, if you need to have a difficult chat, perhaps pair it with a walk – physical activity can often make intense situations easier. And if you have a really worrisome appointment coming up, perhaps a doctor’s appointment or a parent-teacher conference, follow it with a rewarding outing, like grabbing your favorite coffee or stopping by the park to sit and breathe. With these tactics, stressful times won’t seem so daunting.
3. Accept. This idea ties back to the situations that you can’t avoid. Stress sometimes comes on unexpectedly, say from a spontaneous argument or very upsetting news from work. It happened, you can’t reverse it. However, you can deal with your feelings by practicing acceptance and leaning on others for support. Try to not blame yourself, but instead learn from the situation. If you’re a problem-solver, it may also help to think through some next steps. But certainly phone a friend and surround yourself with people who can support you during this time of affirmation.
4. Adapt. If the majority of your stress is self-inflicted, which often happens when we get worked up over a messy home, a large credit card bill, and ungrateful children, managing your own expectations is necessary. In the example of a messy home, maybe it’s time to either declutter, hire a cleaning service, or refer to #3 and accept your surroundings. Too many charges on your credit card? Start limiting your spending, slashing unneeded extras and maintaining a reasonable budget. If you’re majorly struggling, it may be time for a new job. If your children, the ones you are ultimately raising, are talking back and generally being brats, shift the environment by discussing their behavior, providing some changes (which may include new chores or incentives), and then holding them accountable. If situations are in your control, changing yourself can really help assuage the stress.