Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever-increasing demands of life, duties, and responsibilities, and we all go through stress sometimes in our life so it’s vital to be familiar with stress management tips and techniques.

Stress management is all about taking charge of your life, thoughts, and emotions. There are few habits that you can develop to overcome stress, and they are:

1. Manage your time

Time management is one of the most important skills we need to develop to achieve a productive and a fulfilling life for both the worlds.

Since all of us have only a restricted amount of time in a day, it’s  better we understand how to manage our day appropriately. Here are some real-life tips for you to implement immediately:

• Analyse your time and figure where the stress is coming from
• Have a To-Do list: you need to plan your day so that you know what you are going to accomplish in that particular day. Stick to your To-Do list and perform these tasks first before you attempt to do anything else.
• Have a yearly, monthly, weekly and daily plans. These plans help you to navigate through your life easier.
• Prioritise – Do what is important/urgent first in your To-Do list and then deal with the rest.

The Prophet (PBUH) said, “There are two blessings which many people lose: (They are) Health and free time for doing righteous deeds.”  (Saheeh Buhary)

Time management is indeed a proven way to reduce stress.

2. Get more sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body and your mind suffer. This leads to lack of concentration and stress.

According to national sleep foundation, an average adult needs around 7-9 hours of sleep daily ⁽¹⁾

Sleep is considered as a sign of Allah’s greatness, and He said in the Quran “And among His Signs is your sleep by night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen”   (A-Quran, 30:23).

3. Exercise

Exercise is a very effective stress reduction technique and also a crucial habit to develop for a healthy life. Exercise is not only important for a healthy body, but it’s also important for a healthy mind. So make sure to have a certain amount of exercise daily.

Studies show that exercise is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate.

An article that was published by Harvard school of public health showed that an adult needs an average of 20-25 minutes moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every day.

This may include:

• walking fast
• water aerobics
• riding a bike on level ground or with few hills etc.

4. Learn to say “NO”

Yes, do yourself a favour and learn to say “NO” to all the distracting activities and projects that will affect your planned day/week tremendously. Avoid over commitment and say “YES” only to the important things that you know you can do efficiently.

5. Take breaks between the activities

You need to rest and relax between the activities by:

• Stretching
• Meditating
• Drinking cup of tea in the fresh air
• Taking a short nap etc

Take a break between your activities, ideally every 45 minutes and by doing that, you can focus more on the next task at hand and do it well. 

Lastly, Allah says in the Quran:

Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. (Al-Quran, 2:286)

So do what you can to the best of your ability, make dua and the leave the rest to Allah.

References

1. https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need/page/0/1
2. http://understandquran.com/tick-tock-the-value-of-time.html
3. https://islamqa.info/en/96589
4. https://sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need/page/0/1
5. http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/managing-anxiety/exercise-stress-and-anxiety