Ancora Learning Blog

6 Tips on building resilience and lowering stress

14/04/2014
/Suzanne L
/Business Managers, HR Managers, L&D Managers, Participants
/View Comments

Your resilience is your capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. But did you know that building up your resilience is a lot easier than you might think?

Sometimes life becomes overwhelming and we feel our ability to deal with stressful situations slipping away from us. When that happens, simple acts such as taking a walk and getting fresh air can significantly change how you feel about your day. They can also help you see solutions you didn’t see before.

Stepping away from a challenging situation can help give you the perspective you need, but it’s not always possible. That’s why it’s important to incorporate regular resilience-building practises into your day.

Here are some more ideas to help you become more resistant to stress and help you bounce back from tough times.

1. Talk to someone

When we feel stressed or sad we are often inclined to withdraw from others. However, even a 15 min. chat with a friend about some common interest can help you step away from the challenges you’re facing. It can lift your mood while you open yourself up to getting some helpful advice from someone who cares.

Taking care to build good relationships with people around you can mean you always have someone to call.

2. Laugh, as often as possible

It’s said that laughter is the best medicine. Well, it’s true, the physical benefits of laughter have been proven. Somehow things always look better when we can find a way to laugh about them. Watching a comedy can lighten your mood, and having a good belly laugh with someone can instantly change your perspective.

If you know a certain YouTube clip always brightens your mood, keep it bookmarked.

3. Ditch unhealthy coping strategies

I know: ‘Stop being unhealthy!’ is boring advice. No one likes to be told their habits are no good for them. The sad reality is that while unhealthy habits like excessive drinking or smoking help you feel better in the short term they reduce your overall resilience and health in the long term.

Recognise moments when you often feel stressed; prepare healthier strategies to relieve stress, like taking a brisk 10-minute walk around the block.

4. Find enjoyable ways to keep moving

We all know how important exercise is, but it’s easy to avoid it when it means going to the gym or doing something we hate. That’s why it’s so important to find something you enjoy. It might be a sport like netball or cycling. Or maybe a dance class or yoga. Most people say that every time they do their favourite workout, especially after thinking about skipping it, they always feel better.

Know that getting there is the toughest part. If you can do that, the rest is easy.

5. Change your thinking: be positive

Research has shown that people with a positive attitude recover from illness and leave hospital more quickly. It stands to reason then that it should also prevent you succumbing to illness.

Thinking positively and taking time to consider what you have to be grateful for can prevent stress and help you cope with stress more easily.

At the end of the day, create a practice to find 5 things to be grateful for.

6. Find a creative outlet

When we are engrossed in creating something our mind is completely focused on the creation, which means there is no time devoted to stress. Add that to the satisfaction of creation and the joy that the item created can bring, and you have a winning formula for resilience.

Make something. Whether it’s an interesting meal, a wooden table or a piece of clothing.

If you can find a way to boost your resilience everyday, you’ll notice the difference.

Contributor – Ancora Learning Facilitator, Suzanne
Suzanne is one of Ancora Learning’s expert facilitators and is an Organisational Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience in learning and development both internationally and within Australia. She is a specialist in emotional intelligence, personal resilience, conflict and human behaviour. Suzanne works across all organisational levels, from managing directors to front line staff. Her goal for any session is that participants leave with new perspectives toward their work and life, and new or enhanced behavioural skills.