Stress Management Management Techniques What Coping Strategies Can Help Manage Stress? From Meditation to Journaling, Three Highly Effective Ways to Manage Stress By Elizabeth Scott, MS twitter Elizabeth Scott, MS, is a wellness coach specializing in stress management and quality of life, and the author of "8 Keys to Stress Management." Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Scott, MS Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on March 25, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, the author of the bestselling book "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," and the host of the Mentally Strong People podcast. Learn about our Review Board Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on March 26, 2020 Print Siri Berting / Blend Images / Getty Images According to the annual Stress in America survey, most Americans of all ages are stressed, and a significant proportion feels their coping abilities are inadequate. Further, they report feeling that stress is affecting their health, both physically and emotionally. The survey results tend to fluctuate a little each year, but the findings generally show the same pattern: People face a variety of stressors, and they need to find effective ways to relieve stress in their lives. Stress is more the rule than the exception. It's important to manage your stress levels in a healthy way; below are a few strategies that may help you. Calming Coping Strategies First, it’s helpful to calm your physiology so you reverse your stress response. When your stress response is triggered, you process information differently and you can feel physically and emotionally taxed. If this state is prolonged, it can escalate to chronic stress. One useful tip to calm yourself is to go to a quiet place and take deep, long breaths. Breathe in, hold for five seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times. This exercise can help soothe your nerves and slow a racing heart. Other calming strategies might include meditation and aromatherapy. 5 Ways to Calm Down Quickly When You Feel Overwhelmed Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies With emotion-focused coping strategies, like maintaining a sense of humor and cultivating optimism, the situation doesn’t change, but your perception of it does. These strategies are great to use in situations where you have little ability to control what happens, and you need to see your stressors as a challenge instead of a threat. Other emotion-focused techniques for coping with stress include: Journaling about your emotionsPracticing loving-kindness meditation to increase self-compassionUsing visualization strategies to increase positive feelings Solution-Focused Coping Strategies Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to change a situation, but often you’ll find an opportunity to take action and actually change the circumstances you face. Solution-focused coping strategies can be very effective for stress relief; often a small change is all that’s required to make a huge shift in how you feel. For one thing, one change can lead to other changes, so that a chain reaction of positive change is created, opportunities are opened up, and life changes significantly. Also, once an action is taken, the sense of being trapped with no options—a recipe for stress—can dissipate quickly. It’s important to be thoughtful about which actions to take, as each situation may call for a unique solution, but a less-stressed mind can more easily choose the most beneficial course of action. While these techniques can be time-consuming, reducing your stress is necessary to improve your well-being and mental and physical health. Solution-focused techniques include the following: Using time-management strategies when you feel overwhelmed by a busy scheduleTalking to HR if you feel overwhelming demands or harassment at workUsing conflict-resolution strategies to mitigate the stress in a relationship If your stress levels do not decrease, it may be a good idea to talk to a therapist or your primary healthcare provider. They can help you identify ways to minimize your stress and develop nutrition and exercise plans to maintain your health as you handle your other obligations. Through coping strategies and good self-care, you can manage your stress healthfully and avoid long-term problems. A Word From Verywell Everyone has stress in their lives, and stress levels vary depending on the day. Having healthy coping strategies in place can help you keep your stress at a manageable level. If, however, you're struggling to manage your stress, seek professional help. A mental health provider can help you manage your stress in a healthy way. The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs We've tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Struggling with stress? Our guide offers expert advice on how to better manage stress levels. Get it FREE when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit