ADULTING 101: TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE DAILY STRESSORS
Adulthood comes with a lot of challenges and responsibilities. The transition from being taken care of to the one taking care of can be exciting in the beginning. But over time as one realises that you can't really take a break from adulting, it can start feeling stressful. From juggling work and personal life to managing finances and maintaining relationships, the daily stressors can often feel overwhelming.
However, learning effective stress management techniques can significantly improve your quality of life and overall well-being. So, in this blog, we will explore practical strategies to help you manage daily stressors and embrace adulthood with confidence.
Understanding Adulting and Stress
"Adulting" refers to the process of managing responsibilities and tasks that come with being an adult. The stress associated with Adulting can include:
Work-related stress - like meeting deadlines, managing workloads, and dealing with workplace dynamics.
Financial stress - like budgeting, paying bills, saving for the future, and handling unexpected expenses.
Relationship stress - like maintaining healthy relationships with family, friends, and partners.
Personal stress - like taking care of your health, managing time, and finding a work-life balance.
The internet generation is also facing a brand new problem - constant exposure to the world's news and people's lives through social media. Constant comparison to other people's lives causes chronic feelings of inadequacy and anxiety, as one thinks of one's own life as inferior or inadequate compared to others on social media. And the constant bad news makes one feel hopeless about the future.
Understanding these stressors is the first step in managing them effectively. Now, let’s dive into specific techniques that can help you handle these aspects of adulting.
Techniques to Manage Daily Stressors
1. Prioritise Self-Care
Self-care is not a luxury but a necessity. Taking care of your physical, emotional, and mental health is the foundation of effective stress management. Start with the basics like quality sleep and a balanced diet. Then slowly incorporate regular exercise into your routine and time for hobbies and other activities that actually bring you joy.
2. Limit Social Media Use
While it's great to keep in touch with the world, it is not okay to let it affect your mental peace. There is always going to be something better and more bad news. So let it be. Not checking on it will affect no one negatively. However, it will bring so many positive impacts on your life. If you don't know how to reduce your use, start by switching off the notifications and keeping the phone away from you when you are home and in the office.
3. Time Management
Adulting tasks tend not to get done once and for all. You have to pay bills every month and cook every day - again and again. This can be very stressful and tiring. But with effective time management and the usage of tools available, you can stay organised and on top of your responsibilities. Automate tasks, create routines and simplify tasks whenever possible.
4. Money Management
Financial stress is a significant aspect of adulting. Managing your finances effectively can alleviate this stress and give you a sense of control. Start with tracking expenses and creating a budget. Following that, you can start building an emergency fund that has at least 3 months of living expenses. Post that you can start planning for your long-term money goals and saving plans.
5. Relationships
Healthy relationships are crucial for emotional well-being. The foundation for a healthy relationship is communication, boundaries and the willingness to grow from both sides. Building trust and mutual respect is essential for maintaining a strong and healthy connection with others. It's important to prioritize open and honest communication, active listening, and empathy in all relationships.
6. Work Stress
In the early years of working, it might feel like career growth is everything and that it's okay to slog long hours. However, that's a recipe for early burnout and not early success. Rather, aim for a balanced and sustainable pace of growth for your career instead of the crash-and-burn fastrack. On the everyday level, find ways to make work more enjoyable and satisfying.
Adulting comes with its fair share of challenges. But with the right strategies and efforts you can effectively manage the stress and lead a fulfilling life. Remember this is going to be a long journey and the best way to handle it is to make it as comfortable as possible to enjoy the journey. Cushion yourself with self-care and self-compassion, make good friends your co-passengers and slow down enough to look out the window and enjoy the view now and then.
Author: Nivetha Kannan
Nivetha writes blogs on mental health and wellbeing topics for Silver Oak Health. She is a professional content writer and is passionate about the field of psychology & personal development. She writes impactful content that brings positive changes in people. Her mantra for life is to ‘be curious, and not judgemental’.