How to Handle the Stress that Comes with High Levels of Success
You’ve worked hard to be where you’re at. This is what you’ve always wanted. You never wanted to settle. You always wanted more, craved more, needed more.
When you got your first job out of college, you immediately started looking at your career path and what you needed to do to reach the next level.
You’ve climbed the corporate ladder and received many praises, promotions, and pay raises. In addition to all of the positives, you’ve also added a lot more responsibilities to your plate. And with that also comes a lot more stress.
This is how you can handle the stress that comes with high levels of success.
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet
Stress can cause changes in your eating habits. It’s important to take care of yourself, but it’s even more important when you’re feeling stressed. Stress can make it easy for you to feel like you have to skip meals in order to get all of your work done. Choosing actions like this can actually lead to worsening signs and symptoms. Your diet is extremely important to help with stress levels, but also for your overall mental health and wellness.
Try to plan out your meals in advance so that you can go to the grocery store and meal prep what you’re going to eat each day in advance. This can help you stay on track and help you eat healthy and well-balanced meals filled with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
Try to avoid snacking on sweets or items filled with sugar. This also means avoiding or limiting caffeine and alcohol. In addition to eating a well-balanced diet, make sure you’re drinking enough water too!
Prioritize Your Sleep
Another important area of your life that can be negatively impacted by stress is your sleeping schedule and routine. You may have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night due to thinking about what’s on your to-do list. You may even choose to stay up later or wake up early to get things done.
Try to prioritize your sleep. You should be aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each night so your body can perform to the best of its ability.
Move Your Body
No matter how much is on your plate, there’s always time to carve out some “me time” during your day. Exercise has been proven to be beneficial for someone’s body, mind, and overall mental health and wellness. It’s a natural stress reliever and mood booster.
Move your body in the best way that works for you. This could mean going for a walk outside, hitting up the gym, attending a workout class with a friend, or hopping on an elliptical.
Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself
A lot of your stress may actually be coming from you. Try not to be so hard on yourself. Give yourself a little grace and know that you’re doing a good job. You wouldn’t be where you are now if you didn’t work hard and earn your place in your role. Know that you’re human, and humans make mistakes from time to time. You don’t have to be a perfectionist. There is no such thing. Use each mistake as an opportunity to learn and grow.
Seek Additional Support
If you’re affected by stress, you’re not alone. No matter where you’re at in your career path, it’s completely normal to feel a little stressed and even anxious at times. If you’re struggling with managing the stress that you’re carrying and it’s starting to have a negative impact on your daily life and routine, it’s important to recognize the signs and reach out for help. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
Contact me today to set up a consultation.