Why You’re So Stressed Out – 5 Reasons How Modern Life Causes Stress
Modern life can be tough. Between work, family, friends, social media and more, it seems like there’s never enough time to get it all done. We can feel pressure from all angles, and we are constantly bombarded with images and ideals of who we “should” be. Successful, brilliant, and balanced all at the same time!
Modern day life really has created the perfect storm for stress. Not sure how, here are 5 reasons why you could be stressed out.
5 REASONS YOU MAY BE STRESSED OUT
- Technology Has Taken Over
With the advent of smartphones, social media and more, technology has taken over our lives. This can make it difficult to disconnect from the world and take a step back.
Even though we all love our technology, when we use it all the time and stress ourselves out with all the open tabs and notifications piling up, we miss out on all the great things in life.
When we don’t take a step back, we miss out on our loved ones, the beauty of nature, and a few moments of quiet reflection.
- There’s Never Enough Time
Life is busy, and with the amount of things we have to do, it can seem like there’s never enough time. There will always be people who have more time than you do, but there are also a lot of people who don’t have much time.
The good news is that you can prioritise your time and do the things that are important to you. And if you don’t have time for everything, then maybe some things aren’t as important as you think they are?
If we constantly find ourselves in negative thoughts about a lack of time, there are three ways to react to this: stay angry or you accept that you don’t have enough time and do the best you can to make the most of it, OR we can shift our thinking and re-prioritise what we truly value.
Since stress can often come from feeling like you’re missing out on something, it often manifests as FOMO (the fear of missing out). In order to navigate these feelings, the alternative JOMO or the (joy of missing out) can help you refocus and allow you to enjoy what you’re doing in the moment without worrying what others are doing.
Another solution to reducing your FOMO is to prioritise your time and get in the habit of saying “no” when you need to. Saying “no” does take time and practice, it is a habit that needs to be built.If in doubt, a great way to navigate this is by taking time to assess whether the event sits within your values, how about a simple “Thank you for the offer, let me look at my schedule and get back to you.”
This response takes away any stress, offers you a chance to book in a time that suits you and gives you a chance to reflect.
- Everyone’s Always Complaining
Nothing stresses people out more than complaining. With the amount of complaining and negative talk that we are exposed to through mainstream and social media, it’s no surprise that so many people are stressed out.
Here’s the thing, though: complaining isn’t productive. Complaining breeds negativity. Sure, it might feel good for a moment, but it doesn’t help anyone.
If you find yourself constantly complaining it may be time to try to find a solution.
If you find yourself surrounded by those who complain then try to find a way to get out of that company and instead surround yourself with positive people.
- Feeling Judged or Inadequate at Work
A common place for stress is work, and the feeling of inadequacy.
“I’m just not good enough.”
“I don’t know how I can evolve in my workplace.”
“I’ll never get that promotion.”
“I’ll never get that project done.”
This all boils down to our self-belief, a great way to combat that is to slowly but surely, build your professional development. When you have the right skills, this can build our confidence to tackle any workplace task.
There are many ways to gain new skills and build upon what you already know. You can learn from tutorials online, books or from people who are more experienced than you in your chosen field. If there are gaps in your knowledge, then look at what those gaps mean for your current role or business and make any changes necessary for success.
In short: stop worrying about what you don’t know – instead focus on what you do know and how it can make a difference for those around you.
- Being part of the “hustle” mentality
We are constantly bombarded with success stories, social media glamour and the ‘hustle’ mentality of having to experience and succeed at everything in life.
It’s important to remember that life is not a race. Life is not a perfect social media feed. Life is something we need to cherish.
You have to have a pace that works for you, and even then, you will never travel on a straight-line. You may have to slow down, step back and take a break. When you don’t take time to relax, you end up rushing through your day, missing out on the smaller (often more important) things and increasing those stress levels.
Not only is this not good for you, but it’s also not good for loved ones around you.
To relax, try to find a few moments during the day to close your eyes, take deep breaths and remember that life is not a race or challenge.
Final Thoughts
No matter how hard you try, at times you can’t escape modern life. So, the question is: how do you deal with all the stress and pressure? The answer will never be the same for every person, but a good starting point is to step back, assess where the stress points are and then create the solutions and strategies to tackle them.
If you find that you are having trouble in developing those strategies or it all feels like it is too much to combat, our supportive team at Haven are here to support. We understand that modern life can throw many curve balls our way, we are here to help you smash that ball out of the park and build the life we want. Contact Haven today and let us help you re-script your story.