Manage Your Stress

Keeping a stress log helps you to identify sources of stress, your reactions, and how you manage your response. A record that you complete regularly is the best way to get accurate information about the frequency and intensity of your stress response. Jot down a few notes to help you learn more about your stress. Certainly, one of the first steps in mastering your stress is knowing just how stressed you are. A stress journal can show you what’s triggering your stress right now and can measure your ongoing stress level. A stress journal or stress log is one of the more useful items you can carry in your stress management tool belt. To effectively manage your stress, you need to become aware of when you’re feeling stressed and be able to identify the sources of that stress. A stress journal can help you do just that by showing you very specifically when you experience stress and pinpointing the situations or circumstances that trigger those stresses. Your journal acts as a cue or prompt, reminding you that you should take some action and use one or more of the stress-management tools you've mastered. By keeping a longer-term record of your daily stress, you’re in the best position to formulate a comprehensive stress-management program that can integrate various stress-reducing strategies and tactics.