Stress is an integral part of every high-achieving woman’s life. Even as you struggle to deal with the challenges of your personal and professional life, there will be days when you feel like the world is out to get you. It’s not that men don’t go through stress. Sure they do! But, women find themselves coping with stress more often simply because they know they are strong and tend to take on more than the average man.

Because of their inherent resilience, women are better equipped to deal with stress. A study conducted at the Buffalo’s University of New York showed that the estrogen hormone protects their brains from the stress chemicals released by their bodies.

In short, nature has programmed women to be tougher in the face of adversity. Even so, if you feel the need for some tips on coping with stress, here they are.

1. Identify the Symptoms of Stress

Stress can manifest itself in many forms. It can affect your health and mental state making it difficult for you to perform on all levels. And, the more you fall behind, the more pressurized you’ll feel. In short, you’ll get caught up in a strange cycle that is impossible to break. So, discuss how you feel with your doctor and rule out the possibility of any health issues. Once you’re sure the cause is stress, ask what you can do to correct the problem.

2. Identify the Sources of Stress

While your doctor can help you up to some extent, the best person to rely on is yourself. Do a bit of careful soul-searching and take a closer look at your life. Stress can rule your life from external and internal sources. For instance, when you’re struggling to complete projects before deadlines in the workplace or dealing with family situations like a move, new baby, or divorce. Internal causes can include feelings of inadequacy, frustration, pessimistic attitude, and the desire to achieve way more than is actually possible, among others. Once you figure out what’s causing the pressure, coping with stress will become a lot easier.

3. Change Your Mindset

As Dr. Harriet Braiker says in her book, “The type E* woman: How to overcome the stress of being,” women need to change the beliefs they have about how they should conduct themselves in and out of the workplace.

• It’s okay to lower your standards just a little. You probably strive for perfection in everything you do. But, sometimes, it’s okay not to be perfect. Aim to do the best you can without worrying about criticism.
• It’s okay to take on a little less. Admit that you’re not superhuman and you can’t get everything done without getting exhausted. For effectively coping with stress, allow yourself time for rest and relaxation.
• It’s okay not to live up to expectations once in a while. Your career, family, and friends make lots of demands on you and your time. If you can’t measure up to all of them, it’s not the end of the world.
• It’s okay not to complete every single task on your to-do list. Prioritize and put yourself on top of the list. Like Scarlett O’Hara would say, “After all, tomorrow is another day.”
• It’s okay to ask for help. Look for and welcome help whenever you feel overwhelmed. Granted the task won’t be done to perfection, but you’ll find coping with stress a lot easier.
• It’s okay if people get upset. You can’t please everyone all the time. And, that includes your boss.
• It’s okay to laugh at yourself. Deal with situations with humor, even when you’re responsible for the mess.

4. Take Care of Your Body

An important mechanism for coping with stress is to take care of your body. Make sure to eat healthy meals, exercise regularly, and get adequate sleep. Eliminate smoking, excessive alcohol, and bingeing on junk food. When you’re healthy and strong, you can cope better with the demands of your career. Pamper yourself with some me time. For instance, make time to go to the spa and get a massage. The boost in blood circulation that massages can give will make you feel wonderful and more in control of your life.

5. Take Care of Your Skin

Your skin is an extremely delicate organ that takes the biggest brunt of the stress. When looking for strategies for coping with stress, focus on your skin also. Under anxiety and pressure, your heart directs the blood away from the digestive system to other sections of the body in an effort to manage the stress. As a result, you start to feel digestive distress such as diarrhea, flatulence, constipation, and so on. The extra acidity in your body makes your skin start to breakout. You’ll also notice that it looks duller, oilier, and starts to show fines lines and wrinkles.

While there are lots of solutions that can help you with premature signs of aging, take care to use only natural, non-invasive methods that won’t further damage your skin. For instance, check out the procedures available at the Newport Beach ultherapy clinic. Using sound waves, the technician targets the fine lines and wrinkles on your forehead, chin, neck, décolletage, and around the lips. Soon, you’ll have healthy-looking stress-free skin.

Coping With Stress? It’s Easier for Women

As a woman, you do have a significant edge over the opposite gender when it comes to coping with stress and coming out the winner. Nature has already equipped you with the most essential anti-stress tool you need. The rest is up to you. You only need to make some basic lifestyle changes and continue to achieve everything you set your heart on.