Coping Skills for Stress that are Quick, Easy, and Work Instantly

If you are looking for coping skills for stress, you are probably already aware of the mountains of research that prove the negative impact stress has on your health, relationships, and productivity.

On this website you will find dozens of useful articles to help you manage stress, and ultimately eliminate most of the bad kind from your life for good.  This article is focused on how to do meditation type exercises that involve visualization, conscious breathing,  and progressive relaxation. We suggest these mind power techniques because they are quick, easy, and will give you immediate stress relief. Best of all they are FREE!

However, if what you are experiencing is more like anxiety or panic, start here for quick relief of the immediate sensation, then come back to this page to learn how to cope with stress on an ongoing basis. 

Creative Visualization for Stress Reduction

Visualization is arguably the quickest, most effective way to change your internal state. AND it is free!

If you don’t believe me, just think back to a time in your life when you were really happy—maybe when you were in love. Let go of the story, just get back into the feeling of that glorious moment – see what you saw, hear what you heard, and feel what you felt. Take a few seconds to immerse yourself in the experience.

It immediately changes your internal state doesn’t it?

That is because what you think about creates the state you are in. That is why creative visualization is one of the more effective coping skills for stress reduction. It is used in most mind power techniques including hypnosis, NLP, and self hypnosis to help relax your mind and body completely.

There are many ways to use creative visualization for stress reduction.  Click here for three creative visualization exercises that are quick and easy to learn:

Conscious Breathing

Conscious breathing techniques are excellent coping skills for stress because in addition to giving you immediate relief, it is also a very healthy, restorative practice because it regulates blood flow and channels rich oxygenated blood into your organs and immune system.

There are whole books written on the subject of conscious breathing, but as a simple coping strategy for stress, this is the method I recommend:

Conscious Breathing Exercise

1. Sit quietly and observe your breath for a few moments as it moves in and out. Just notice.
   
2. Deepen and slow your breath so that you are inhaling into your belly and chest, expanding your rib cage. On the exhale consciously expel the air from your belly, chest, and throat.
   
3. Start with a slow count of four on the inhale. Pause at the top of the breath. Then exhale slowly to the count of four, and pause briefly at the bottom of the breath.
   
4. Repeat this process until you feel relaxed, focused, and in control.
   
5. As you progress in the practice of this stress control technique, work on expanding the count, especially on the exhale. Find the count that works best for you, and turn it into one of your own personal, customized coping skills for stress. 
   

Progressive Relaxation

Like conscious breathing, progressive relaxation helps to counter negative physical symptoms of stress and there are many ways to go about it. Progressive relaxation is often used by students learning how to do meditation, because it helps them focus their minds while learning to relax the body. 

If what you are looking for are simple, effective coping skills for stress reduction, keep it simple:

Progressive Relaxation Exercise

1. Start at your feet and work your way to the crown of your head by tensing and relaxing one part of your body at a time.
   
2. First concentrate on your toes, then your feet, ankles, calves etc. until you get to the top of your head. Take your time.
   
3. You can also combine this technique with conscious breathing by tensing on the inhale and then releasing on the exhale.
   

More Coping Skills for Stress

Using daily positive affirmations, and other mind power techniques can help you break the worry habit and begin thinking more positively. Positive thinking has been proven to reduce hypertension and heart disease. Bottom line is if you feel happier and less worried, you will experience less stress and feel better. 

It makes sense, doesn't it.

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