Life’s tough. Especially when you have a big deadline, an important deal to close, or a brain-wrecking final. Such situations tend to skyrocket our stress levels to unimaginable heights, ironically making it much harder to work on the tasks at hand. Worse, stress also leads to many physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and even an upset stomach. It is important to lower stress levels in order to be able to work effectively and efficiently. Some level of stress is actually important to get you working; it does wonders in terms of motivational levels. However, too much stress ruins the motivation; making it harder to function altogether. So, how does one lower stress levels?

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Start by breaking down the task at hand into much smaller tasks or parts. Tackling the task as a whole- the entire deadline, the entire deal, or the entire final- is too much. It’s like you have to climb this gigantic mountain and you are standing at the foothills. There is a long way to go and you have no idea how you will get to the peak, the top, or the end. It can be frightening, and this majorly triggers stress levels. So, here, we must intervene. And break down this gigantic mountain into smaller cliffs. Or, smaller tasks. And take it little by little, one task at a time.

Starting early also helps. Leaving things for the last minute will not do you any good and it will make you think that you have to tackle the entire gigantic mountain in one night. And this is hard for anyone to do. Starting early gives you ample time to plan. Plan how you will break the bigger task into smaller ones, and have enough time to tackle these small tasks one by one. You will also be able to take breaks in between tasks, allowing you to refresh and recharge!