In a recent psychological survey 76% of Americans cite money as a significant cause of stress. Even in these difficult times we can learn new strategies to help manage the stress.
1. Pause but don’t panic.
Remain calm and stay focused. Pay attention to what is going on around you and in the world. Don’t react negatively to situations.
2. Identify your financial stressors and make a plan.
Take stock of your situation. Review it often and look at ways you can change by cutting back, simply talking with your financial advisor or by having regular discussions with your spouse about how you handle finances.
3. Recognize how you deal with stress related to money.
Many turn to unhealthy activities when hard economic times occur; i.e., gambling, drinking and or overeating. This strain can lead to further problems with your spouse or partner. Pay attention to how you handle your stress during this time
4. Turn these challenging times into growth opportunities.
Turning lemons into lemonade…Times like these, while difficult, can force you to take stock of your current situation and make needed changes. It is most often in difficult times that we learn the most about ourselves and significant others. This might be a wonderful opportunity to take a walk, have dinner with your family more often. You might decide to change careers or go back to school. You may even discover by making positive changes that you become closer to your family members! The key is to think outside of the box and try new ways of managing your life!
5. Finally, there is always professional help both financial and psychological.
Don’t continue feeling overwhelmed by stress when you can get some relief through different avenues!
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