While speaking on the subject of stress Dr. Chiplunkar said, “You have to understand that there are two types of stress. Good stress and bad stress. The stress experienced while achieving a worthwhile goal is good stress. Trying to achieve impossible goals causes bad stress.” He explained further, “If you want to play good cricket and undergo stress for that, it is good. But if you want to emulate Sachin Tendulkar, it is going to result in bad stress.”
“What are the symptoms of bad stress?”
Answering this question, Dr. Chiplunkar said, “Palpitations of heart, depression, loss of appetite are all symptoms of stress. A prolonged stress results in anxiety and desperation. The immunity and efficiency of the patient are on the decline. He falls prey to toothache or knee pain. He gets tired too soon. This tiredness is not work related, but stress related. For example, even after sleeping through a Sunday, you feel tired on Monday. This is stress related tiredness.”
How to manage bad stress?
Dr. Chiplunkar responded, “Do not manage stress. This is the mistake which in fact increases the stress levels. Managing something is feeding it and helping it grow. As we grow up, we learn to manage time. So many hours for study, so many for watching TV, so many for cricket and so on. As we grow older, we learn to apportion time for friends, family, work, entertainment. This management of time helps us to grow the time in our hand and have adequate time for everything. Same is true with money. As the need for money grows, we manage money through investments and other means. This management helps us to grow our money and have adequate money for everything. Exactly the same thing happens with stress. As you manage stress, it grows and we have adequate stress for every situation.”
Remedies for reducing stress
“Normally the advice given for reducing stress is
1. Exercise regularly
2. Concentrate on your work
3. Make a work chart
4. Avoid the reasons which cause stress
5. Sit quietly for 5 minutes and plan your day
6. Write down What? When? Where?
7. Keep a watch on time, see that all work is done in time.
All this is supposed to help you reduce stress and that is the end of it. However, things do not always work out as planned. Timetables go haywire, unexpected situations crop up. All this leads to more stress instead of reducing it.
“3 ‘A’s which are given as a remedy for this are: Alter, Avoid and Accept. You are advised to alter or change the things that give stress or avoid them. In the end if all else fails accept whatever is the reality. Most of the people Accept the last three remedies.”
How to live a stress-free life?
“We have seen the disadvantages of stress management. But how should one live a life free from stress?” Dr. Chiplunkar answered this readily, “I was coming to that..” “Really! What is it?”, I was too eager to know the answer.
“What is stress? Let us take a practical situation. You have a colleague who is asking you to come with him for a cup of tea. If you agree the colleague will be happy but the boss will be annoyed. If you do not agree the colleague will be disheartened. There is real stress in this situation which can go away only if somehow you can magically disappear from there.
“But if you are in the habit of behaving rationally and responsibly, you will take a decision about what is the most correct choice and then not worry about it anymore. As a result there would be no stress.
“How can you always have a situation where there is no stress? And if at all there is some stress, how can you remove it by taking quick decisions? If you follow the principles given below, it is possible.
Follow these principles
“First and foremost stop managing the stress. As has been told before, stress will grow and stay with you if you manage it. It does not go away. Those who live in the past or future develop stress. Stop comparing everything with the past and stop having some expectations all the time.
“Always be consciously aware of what you are doing. Once you form the habit of taking responsible action your stress will automatically reduce. If you have thought about the consequences before doing anything, then you are not apprehensive about the outcome. If you say ‘yes’ to something impulsively, without giving it a deep thought, it can later develop stress. Instead, it is better to say ‘no’ to those things which are not possible. This will avoid future stress. Many times the situation is ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Learn to take a conscious decision either way. Postponing the decision also develops stress.
“Once you decide ‘yes’ or ‘no’, then do not look back at it again. Learn to take a decision with responsibility and stick to it. Repenting later saying, ‘If I had done like this, or that’ is futile.
“Another very important thing, do not plan anything too meticulously. The world is not all black and white. We have many shades of grey in between. Remember this to reduce stress.
“Often Cinema, advertisements increase our stress instead of relieving it. So keep away from such stress caused by getting too involved with the story in the film. Do not compare yourself with others. That also causes stress. Do not compete with others. Compete with yourself.
How to relieve oneself of stress?
Dr. Chiplunkar gave a few remedies. He advised, “Learn to laugh with a free mind. It is important to laugh naturally, open-heartedly, without inhibitions. That is a sure shot stress buster. But the laughter should not be faked or artificial. That would increase stress. Sometimes when you read a funny anecdote, you laugh to yourself, which is a natural laughter. It reduces stress.
“Observe that if you breathe properly, stress starts to disappear. The breath should not be from the chest but much lower, from the abdomen. It will reduce bad mentality and increase good mentality. It is often told that controlling of the mind is the key to happiness. It is very difficult to control the mind and so learn to control your breath. The mind will soon be under control.
“Another important point is to develop a habit of regular exercise. Breathing exercises, running, stretching, yoga for flexibility etc.
“Last but not the least, change your perspective towards life. If you have a healthy perspective, you will not have stress. What is this perspective? Behave with responsibility. Accept that change is a part of life. Do not expect the cause and effect principle to work rigidly and always. There will be exceptions. Follow the advice from Geeta: Work without expecting the fruits of the work and find happiness in work itself.
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