Traffic Light Technique to Manage Stress

Exposure to prolonged high level of stress can damage our health, lower productivity and affect relationships. One of the fact that we need to accept is that, as long as we are still here on earth, stress is our way of life. The main issue now is how to manage stress more effectively so that we can maintain our productivity at work and home.

One of the simplest method to manage stress is the Traffic Light Technique. It is easy to use, fast and highly effective. It helps us to reorient ourselves and refocus on bigger, more important issues at hand.

Using the traffic light as an analogy, red signals that we need to stop that ever that we are doing at that particular moment that causes us to be under stress. It can be an argument with a colleague, feeling overwhelmed doing that pile of paper work or cursing that driver that suddenly overtakes you in a dangerous manner.

Next, orange means that we need to reorient and refocus ourselves internally. Feel that tense feelings in our body, that fast heartbeat, short breathing or stiff shoulders. Acknowledge that we are now under stress. There is no point in fighting the symptoms. The best way is to feel them inside our body. Once we are aware of them, it signals the brain that we are in control (it takes away the control from our more primitive brain - the amygdala and passes it to our more advanced brain - the neo cortex).

Lastly, green means that we actively do something to let that stress feelings (or symptoms) go. The easiest way is to take several deep breaths, inhaling through our nose and exhaling through our mouth. You will feel you heartbeat slowly going down, your muscles starting to loosen up and a sense of inner peace comes to you. Taking a short walk or doing light stretching are some of the other methods to let go of that stress symptoms.

The next time you feel stressful, remember the traffic light; red - stop, orange - reorient and refocus and  green - letting go of the symptoms by actively doing something.Try it today!