8 best anger management tips to follow
If someone cuts you off in traffic, do you frown? Does your blood pressure hit the roof when someone at work does not cooperate? Studies suggest that anger is a healthy and common emotion. However, it is imperative to deal with it positively. Uncontrolled anger takes a toll on your relationships and health. Hence, anger management comes into play. So, how do you keep a tab on your anger? Read below to find out.
Take a breather
When you are angry, your breathing speeds up and becomes shallower. It is time to reverse that trend and monitor your anger. Take deep and slow breaths from your nose and exhale from your mouth. Repeat it several times, and you will see how it calms you down suddenly.
Identify the triggers
If you constantly have the habit of losing your temper, it is essential to take note of all the things that trigger you. Sarcastic comments, traffic jams, long queues, or extreme tiredness are a few things that make people angry. I dentifying and acknowledging such triggers can help you plan accordingly. You might be motivated to organize your day differently for better stress management. Indulge in some anger management techniques before you encounter such distressing situations. It will help elongate your endurance level, and you will not lose your temper at the drop of a hat.
Be physically active
Stress is the primary cause of anger, and exercising is an excellent way to lower stress. Exercising elevates your mood, making you feel better. It releases endorphins that act as stress reducers. So, anytime you find your anger escalating, go for a quick run or a brisk walk or indulge in other physical activities that calm you down.
Write it down
At times, writing can help you understand why you are angry and devise ways to deal with it. Consider drafting a letter to someone to comprehend what makes you angry, how you wish to address the feelings and your response to the situation. Before you send it, take a brief halt, and read the letter aloud. It helps you express your feelings. Reading your angry words can help you tone down and put things in a better perspective. Moreover, you will notice that your angry feelings automatically subside after you write them.
Visualize your boundaries
Visualization is a form of mindfulness. It shifts your focus from an angry self to another state of being, helping you return to the present, being more relaxed and calmer. You can imagine yourself building a wall of boundaries to shield you and visualize how these boundaries distance you from anything that makes you angry.
Count to ten
Stop and slowly count to ten in your head instead of acting anytime you feel rage. Be deliberate and slow. It is one of the best anger management tips that help you slow down the situation before reacting. When you finish counting, you act from your rational brain over the reacting brain. However, if you do not feel calm even after counting to ten, count again.
Use your energy in other ways
It is a great strategy that can help relieve some of your angry feelings. Hence, you do not end up hurting anyone. So, instead of talking back or reacting in anger, you can hit a pillow, tear a paper, or smash ice cubes in the sink.
Listen to music
Playing some tunes can also help subside your anger. So, when you feel angry, get into your car and turn on the radio or go into your room and plug in earbuds as you listen to some relaxing music. It can sashay your angry feelings.