We all experience frustration throughout our lives, but how you choose to handle it can have a major impact on your overall wellbeing.
There are so many factors and situations that can make us feel frustrated. More often than not, this feeling arises because you feel like you're lacking control. This could be within your relationship, in the workplace, or any other area of your life.
It’s important to learn strategies to cope with this frustration because bottling it up or choosing to ignore it can seriously affect your health and the people around you.
Here are some effective ways to cope with frustration in any situation.
1. Acknowledge It
It’s difficult to deal with feelings of frustration if you’re not willing to acknowledge and confront them. You have to take that first step by figuring out the reasons why you're feeling the way you are.
Sometimes, it’s not always clear to see why you're experiencing this emotion.
For example, you might feel sad and frustrated during a time when you are by yourself and in a neutral environment. This could be a delayed reaction to something that happened earlier.
For some people, their frustration occurs when they bottle things up over time, and not because of one particular event. So, trying to pinpoint the reason you feel frustrated is not always that simple.
To get a better understanding of your feelings, ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I satisfied with my life? If not, what would I like to change?
- Am I happy with my job? It is causing me unnecessary stress?
- Do I have stable, fulfilling relationships? If not, how can I change this?
- Have I been making time for myself recently?
- Would opening up to someone provide me with any relief?
Answering these questions can give you insight into how you're feeling and the reasons for it. More than that, it can help you to get back on track.
2. Write Down Your Thoughts
The process of writing your thoughts down can be relaxing and inspiring because it helps you to connect the dots.
When it’s unclear why you’re feeling frustrated, start writing down anything that has been bothering you over the last week or month.
Often, frustration and anger can go hand in hand.
So, when you begin writing down your thoughts, you might start to feel some release of tension. This is a sign to keep writing. Write until you have no thoughts left.
Once you have cleared your mind and got everything off your chest, take a look at your notes and absorb all of the information.
This can help you to pinpoint what the real issue is. It could be your job, your home life, or a passing comment that someone made.
From there, you can tackle your frustration by writing down solutions to your problems.
While there’s no quick fix, it can bring you relief and peace knowing that you have been open and honest with yourself.
Facing your feelings is important for your wellbeing. And in time, it will help you to develop a better relationship with yourself and those around you.
3. Practice Yoga And Meditation
If you're feeling frustrated and burnt out, it helps to clear your mind and relax your body through yoga and meditation.
One of the main reasons why yoga is so beneficial is because it allows you to tune into your body and mind.
While you’re on the mat, try to focus on your breathing at all times.
Start by breathing in through your nose for 5 seconds, then release slowly through your mouth for 5 seconds. Doing this will help you to keep a steady mind and lower your resting heart rate.
When you practice yoga and meditation, it’s important to block out any negative thoughts or emotions. Focus solely on your breath and movement.
Here are some beginner-friendly poses to try:
- Child’s pose
- Corpse pose
- Bridge pose
- Puppy pose
- Easy pose
Practicing yoga frequently can help you to manage stress levels, reduce anxiety, and give your mind much-needed rest. It’s also an effective way to release tension anywhere in the body.
4. Remove Yourself From Bad Situations
There are some situations that can be frustrating for everyone.
For instance, if you're trying to talk to someone about something that’s upset you but they aren’t willing to see your side of things, that can make you upset and angry.
Certain people and situations can bring out the worst in most people. If you can, try to remove yourself from the situation completely by walking away.
Walking away often has negative connotations. It can appear like you're ‘giving up’ but actually it just means that you are discovering your self-worth.
If someone or something isn’t making you feel good, then you should try your best to remove it.
Doing this will allow you to focus on your own health and wellbeing. From there, you can minimize feelings of stress and frustration in your everyday life.
5. Find The Positive
Our minds tend to lean towards the negatives more than the positives, especially if we have been let down in the past.
But the problem is if you only have one way of thinking, then your mind is closed off to new ideas and solutions.
In many negative situations, you can still find a positive outlook. For instance, if you're feeling frustrated because you made a mistake at work, you can change this negative outlook by viewing it as a learning curve.
This can apply to many situations. If you're frustrated with your relationship, then you can use this as an opportunity to work on your issues.
Don’t ignore your frustration or see it as a negative thing, see it as a chance to grow and develop. From there, you can discover what you need out of life.
6. Use Good Communication
When we are feeling frustrated, it’s a common behavior to lash out at the people around us and push them away.
While it might not be your intention, this behavior can be very damaging to your well-being and can hurt your relationships.
You could be feeling frustrated because you feel like you're not being listened to, and this could lead to you shouting or shifting blame onto others.
But the problem with this is you’re not solving anything.
The healthiest and most effective way to handle your frustration is to practice good communication.
Start by being honest with yourself, and then talk to the people closest to you. Explain to them in a gentle voice why you're feeling frustrated.
Instead of using phrases like, ‘you’re not helping me,’ tell them what they can do to help instead. No one can read minds, that’s why it’s so important to use your words to express how you feel.
Learning how to communicate in a non-hostile manner will help you to connect with others in a positive way.
7. Talk A Walk In Nature
Frustration is a common emotion that you will experience many times throughout your life, and sometimes, there isn’t always a solution.
While you shouldn’t ignore these feelings completely, it can be helpful to take your mind off things and get outdoors.
Research shows that getting outside for 120 minutes a week can significantly improve your health and wellbeing.
Natural environments like beaches, forests, and woodlands are a great way to escape from everyday life and enjoy some peaceful time alone.
Try to schedule frequent walks throughout the week to help manage your frustration and boost productivity levels.
8. Give Yourself A Rest
Sometimes, frustration is a sign that you're taking on too many responsibilities in your life. It could be caused by the struggle of balancing work and home life.
If you're also feeling stressed and burned out, consider taking some time off work or asking for a holiday. If you work from home, try to adjust your schedule and give yourself frequent breaks to recharge.
Knowing when to step back and give yourself a rest is important for your wellbeing and it can have a positive impact on your relationships.
The people around you would prefer to see you happy, healthy, and well-rested. Some things can be put on hold, but your health can’t be.
9. See A Therapist
If you're regularly experiencing frustration and it’s impacting your quality of life, then it’s probably time to speak to a therapist.
Trying to get to the root cause of your feelings and navigate through life without any help can be overwhelming and difficult.
Seeking professional help means that you won’t have to go through anything alone. It provides you with guidance and a new outlook on life.
A therapist can help you to pinpoint the issues in your life and together you can work on the solutions. In time, this will help you to deal with frustration, anger, and stress throughout your life.