Stress can be the underlying cause of various problems a team or individual might experience while overseas. Stress is inevitable when people are taken out of their “comfort zone” and placed into the “twilight zone.” Here are some tips that can help you and your team avoid being robbed by the effects of stress:
#10 – Be Prepared
Hopefully reading this post will make you aware that stress is something to expect and prepare for. One of the best stress relievers for the field is practiced before you leave home – preparing yourself as much as possible in every aspect of the mission trip – from packing the right things, knowing what to expect in airport security and writing your testimony, to studying the culture and the goals your team hopes to accomplish.
#9 – Rest
Of course, getting as much rest as possible before the trip is a good start. Once the trip begins, however, adequate sleep and rest are often neglected because of international travel and hectic schedules. Don’t try to be a Rambo, going full steam ahead no matter what. You can run on adrenaline for about 72 hours, but then you’ll crash. Make the best of the scheduled rest times, and if you feel you need it, talk to your team leader about missing an outing, and stay at the hotel to get recharged.
#8 – Eat healthfully
Avoid over stuffing yourself with large meals. Treat yourself to some of the local cuisine, but don’t throw your normal diet out the window just because you’re overseas. Small, light, meals throughout the day will keep your blood sugar levels even and give you more energy. When you feel drained, you get stressed out.
#7 – Cut back on Caffeine
Caffeine works on your body like stress, raising your heart rate and blood pressure. Of course, the ideal would be for you to slowly cut back on caffeine before you leave home to give your body time to adjust. If you are a coffee drinker, watch your intake, as most coffee prepared overseas is much stronger than U.S. coffee. Also, native soft drinks can contain large quantities of caffeine.
#6 – Relax your body and mind
Relaxation exercises are a great way to give yourself a little break from the tension. Shoulder and back rubs, stretching, and rubbing your earlobes are just a few techniques that can bring calm to your body. Give your mind a break now in then with prayer or listening to music.
#5 – Talk out conflict
Where there is a lot of stress, conflict is lurking around the corner. Of course, there are many ways to prevent and deal with conflict, and you and your team would be well advised to study those as well. If you are involved in a conflict on the field, the best thing to do is talk to someone about it to “let off steam” instead of letting it fester and cause you even more stress. There’s also the old stand-by of counting to 10 if something or someone irritates you and you feel you’re going to blow.
#4 – Breathe
Sounds simple, but just taking a few deep breaths and letting them out slowly when you feel stressed can ease tension.
#3 – Expect a different culture
You are, after all, “not in Kansas anymore.” There are going to be a lot of strange and different things going on around you that you don’t understand or even find repulsive. Expecting the unexpected can help minimize the stress these factors might otherwise cause.
#2 – Have a contingency plan
If you know what to do if a certain issue or problem arises you can avert unnecessary stress. For example, if you know exactly what to do if you get separated from the group, or who to call if you lose your passport, those plans can save you from experiencing a tremendous amount of stress.
#1 – Beam me up, Scotty!
If you find yourself feeling overly stressed, don’t be afraid to seek help from a trusted friend, your team leader, or a missionary. I’ve seen volunteers ”freaked out” about something, but soon get over it and rejoin the team activities after they sought help and gave themselves a little time to do some of the things mentioned above.
Portions of this post were adapted from the brochure entitled, 21 Ways to Manage Everyday Stress. Proven Stress Relievers for Work and Home, published by Oakstone Publishing, 2007.
