Managing Anger

This is the last article in my 3-part series on anger. Anger Management has a dual approach.

1) What to do when you are angry? (Short term)

2) How to get angry less frequently and less intensely in the first place? (Long term)

Both are equally important and necessary if you want to make your and you near & dear ones' lives better.

These are some suggestions which help in that direction.

• Relaxation (watching TV, talking on phone is not relaxation)
• Diet – reduce artificial stimulants, have simple food
• Exercise
• Time management
• Prioritizing (spend more time on IMPORTANT activities)
• Eat something sweet :-) . It helps the body secrete serotonin which, is like the switch that turns off anger. When enough serotonin is secreted we feel happy.
• Pratipaksha bhavana – Think of the opposite, change the way you think, try to replace your angry thoughts with rational / good ones.
• Karma Yoga – cooking, cleaning house etc. - basically keeping oneself occupied
• Asana, Pranayama & meditation; deep breathing with more stress on exhalations as it activates the parasympathetic nervous system that helps in slowing down the heart rate & blood pressure
• Find alternatives – is there a more mature way to deal with the problem?, can I look at this differently?
• Objective attitude – is it really worth getting so angry about?, am I taking this personally?, will I remember this in 3 hrs, 3 days, 3 months or 3 years?
• Better communication with people you interact with.
• Engage humor

Different alternatives will work for different people. And mind you, conquering anger will also show improvement in other areas of our lives - relationships, work, personality, attitudes....... need i say more?