3 Warning Signs It’s Time to Change How You Manage Stress

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. Whether it’s work deadlines, family responsibilities, financial pressures, or just the mental load of managing everything, it can feel like we’re in a constant state of overwhelm.

And because stress is so common, we’re bombarded with messages about how to manage it. Self-care routines, wellness tips, productivity hacks—there’s no shortage of advice on how to “handle” stress. But what happens when the strategies we rely on aren’t actually working?

Maybe you’ve been practicing mindfulness, exercising regularly, or taking time for yourself, but instead of feeling better, you feel more exhausted, more anxious, and even more frustrated. If this sounds familiar, you might be unknowingly using stress management strategies that look good on paper but aren’t truly effective for you.

Here’s the truth: Not all coping strategies are created equal. Some help in the moment but don’t build long-term resilience. Others might even be making your stress worse. If you’ve been wondering why your efforts to manage stress don’t seem to be helping, it’s time to reassess.

Here are three warning signs that your stress management approach needs a reset—and how Hive Wellness Collective can help.

🚩 Warning Sign #1: You’re More Exhausted After ‘Self-Care’

You carve out time for self-care, but instead of feeling refreshed, you feel even more depleted. Maybe you finish a meditation session and feel restless, or you take a long bath but can’t shake the feeling that you’re wasting time. Maybe you schedule a yoga class, but it just feels like another obligation.

This is a common sign that your self-care routine isn’t actually nourishing you—it’s draining you.

Many of us have been taught that self-care means specific things: bubble baths, long walks, deep breathing exercises, journaling. And while those things can be helpful, they aren’t inherently restorative for everyone. If your “relaxation” routine feels like a chore, it’s not working for you.

Try this instead:

✅ Identify what truly recharges you. What makes you feel lighter, calmer, or more grounded? Maybe it’s listening to music, baking, painting, or laughing with a friend.
✅ Ditch the ‘shoulds.’ If meditation makes you more anxious, don’t do it. If reading self-help books feels like homework, skip them. Self-care should feel like a gift, not a task.
✅ Prioritize joy. Sometimes, the best way to manage stress is to do something fun. When was the last time you did something purely because it made you happy?

💡 How Hive Wellness Collective Can Help: Our therapists help you find self-care strategies that actually work for you, based on your unique needs, personality, and lifestyle. You don’t have to figure this out alone—let’s find what truly helps you feel lighter and more present. Learn more here.

🚩 Warning Sign #2: Your Coping Strategies Feel Like Bandaids

We all have go-to coping strategies that help us get through tough moments—grabbing a snack, scrolling social media, binging Netflix, pouring a glass of wine. And while these strategies can provide temporary relief, they can also become a way of avoiding the deeper issue.

If your stress management routine is built entirely around distractions, numbing behaviors, or short-term fixes, you may be keeping yourself in a cycle of stress rather than actually dealing with it.

Some common “bandaid” coping strategies include:

• Constantly keeping busy to avoid thinking about stress

• Binge-watching TV or scrolling TikTok for hours to escape

• Retail therapy or online shopping for a quick mood boost

• Overloading yourself with wellness routines in an attempt to “fix” stress

• Self-medicating with food, alcohol, or other substances

These things aren’t inherently bad—but if they’re your only tools, they may be keeping you from addressing the root cause of your stress.

Try this instead:

✅ Notice patterns. Are you scrolling because it’s fun, or because you’re avoiding a difficult emotion? Are you filling every hour of your day because slowing down makes you uncomfortable?
✅ Shift from escaping stress to processing it. Instead of avoiding your feelings, try engaging with them. Journaling, talking to a friend, or working with a therapist can help you work through your emotions instead of just pushing them aside.
✅ Build a balanced toolkit. Distraction can be helpful sometimes, but it’s also important to have strategies that help you process and regulate stress, like movement, creative hobbies, or setting boundaries.

💡 How Hive Wellness Collective Can Help: Our team specializes in helping people break out of the stress cycle and find long-term tools that create real relief. Whether it’s learning how to process emotions, regulate your nervous system, or set boundaries, we’ll help you find what works. Get started here.

🚩 Warning Sign #3: Your Anxiety Keeps Growing

One of the biggest signs that your stress management plan isn’t working? Your anxiety keeps escalating, no matter how much effort you put into “relaxing.”

When we use coping strategies that don’t actually address our stress, we stay in a state of high alert. The tension never fully releases, and over time, stress compounds.

Here’s how this might show up:

• You finish your morning workout but still feel on edge.

• You try to unwind at the end of the day but can’t stop overthinking.

• You check everything off your to-do list, yet you still feel overwhelmed.

• You get frustrated that your usual coping tools “aren’t working anymore.”

This happens because stress doesn’t just live in our minds—it lives in our bodies. If we aren’t regulating our nervous systems effectively, our stress response stays activated, leading to chronic tension, fatigue, and burnout.

Try this instead:

✅ Shift from reactive to proactive coping. Many people only focus on stress relief after they’re already overwhelmed. Instead, try building daily habits that prevent stress from piling up—like movement, breathwork, or setting boundaries.
✅ Regulate your nervous system. Deep breathing, grounding exercises, and somatic techniques (like shaking out your hands or stretching) can help your body release built-up stress.
✅ Seek deeper support. If stress and anxiety feel unmanageable, working with a therapist can help you identify what’s keeping you stuck and develop strategies that actually work for you.

💡 How Hive Wellness Collective Can Help: Stress and anxiety don’t have to rule your life. Our therapists specialize in practical, science-backed strategies that help you feel more in control of your emotions and daily life. Schedule a session here.

Ready to Find What Works for You?

If your stress management routine isn’t helping, don’t blame yourself—it just means you need a different approach. True self-care isn’t about doing what looks good, but about finding what feels good for you.

💛 If you’re feeling stuck and want personalized support, we’re here. At Hive Wellness Collective, we help you find stress management strategies that actually work—without the guilt, the “shoulds,” or the one-size-fits-all advice.

We offer therapy in Ann Arbor and Dexter, as well as virtual therapy throughout the state of Michigan, making it easier than ever to get the support you need in a way that fits your life. Whether you prefer in-person sessions or the flexibility of online therapy, we’ve got you covered.

You deserve to feel lighter, calmer, and more in control. Let’s start that journey together. Learn more or book a session here.