subject: Anger Management Worksheets [print this page] Using anger management worksheets can help you control your reactions to a stressful problem, event or person. Anger can have long term repercussions on your job, your family members and close friends. If you have trouble getting to workshops, these helpful worksheets completed at your speed may help improve control over how you react to stress. The Internet offers many free worksheets on anger management to get you started.
Anger can be identified in two ways: through the display of physical and mental symptoms. Physical symptoms can run the gamut from sweating, sudden blushing, hyperventilation, migraines, muscle spasms, sudden swearing or yelling. Mental symptoms include but are not limited to a lack of concentration, being short-tempered, thoughts of doing harm to yourself and others, lack of sleep and even depression.
There are immediate ways of dealing with sudden and stressful events. Removing yourself from the situation is one, distractions are another; regular exercising and breathing deeply work too. Talking to someone who can offer their opinion on the problem can help too.
Knowing the triggers that cause anger in the first place is the next step and this is when the worksheets can be used. Is it an unbearable workload, an impossible child or a mean boss? It is important to know what makes you angry so that the next time you find yourself in the same situation, you can plan your emotional response in advance. This can help you reclaim a measure of control.
Next, think of how to avoid negative expressions of emotions in inappropriate settings. When you bought a defective product at a store, did you blame the person who sold you the product or did you direct your anger at the manufacturer of said product. Would all the yelling in the world made a difference in fixing the product? Maybe a polite approach would have yielded Think of alternative methods in handling this problem. Try writing them down and using them the next time.
Finally, visualize the handling of a difficult problem or person. Make an appointment to talk to the person about the problem at hand. Avoid rehashing the past or blaming anyone. Remain calm and try to resolve the problem at hand.
Successful management of stress and emotions is achieved through time and lots of practice. Compare the new strategies with how you handled your emotions before. Were the new ways better or worse? What could have been done differently so that there will not be a repeat of past mistakes? Calm down, reflect, empathize and come up with new solutions. Your own inventiveness will amaze you.
