If we’re honest, every single one of us is occasionally guilty of flying off the handle and making a mountain out of a molehill…proverbially speaking. Anger management is something that we all struggle with from time to time, despite the fact that we all know that nothing ever good came out of a temper tantrum!

Unfortunately, there will always be those for whom anger represents a genuinely life-affecting problem the likes of which appears almost possible to bring under control. Seeking out the very best counsellor Canterbury has to offer can of course help, but much of the process when it comes to anger management relies upon self-help and improvement.

So, given the fact that pretty much everybody could occasionally do with taking better control of their own tempers, here is a quick introduction to 10 essential anger management tips from the professionals:

1 – Think Then Speak

First and foremost, if you can get into the habit of thinking things over before you actually say them out loud, chances are you’ll find a whole world of situations much easier to handle. If it’s you that has the anger problem, chances are it’s what you say that will make things worse.

2 – Wait Until You’re Calm

If you have a grievance to raise and it doesn’t absolutely have to be discussed right this second, consider putting it on the back burner and bringing it up a little later when you are calm. Suffice to say, it probably won’t seem like nearly as big of a deal.

3 – Stay Active

One of the single best approaches when it comes to keeping anger under control is to stay as active as possible and get plenty of exercise. Not only does this represent a great way of keeping yourself distracted, but extensive research has shown that physical activity is one of the best things in the world for reducing stress and controlling anger.

4 – Take a Timeout

Just as you would probably do if one of your children was having a tantrum for no good reason, don’t be afraid to put yourself in a timeout when and where necessary. It may sound a little on the silly side, but simply by walking away from things for just a few minutes, you’ll no doubt find yourself with an entirely new perspective on whatever it was that was making you angry.

5 – Think Solutions

Rage doesn’t solve anything – solutions do. The simple fact of the matter is that when and where you are angry, there must be something that made you angry in the first place. As such, rather than allowing yourself to blow your top over what it is that has riled you, it makes much better sense to think about how to solve the problem. You might even find that there really is no problem to be solved!

6 – Focus on You

If you are fully aware of the fact that you have an anger problem and are prone to overreacting, try focusing on yourself rather than pointing the finger of blame elsewhere. For example, rather than screaming at somebody “you never do your fair share of XX” you might want to think about saying “I am upset because I believe you are not contributing to XX fairly”.

7 – Let it Go

One of the most harmful and powerful catalysts when it comes to anger is not being able to forgive and let go. There will always be those individuals who seem hell bent on remembering every little thing you have ever done wrong, in order to throw it back in your face when and where it suits them. Ultimately however, these are the individuals that will suffer.

8 – Try to See the Funny Side

There is in fact a very fine line between anger and humour – precisely why some events and instances will prompt some to laugh and others to throw tantrums. If there is a funny side to be found, it’s worth looking for it.

9 – Seek Feedback

Don’t be afraid to ask those around you for feedback or their general feelings when it comes to the way you express and control your anger. Particularly if you are making real efforts to bring your anger under control, it can be enormously helpful to involve others.

10 – Seek Help

Last but not least, if you really are struggling with your anger and it is in any way adversely affecting your life, it simply makes sense to speak to the professionals who deal with exactly this kind of thing day in and day out. After all, the words of wisdom required to completely change your life may be just a phone call away!