Stoic Solutions to Stress: 5 Techniques That Stand the Test of Time

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Stress is an unavoidable part of life. As Marcus Aurelius noted, "For a human being to feel stress is normal—if he’s living a normal human life. And if it’s normal, how can it be bad?"

Life in the ancient world was just as fraught with challenges as today’s world. Yet, the Stoics mastered the art of perception—seeing things for what they are, without adding layers of unnecessary emotion or judgment.

In fact, modern science has reinforced the wisdom of the Stoics. Stress, according to today’s neuroscientists and psychologists, is not something that happens to us, but rather how we react to life’s events.

Stressors—such as difficult bosses or tight deadlines—trigger our reactions, but they don’t inherently cause our stress. As stress management expert Cynthia Ackrill put it, "Stress is your physical and mental reaction to what you perceive is happening."

Here are five Stoic strategies to help you better manage stress:

1. Focus on What’s in Your Control

Epictetus advised, "The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control."

The Stoics practiced what’s called the "dichotomy of control"—separating what we can control from what we cannot. This approach, now a cornerstone of Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), helps us focus on our thoughts, actions, and decisions rather than external factors. When we stop worrying about things beyond our control, we free up time and energy to focus on what truly matters.

2. Analyze the Source of Your Stress

Epictetus also warned, "Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems." Often, the fear and anticipation of what could happen is more stressful than the actual issue.

Charlamagne Tha God, radio personality and author, talks about the difference between rational and irrational anxiety. Rational anxiety stems from real, identifiable causes, whereas irrational anxiety is vague and unfounded, often leading to unnecessary panic. By dissecting your stress and asking where it originates, you can prevent irrational fears from spiraling out of control.

3. Prepare for the Worst-Case Scenario

Seneca encouraged the practice of confronting your worst fears head-on. He would spend days living with minimal food and simple clothing, asking himself, "Is this the condition I feared?" By experiencing discomfort deliberately, he reduced his fear of it, thereby reducing stress.

This method of “negative visualization,” or preparing yourself for the worst, minimizes the fear of the unknown. Tim Ferriss, a modern-day advocate of Stoic philosophy, echoes this sentiment: “The more you schedule and practice discomfort deliberately, the less unplanned discomfort will throw off your life.”

4. Start a Journaling Habit

One of Seneca’s daily routines involved reviewing his entire day through journaling. This reflection allowed him to evaluate his actions and thoughts, helping him improve and grow.

Journaling isn’t just an ancient practice. Research from Cambridge University suggests that writing about stress improves mental well-being. Writing helps externalize your thoughts, making them easier to analyze and address. And as Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations proves, even short personal reflections can have a lasting impact on our ability to manage stress.

5. Meditate on Mortality

The Stoics frequently reminded themselves of their own mortality, a practice summed up by the Latin phrase memento mori, meaning “Remember you must die.” This isn’t meant to inspire fear but to bring focus and gratitude to the present moment.

Marcus Aurelius urged, “Stop whatever you’re doing for a moment and ask yourself: Am I afraid of death because I won’t be able to do this anymore?” This reflection can help put daily stresses into perspective. After all, many of the things that cause us stress are trivial when viewed through the lens of life’s brevity.

Living each day as if it’s your entire life, as Seneca recommended, can dramatically shift how you approach stress. Instead of fixating on minor inconveniences, you’ll learn to appreciate the value of each moment.

Conclusion

The Stoics understood that stress is part of life, but suffering from it doesn’t have to be. By using their wisdom, we can learn to shift our perspectives, focus on what’s in our control, and reduce unnecessary worry.

Whether through simple practices like journaling, preparing for the worst, or reflecting on our mortality, Stoicism offers a wealth of strategies to help us manage life’s inevitable stresses with grace and resilience.

By embracing these teachings, we can regain control, not over the external world, but over our own minds—ultimately slaying the stress that so often holds us back.