| |
| |
|
Stress Management Information |
|
The Top 10 Steps to DeStress
Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your co-workers and/or boss make you crazy? Is your personal life less than blissful? If so, you've got stress. If you're like most people you've sought refuge from this situation by trying a quick fix or two like calling a friend, walking the dog, or going away for the weekend in an attempt to escape it all. While these strategies may serve as temporary diversions, nothing in your life changes when you return to your routine. Stress is internal, which explains why it can wreak havoc on your health. It feels awful...it's the sense that you're not in control. The easiest way to mitigate its effect is to take charge of the one and only thing you have the power to control...YOU, and let go of what you can't control. The beauty of this recipe is that by taking control of your life, external or outside things will change in response to your internal changes. Here are 10 steps to destress for your present and future: 1. Heal yourself. Dr. Bruce McEwen, who wrote The End of Stress As We Know It, suggests that eliminating stress comes right from your grandmother's journal. He says the most effective steps you can take are the simplest: exercise, a healthy diet, regular sleep, moderate to minimal alcohol intake, and no smoking. This, he notes, is the most sophisticated, up to the minute, cutting edge science available! 2. Get organized. Physical clutter reminds us of things that need to be done and that's stressful. Remove your physical clutter and you'll eradicate your mental clutter, plus you'll feel energized. Please go to http://topten.org/public/AG/AG306.html for a simple organizing solution that will work on any space. 3. Set boundaries. Boundaries act as a filter to keep you safe from the hurtful behavior of others while allowing in the love, support and nurturing actions we all need. Set your boundaries by: (a) determining what others cannot do to you or in your presence and (b) sharing this information respectfully with anyone who is stepping over one of your boundaries. 4. Take time for yourself. Put together a list of all the things you love to do but haven't regularly made time to do. Put your list in priority order and enter the top five to seven items into your daily calendar. Your list may include things as simple as journaling, reading a great book, taking a bubble bath, yoga, etc. You'll be more successful getting to these activities when you give them a time and place on your calendar. 5. Be positive. William James, the father of modern psychology said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind." In other words, what you say and what you tell yourself impact the present and create your future. Love yourself and use the power of positive words, pleasing thoughts and affirming beliefs to live the life you want to live. 6. Work in a career you love. If you're like most people, you spend the majority of your waking hours at work. You'll know you're in the right profession when: you wake up anxious to go to work, you want to do your best daily, and you know your work is important. 7. Surround yourself with a supportive community. You are who you spend time with. Hang out with people who love and accept you just the way you are, are interested in you (not what you can do for them), lift you up (not wear you down), solve problems quickly, don't gossip or complain, and know how to have fun. Anything is possible with the right support. 8. Learn to say, "No." We've all been influenced by people in our life who tell us we should do this or we ought to do that. As a result, we may end up living a life that others have decided for us versus living the life we want. So, the next time you think of something you ought to do or someone else suggests you should do, take a breath and ask yourself if it's something you want to do. If not, just say, "no" or "no thank you." When you say no to things you don't care to do, you are saying yes to you and this will free up your time and energy for the things you choose to do. Bottom line - you'll be happier. 9. Zap tolerations. A toleration is something that irritates you and drains your energy because it needs to be done, fixed, removed, or changed. If you're like most people you may be tolerating 100 or more things! Put together a list of all the things that bug you, e.g. a dripping faucet, money concerns, your weight, shopping and running errands, not enough time, computer files out of control, your hair, a room that needs to be painted, etc. When your list is complete, group like items and see if one solution will eliminate multiple tolerations. For example, if you have piles of clothing in each bedroom, dirty windows and dust bunnies on your floor, hiring a housekeeper will zap all three tolerations. Line up a housekeeper, today. Then, commit to spending a chunk of time each week to zap your other tolerations. If you have a toleration that you don't have the skill or know-how to fix, consider calling an expert or seek out a skilled professional to trade services with. 10. Get your needs met. A "need" is not an option, it is something you must have to function fully. It is differentiated from a "want" in that a want is optional. Unmet needs can drive you to distraction and worse. Determine what needs you have that aren't being met, if any, and then take the appropriate action to get them fulfilled. Example: If you've taken a big hit and are going through a career transition, ask a good friend to call you two or three times a week to check in with you and give you support. Other options include calling your own voice mail and leaving supportive messages or hiring a coach who specializes in career transitions. When you acknowledge and satisfy your needs, you will be free to focus on other areas of your life. If you want to be happier and more successful, focus on the things you have the power to control. Pam N. Woods is co-author of a bestselling book, Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies from the World's Greatest Mentors; endorsed by Ken Blanchard and Dr. Stephen Covey. She is a Coach U graduate and President of Smart WorkLife Solutions, a coaching and consulting company devoted to co-creating customized solutions to fit clients business and personal organizing needs. Prior to founding her own firm she had a successful 20+ year career as an insurance executive and Vice President of Human Resources. For more free how-to articles and advice, or to contact Woods, visit http://www.worklifecoach.com.Copyright 2004 - Pam Woods
MORE RESOURCES:
Stress-Management - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How Are You Achieving Rejuvenation for Peak Performance? When was the last time that you truly took a mental break from work? Many of us in North America are now getting out our calendars to gear up for summer vacations, so it's timely to discuss how we use our "downtime" to enhance our ability to excel in our businesses and our workplaces.The book The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz, 2003, uses an enlightening analogy from their studies of world-class athletes. Stress Management and Mastery: 3 Steps to Loving What You Do My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was as a bag boy with a chain grocery store in Winter Park, Fla. I had worked before, cutting lawns, etc. Canadian Physicians on Slippery Slope of Burnout In a recent CMA survey of 2251 physicians, over 45% were found to be in an advanced state of burnout. If this reflects the seriousness of the problem in the general population of physicians in Canada, then it can safely be said that the healthcare system is at serious risk of collapse. Children Playing - How Play Is Important To Kids And Adults You can learn a lot by watching children playing. There is no greater sight than to see children pretending to be superheroes or digging for treasure in a sandbox. Stress Secrets: How To Remove Hidden Sources Of Stress Most people find it easy to identify the sources of stress in their lives. Ask Maggie M. There is no Such Thing as Good Stress Q: What is Stress?A: Very basically it is the physical, emotional and spiritual tension that arises in a person when they are being pulled or pushed outside of their comfort zone by internal or external forces.Q: I've heard people talk about good and bad stress. Instant Relaxation Anytime Anywhere If there was a way of relaxing quickly and easily in any situation would you want to know what it is?Ancient cultures knew this secret, and followers of Hawaiian Huna used it to access altered states. In more recent times martial artists used it as a way to develop relaxed alertness, and today photoreaders use it to relax before reading books at speeds of 25,000 words per minute. Improving Self Esteem with Affirmations and Therapeutic Relaxation Music Positive self-esteem is very important for our general health and wellness as human beings. Having positive self-esteem is also important for promoting any type of healing, whether physical, emotional or spiritual. Stress Managment and Mastery: How to Beat Too Many Hats Syndrome "One day I'm a mother, One day I'm a lover, What am I supposed to do? Workin' for a livin' All because I'm driven .. Hypnosis CDs - Relief from Stress The number one most popular issue that users of a self hypnosis cd or clients of a hypnotherapist seek help with is stress. Even if their presenting issue appears different, such as a phobia or lack of confidence, somewhere in the mix will be a stress issue. Stress in the Workplace Why are you so busy? Do you really have too much work? Is work so important to you that you'll sacrifice just about anything in your life to get the job done? Even if it's at the expense of your health and your relationships? Stress in the workplace can be caused by many factors, however from my experience I've found for many people it is their inability to organise themselves and their time. They also have difficulty saying 'no'. Empathy - Anxiety & Panic If you are an anxiety and panic sufferer, then you've probably taken a fast learning track of how many people around you actually suffer from this one skill "empathy".How many times have you told yourself or maybe even to others "you don't understand" or "they don't understand what I'm going through". Stress Managment and Mastery: 6 Stress Busting Tips In a hectic world, it's all too easy to reach the point of feeling stressed out beyond our ability to cope. Yet it's our ability to cope that makes all the difference. The Benefits of Eating from a Jar of Honey June is the month of the honey moon. Custom holds that this is the best time to harvest honey from the hives. 7 Tips to Relieve Stress At Work Do you feel stress at work? Do you carry your stress home with you at night?Here are some tips that will help you achieve success over stress. You can reduce stress on the job. Unmanaged Stress Kills and Ruins Lives! Sit a Bit When I pay attention, I clearly see the arresting ways God works in my life. Often people I meet in my programs (or elsewhere) give me such profound, relevant messages I know the hand of God is at work and it is to my peril to ignore such directives. Avoiding Stress During the Busy Holiday Shopping Season with eCardica.com Lake Hopatcong, NJ (PRWEB) November 30, 2004 -- Here are a few tips and tricks for lessening your woes during the hustle and bustle of the gift-giving season. Each year, thousands of shoppers are plagued with undue stress. Destressing Your Life! Do you have stress in your life?.. Taking Care of Yourself Living in our world today can be very stressful. While some of the stress that we experience is actually useful for motivating us, a point can be reached where it becomes very harmful, physically, emotionally and even spiritually. Reduce Stress and Enjoy More Sleep If you suffer from insomnia of any kind, the chances are you don't need to be told that there's a significant connection between sleep problems like insomnia and stress. In fact, as cases of insomnia and related sleep problems increase, more and more people find themselves caught between the pressures and responsibilities of daily life and their desire for a good night's sleep.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
