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Relaxing with a
Mental PDA
We all have this favorite expression when it comes to being
stressed out, and I wouldn't bother naming all of them since it
may also vary in different languages. But when it comes down to
it, I think that it is how we work or even relax, for that matter
that triggers stress. Ever been stressed even when you're well
relaxed and bored? I know I have.
Since Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. is unavoidable in
life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent
stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress.
Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering
it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your
teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer
span of time, but as they say-- every minute counts.
Managing time
Time management skills can allow you more time with your family
and friends and possibly increase your performance and
productivity. This will help reduce your stress.
To improve your time management:
Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and
scheduling time for yourself.
Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family,
and leisure time.
Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency.
Redirect your time to those activities that are important and
meaningful to you.
Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don't
commit to what is not important to you.
Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large
projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe
and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies
It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way
to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and
how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can
work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those
that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or
control in your life.
Lifestyle
Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level.
They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with
the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to :
Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
Have a sense of purpose in life.
Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of
the day while you are sleeping.
Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
Limit your consumption of alcohol.
Don't smoke.
Social support
Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress.
Social support is the positive support you receive from family,
friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared
for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates
a strong relationship between social support and better mental and
physical health.
Changing thinking
When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear,
insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of
worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body's
stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative
thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.
Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help
eliminate stress.
Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid
exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and
interpreting an event incorrectly.
Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a
stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
Changing your communication style helps you communicate in
a way that makes your views known without making others feel put
down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes
from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve
your communication style.
Even writers like me can get stressed even though we're just using
our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is
already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress.
Whether you're the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average
working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to
boot out of your homes, especially your life. |
