How many times have you felt stressed lately? Stress is the body’s physical, mental, and chemical reaction to circumstances that irritate, frighten, excite, confuse, or endanger us.
Stress can come from many different directions. It can be a truck wheeling around a corner toward us, a move to a new home, loud music, divorce and separation, plus many other things such as trouble at work?
Be kind on yourself and follow these basic principles to help handle personal and business stress. Review this list from time to time and become familiar with your own personal coping strategies when stress arrives and be aware of ways to reduce stress in your own life.
1. Have fun to reduce stress.
Do things for the sheer fun of it. Each day, plan to something “just for you.” Even if you only have 30 minutes of fun time, don’t let anything stop you from your 30 minutes.
2. Laugh to reduce stress.
Interact with people who make you laugh to reduce tension and boost the immune system.
3. Learn to say “no” to reduce stress.
Too much fun can become boring and stressful in itself. When requests and invitations become a burden instead of being enjoyable, it is time to say “no.”
4. Simplify your life to reduce stress.
Move closer to your work or hire a house cleaner, or shop by internet.
5. Delegate responsibility to reduce stress.
Sharing duties allows time together and gets the job done faster.
6. Learn to relax to reduce stress.
Periodically visualize calming scenes; stretch and take deep breaths, a favourite of mine has always be guided meditation CD’s, there are plenty to download on the internet.
7. To reduce stress, don’t be a workaholic.
Find a healthy balance between work and play.
8. Break tasks into segments to reduce stress.
Break down tasks into easy-to-handle segments and problems. It is easier to eat an elephant one bite at a time.
9. Take care of your family and friends to reduce stress.
Having relationships in your life is less stressful.
10. Examine work habits to reduce stress.
If you are constantly stressed at work, examine your work habits. Maybe you are wasting time.
11. Drink water to reduce stress.
Consume 8-10 glasses of pure water daily to reduce stress.
12. Go for a walk
Exercise reduces stress, go for a long walk around the block or the park and breath, you will be amazed how much fresh air helps, make this regular even when you dont feel stressed.
13. Visit a Bunnings store
Find your nearest Bunnings, grab a sausage and a latte and walk around for an hour, choose a D.I.Y project that you can do and have fun!
There are plenty more ways of reducing stress, feel free to comment and add more…
Five easy tips to reduce stress:
1 When times are stressful have a short list of the things you know will work for you.
2 Watch comedy on television or take yourself to a funny movie. Avoid negativity in films and people: Or call the friend or friends whom you can rely on to make you laugh.
3 Do something for others. When one who is used to giving out in a family situation and suddenly one is deprived of this one still needs to give out. You would be amazed how wonderful it makes one feel. Find a charity or a worthy cause where you can contribute.
4 Exercise. Exercise is the best cure for depression and it works really well for stress too. Of course if you over-do it you will become more stressed. Start gradually.
5 Write your goals for the next 5 years. Nothing is more satisfying than planning your life ahead. Your goals take you beyond your present situation on to the path you would like to be travelling. Once you can see past the present, life looks more promising.