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Stress Tips

Stress is pressure from the outside that causes tension and anxiety inside. Some stress is necessary to keep us alert and active, but too much stress can cause physical as well as psychological problems.

Some symptoms of stress:
• difficulty falling asleep, restlessness
• perspire more than usual
• upset stomach or stomach pain
• feeling confused, unable to concentrate
• muscle tension: stiff neck, clenched jaw, aching back or shoulders
• feeling depressed
• lack of energy; lethargic
• headaches
• relationship problems
• weight gain or loss; change in appetite
• boredom
• feeling frustrated; easily annoyed
• cold hands
• rapid heartbeat
• general anxious feeling
• dilated pupils
• increased susceptibility to colds and other minor infections

The following strategies can help you control and manage stress and thereby have a positive effect on the length and quality of your life.

1. SELF AWARENESS: Be aware of your needs, values, desires. Listen to your body.

2. BUDGET TIME AND ENERGIES: What are the most important things
to do today? Make a list in order of importance and act accordingly.
Take on no more or less than you can handle. Learn to pace yourself.

3. OPERATE IN A SUPPORTIVE
ENVIRONMENT: Organize personal space so it works for you. After being around a hectic, chaotic environment, you need quiet, private space. Fill it with things meaningful to you.

4. CHANGE YOUR WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS: Being positive, not negative, can reduce a lot of stress. Put problems in broader perspective. Step outside the situation and decide how important the whole thing is.

5. WORK OFF STRESS: Exercise regularly and often. Dealing with stress calls for physical stamina. Exercise is a great way to release tension. It can lift your spirits, relax you, and increase your energy.

6. EAT REGULARLY! Don’t skip meals. Your energy level goes down quicker without nutrition. Never think that you haven’t got the time. Get enough sleep and rest. Fatigue can reduce your ability to cope with the stress.

7. LEARN HOW TO RELAX: Learn one technique that works for you. Twenty minutes of relaxation a day can improve your health and make for better decision-making, clearer thinking and improve your energy.

8. TALK OUT YOUR PROBLEMS: Have a support system. You’ll be surprised how this will lighten your burden. Problems, when kept to yourself, tend to appear much worse than when you share them with a friend.

9. LEARN THE ART OF MINI-ESCAPE: When pressures begin to mount too high, give yourself some breathing room and retreat. Take time out for a walk, see a movie, read a book, learn to relax and re-energize yourself. Putting distance between you and the pressure (even if only temporary) sometimes not only relieves stress, but also provides some helpful insight into your pressure.

10. DON’T SELF-MEDICATE:  Relieving stress with cigarettes, alcohol, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills may help temporarily, but you pay a high price by impairing your health. Shouting, crying, or taking a bath may get you through, but they cannot be relied upon for a long-term solution.

11. EXPRESS YOUR ANGER: Learn how to fight fairly – it can clear the air and relieve a lot of stress. Be sure the issue is worth fighting for – don’t hassle over every little thing.

12. DEVELOP A SUPPORTIVE NETWORK OF CARING PEOPLE AROUND YOU: It’s a medical fact that those who have close supportive relationships with others live longer, healthier, more stress-free lives. Giving and receiving love and care are basic needs for all of us.