Stress management

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What is Stress?

Stress is the " wear and tear "

our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment;

it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or

negative feelings.

How Can I Eliminate Stress

from My Life?

As we have seen, positive stress adds anticipation and excitement to life,

and we all thrive under a certain amount of stress. Deadlines, competitions,

confrontations, and even our frustrations and sorrows add depth and enrichment

to our lives. Our goal is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to manage

it and how to use it to help us. Insufficient stress acts as a depressant

and may leave us feeling bored or dejected; on the other hand, excessive

stress may leave us feeling " tied up in knots. " What we need

to do is find the optimal level of stress, which will individually motivate

but not overwhelm each of us.

How Can I Tell What is

Optimal Stress for Me?

There is no single level of stress that is optimal for all people. We are

all individual creatures with unique requirements. As such, what is distressing

to one may be a joy to another. And even when we agree that a particular

event is distressing, we are likely to differ in our physiological and

psychological responses to it.

How Can I Manage Stress

Better?

Identifying unrelieved stress and being aware of its effect on our lives

is not sufficient for reducing its harmful effects. Just as there are many

sources of stress, there are many possibilities for its management. However,

all require work toward change: changing the source of stress and/or changing

your reaction to it. How do you proceed?

The Nine Stress Management

Tips:

1.Know what stresses

you most. Not your co-worker,

friend, husband, or wife. YOU!! Get your feelings out. Write them out and

describe each situation. Share all bad feelings with a friend or in a journal.

Before you can conquer your stresses you must know what is stressing you.

2.Say no.

Focus on you own goals, not your spouse's or parents'. You must know yourself,

your dreams, and your passions. If asked to chair another group or take

on another responsibility, look at your mission statement or goals for

the day. If it is does not fit it there say thank you but I just cannot.

Saying no is one of the hardest things in life, but will help make you

a success in your chosen field.

3.Learn to relax.

Work hard but know when to take

time off to be with the family, go to the beach, or read a book. Work all

day if you must but when you get home play, watch cartoons, or tell your

child a story. This allows stress tension to go away and helps you calm

the heart's pace and digest food normally, and protect your immune system.

Learn to meditate and take deep breaths to calm down.

4. Eat healthy.

Eat less junk food and more fruit and vegetables for an amazing overall

lowering of stress levels. We can actually lower the amount of the bad

stress hormone, Cortisol, by taking vitamins. Take those vitamin pills

daily.

5. Keep laughing.

Keep a sense of humor. Studies show a good attitude helps lower cancer

rates, makes surgery more effective, and keeps a relationship together

through hard times.

6. Ask yourself WHY.

Why are you doing this? Write down your wants, needs, goals, hopes, and

dreams. Does what you are doing now help you get fulfill any of these things?

What is your motivation? The more you understand why you doing what you

are doing the less stress you will have. If you cannot come up with a good

reason, then stop doing it.

7. Stay active.

Exercise is a great way to relive tension and gives you a great break from

exams. A healthy body makes a happy body. Even a three minute jog is helpful

at taking your mind off your pressures. You'll come back with an acute

focus and renewed energy.

8. Follow your bliss.

Try to know which subjects and type of people you enjoy. Structure your

life around activities that you love. ph , a wise philosopher,

advises you to follow your bliss. The more you do in life that goes with

your own flow, the more passion you'll have for what you do.

9. Organize and Prioritize.

Do the worst and hardest tasks first. Keep a to-do list and calendar with

you at all times. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Courtesy from: http://www.zeromillion.com/personaldev/stress-management-tips.html