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Summary
There is nothing that
will magically help us relieve stress. Effective stress
management includes selecting a variety of ways to deal
with stress and implementing them over a period of time.
A particular stress management technique may be effective
on one occasion, but not another, so we need to be ready
to implement new ones for any given time and situation.
The use of stress management procedures can help us
grow from the stresses in our lives rather than being
immobilized by them. By refocusing on priorities and
goals that reflect personal values and by developing
the skills of pacing, assertiveness, and time management,
people can live more satisfying lives.
Some healthful hints
Basically, we need to
modify our over-reactions to situations. Rather than
seeing situations as psychologically or physically threatening
and thereby activating our sympathetic nervous system,
our parasympathetic nervous system (that part which
helps lower physiological arousal) needs to be called
into play. The following suggestions are designed to
reduce distress. Try them. They work!
- Learn to Relax : Throughout the day, take
"minibreaks." Sit-down and get comfortable,
slowly take a deep breath in, hold it, and then exhale
very slowly. At the same time, let your shoulder muscles
droop, smile, and say something positive like, "I
am r-e-l-a-x-e-d." Be sure to get sufficient
rest at night.
Practice Acceptance : Many people get distressed
over things they won't let themselves accept. Often
these are things that can't be changed, like someone
else's feelings or beliefs. If something unjust bothers
you, that is different. If you act in a responsible
way, the chances are you will manage stress effectively.
- Talk Rationally to Yourself : Ask yourself
what real impact the stressful situation will have
on you in a day or a week and see if you can let the
negative thoughts go. Think through whether the situation
is your problem or the other's. If it is yours, approach
it calmly and firmly; if it is the others, there is
not much you can do about it. Rather than condemn
yourself with hindsight thinking like, you can learn
from the error and plan for the future. Watch out
for perfectionism - set realistic and attainable goals.
Remember, everyone makes errors. Be careful of procrastination
- breaking tasks into smaller units will help and
prioritizing will help get things done.
- Get Organized : Develop a realistic schedule
of daily activities that includes time for work, sleep,
relationships, and recreation. Use a daily "thing
to do" list. Improve your physical surroundings
by cleaning your house and straightening up your office.
Use your time and energy as efficiently as possible.
- Exercise : Physical activity has always provided
relief form stress, in the past, daily work was largely
physical now that physical exertion is no longer a
requirement for earning a living, we don't get rid
of stress so easily while working. It accumulates
very quickly. We need to develop a regular exercise
program to help reduce the effects of working. It
accumulates very quickly. We need to develop a regular
exercise program to help reduce the effects of stress
before it becomes distress. Try aerobics, walking,
jogging, dancing, swimming, and the like.
- Reduce Time Urgency : If you frequently check
your watch or worry about what you do with your time,
learn to take things a bit slower. Allow plenty of
time to get things done. Plan your schedule ahead
of time. Recognize that you can only do so much in
a given period. Practice the notion of "pace,
not race."
- Disarm Yourself : Every situation in life
does not require you to be competitive. Adjust your
approach to an event according to its demands. You
don't have to raise your voice in a simple discussion.
Playing tennis with a friend doesn't have to be an
Olympic trial. Leave behind you "weapons"
of shutting, have the last worked, putting someone
else down, and blaming.
- Quiet Time : Balance your family, social,
and work demands with special private times. Hobbies
are good antidotes for daily pressures. Unwind by
taking a quiet stroll, soaking in a hot bath, watching
a sunset, or listening to calming music.
- Watch Your Habits : Eat sensibly - a balanced
diet will provide all the necessary energy you will
need during the day. Avoid nonprescription drugs and
minimize your alcohol use - you need to be mentally
and physically alert to deal with stress. Be mindful
of the effects of excessive caffeine and sugar on
nervousness. Put out the cigarettes - they restrict
blood circulation and affect the stress response.
- Talk to Friends : Friends can be good medicine.
Daily doses of conversation, regular social engagements,
and occasional sharing of deep feelings and thoughts
can reduce stress quite nicely.
- Meditate : Meditation is the process of discovery
of ones own self. Solve your own problems by
calming the thought waves of your mind. Develop
your own philosophy of life. Excel spiritually,
mentally and physically. Seek your truth, beat stress, sleep
good at night, live life to the fullest, and
most importantly be happy. This is your class
and it develops around your needs.
- Yoga : Yoga means union and implies the union
of body, mind and spirit. One who practices Yoga
is a Yogi. There are many different names applied
to Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Siddha
Yoga and lots more. All these various schools
have the same goal and that is union. Yoga is
the goal of meditation. When one feels Yoga,
one feels together, cohesive and harmonious.
Conversely when one does not feel Yoga one feels not
together, non cohesive and Inharmonious, which is
stressful. The latter state fills ones life
with confusion, insecurity and fear.
What is Stress Stress
Issues Techniques
for Teens Stress
& Time Management
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