Stress Management The good news is that there are a lot of effective ways in which you can control your stress if you are struggling in coping with stress

•Stop disapproving and comparing yourself to ultimately every person around you. You have your positives and in addition they have their own, you might have your high things and for that reason so will they, and at the end of the same day everyone knows what simply being overstressed and not one of us enjoys it.

•Take a break: When’s the last time which you determined that you just needed a break? When’s the last time that you cared for yourself to some on your own time, for which you get pleasure from ? If you’re dealing with a lot of stress then the answer to that is probably “not for a long time now”. That is the reason why we are so stressed in most cases. We all need an escape now and then, and that is a well known fact. We are not robots, we can not serve several weeks without a break. We ought to get our breakss nearly as much as everyone else does, which explains why it is very important for all our intellectual states.

•Practice self-maintenance: Make time for things that cause you to be joyful. Pick-up a manuscript, take your pet out for a walk, go strolling, go to the nearby park and actually eat an soft ice cream in the blazing sunshine. You ultimately choose whichever causes you to be happy, regardless of how costly it might or might not be.

•Look for more, weep less: It’ll be worth it on the long run, although this might be hard to do at first. Except if you’re a psychopath that’s devoid of all inner thoughts you should certainly maintain a favorable mindset on a regular basis. Sure, it might sound a bit fake at first, but that doesn’t really matter when the fact is that you will most likely improve your mental state this way over a relatively short period of time.

If you do remind yourself to keep a positive mindset at all times then you should be able to avoid any stress build-up over the course of the day, although this is a sort of a “fake it until you make it” type of an ordeal.

De-activate that bad news station and as a substitute why not consider you go to some childish cartoons? Listen to happy-go-lucky music and songs for after, check out some swing music from the 50s and loosen up. Life is very good; there is absolutely no cause to pollute your thoughts with negativity and stress.

I think stress management is so important, I hope you agree. By the way, if you are 'stress free'; congratulations! If not, please read on, I know these tips will help:

Stress Management

This is a big one. Stress is literally a killer and can make life a misery. Use these stress management tips to get and stay on top of stress:

Stress Management Tip No. 1 - Two circles that could change your life !

These two circles certainly helped me sort my head out - I hope they work for you too.

Step 1. Firstly, find a quiet corner where you are not likely to be disturbed for about 30 minutes.

Step 2. Next, draw two circles, one inside the other, the larger circle should be the width of an A4 piece of paper, the smaller circle should be about half the size of the larger circle. Good, so now you should have two circles on your page, one inside the other which is about half the size of the larger one.

Step 3. Next, with a pencil, write down IN THE OUTER RING all the things that are causing you stress (THE CAUSES) ie too much work, not enough time etc., Think long and hard here and be open and

honest - no one else will see this piece of paper (unless you want them to).

Step 4. Next, write down, on a separate piece of paper, the ACTIONS you need to take to reduce or eliminate the stress caused by each

individual CAUSE. If the ACTION is within reach and you think that you can and will do it then move the CAUSE to your INNER CIRCLE,

erasing it from the OUTER RING.

Step 5. You should now be left with three things: A list of stress CAUSES that you can do online counselling  something about, they are in your INNER CIRCLE. A list of stress CAUSES that you CANNOT do one thing about, they are the ones left in the OUTER RING.A list of ACTIONS that you are going to take to reduce your stress levels.

Step 6. One of the most important steps. Complete your list of ACTIONS. If you cannot complete the ACTION for whatever reason then the CAUSE should be moved back to the OUTER RING.

Step 7. LISTEN BIG HERE. Stop worrying about any CAUSES left in your OUTER RING. You CANNOT do anything about them - so stop worrying - kick them out of your OUTER RING by either letting the issue go - or move it inside your INNER CIRCLE by doing something about it.

Conclusion: To reduce the amount of stress don't let CAUSES get left in the OUTER RING - this is where stress is

created. Change It ! I appreciate that there may be some big decisions here....

Stress Management Tip No. 2 - Get Fitter !

Exercise daily. Don't smoke. Don't drink alcohol. Drink lots of water. Eat vegetarian.

Don't believe me? Try it for 2 weeks (you might be a little grumpy to start) and let me know how you went.

Stress Management Tip No. 3 - Set Goals

Go and find a quiet spot where you won't be disturbed for 30

minutes, preferably away from any distractions. Take a pen and

paper. Sit for ten minutes and try to clear your head of any

thoughts. Now, draw a line on your piece of paper, at one end of

the line imagine one dimension of your perfect life. To define your

"perfect" life may be difficult, so start with something simple -

i.e. what type of car would you like to drive in your perfect life?

Let's call this  Goal A. Now draw a circle at one end of your line

and write in the circle whatever you have defined Goal A to

be. Now, decide how close you are to achieving Goal A in your real

life. If you are close then place an "X" near to the Goal A circle,

if you are a long way away in real terms, then place your "X"

further away on your line. Next, imagine the steps that you have to

take to move the "X" nearer to your Goal. In fact, don't just

imagine them please write them down ! Each step might actually be

made up of several sub-steps i.e. STEP = get money, SUB-STEP = find

job etc. The further you are away probably means that there are

more steps to take.

Order your steps and sub-steps into a logical sequence.

When you have finished this task you should now have a clear plan

how to achieve ONE dimension of your "perfect" life. Can you

achieve the steps ? If you can then start - the longest journey

begins with a single step. If the steps are literally IMPOSSIBLE -

then you probably need to redefine your GOAL.

The outcome of this exercise should be less stress because you have

lined up your ACTIONS with your GOALS, or at least got them a lot

closer.

Next, laughter is a good stress remover, hopefully some of these

(copied from an email circular) will bring a smile to your face:

Stress Management Tip No. 4 - THINGS I WISH I'D KNOWN......

Any and all compliments can be handled by simply saying "Thank you."

Some people are working backstage, some are playing in the

orchestra, some are on-stage singing, some are in the audience as

critics and some are there to applaud. Know who and where you are.

Never give yourself a haircut after three margaritas.

When baking, follow directions. When cooking, go by your own taste.

Never continue dating anyone who is rude to the waiter.

Never refuse a breath mint when offered.

You need only two tools. WD-40 and duct tape.  If it doesn't move

and it should, use WD-40.  If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.

If you tell a lie, don't believe it deceives only the other person.

The five most essential words for a healthy, vital relationship: "I

apologize" and "You are right".

Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

When you make a mistake, make amends immediately.  It's easier to

eat crow while it's still warm.

I've learned to pick my battles; I ask myself, Will this matter one

year from now?  How about one month?  One week?  One day?

Never pass up an opportunity to pee.

If you woke up breathing, congratulations!  You have another chance!

Living as well as you can really is the best revenge.  Being

miserable because of a bad or former relationship just proves

that the other person was right about you.

Work is good but it's not that important.

Never underestimate the kindness of your fellow man.

And finally... Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it

just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections.

Stress Management Tip No. 5 - Be True

If you really want to eradicate stress from your life then you need to be true to yourself and true to your family. Being true to yourself means doing a job that you enjoy, can handle within your capacity and one that satisfies your body, mind, heart and soul. Try this little test: Mark on the line with a 'X' where you think your current job is in terms of your own personal motivation and satisfaction:

BODY MIND HEART SOUL

It also means exercising and playing regularly, eating properly and not drinking (at all if you can). Smoking is a waste of time, as is gambling. Being true to your family is fairly simple - it is about keeping promises and making time.

Stress Management Tip No. 6 - The Last Straw

Think of the saying "It was the straw that broke the camel's back." It wasn't the weight (or stress) of that final straw that caused the break, but the accumulation of many separate straws. It's the same with stress. So, the first thing to do if you regularly feel stressed is to DO LESS! Simplify. Set priorities. Prevent getting to the breaking point.

Next, do something to relax every day. Proven techniques include deep breathing, meditation, tai chi, yoga, journalling, prayer, guided imagery, and/or vigorous exercise. These all help reduce stimulation to the body and mind and regain a deep sense of peace and well-being. Think of them as taking "straws" off the camel's back so there is more room for more without breaking.

How to "De-Stress":

Get more rest.

Develop a weekly schedule.

Learn to manage time more effectively.

Exercise regularly.

Do less. Simplify. Set priorities.

Cut down on drinking alcohol (or don't drink at all).

Reduce caffeine consumption.

Practice a relaxation technique at least 15 min./day.

Make an appointment with a health educator or counsellor to learn

effective stress management skills.

Get information on a yoga, tai chi, or medication class.

Laugh, laugh, laugh, laugh!

So, there you have it. That's the secret. We all need a little stress, but not too much. If you feel like you've got too much in your life, then pick and choose the tactics from the above selection and you'll be soon on your way to a (nearly) stress free life.