Stress Tips
Here are ten top tips from the mental health charity Mind to help you tackle stress:
1. Make the connection. Could the fact that you're feeling under-the-weather be a response to too much pressure?
2. Take a regular break. Give yourself a brief break whenever you feel things are getting on top of you - get a soft drink or take a brief stroll.
3. Get better organised. Make a list of jobs; tackle one task at a time; alternate dull tasks with interesting ones.
4. Sort out your worries. Divide them into those that you can do something about (either now or soon) and those that you can't. There's no point in worrying about things that you can't change.
5. Change what you can. Look at the problems that can be resolved, and get whatever help is necessary to sort them out. Learn to say 'no'.
6. Look at your long-term priorities. Step back and examine what it is about your life that's giving you too much stress. What can you off-load, or change? How can you introduce a better balance between work, social life and home life? Is it time to reassess your priorities?
7. Improve your lifestyle. Find time to eat properly, get plenty of exercise and enough sleep. Avoid drinking and smoking too much. However much you believe they can help you to relax, they'll have the opposite effect.
8. Confide in someone. Don't keep emotions bottled up.
9. Focus on the positive aspects of your life.
10. Learn to relax.
- Close your eyes and breath slowly and deeply.
- Locate any areas of tension and try to relax those muscles; imagine the tension disappearing.
- Relax each part of the body, in turn, from your feet to the top of your head.
- As you focus on each part of your body, think of warmth, heaviness and relaxation.
- After 20 minutes, take some deep breaths and stretch your body.
Take this simple quiz from the American Psychological Association to test your "stress smarts.".
If you're suffering from stress at work, read Six steps to stress-free work.
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