Stress Management Tip #25

This is my last stress management tip. I did save the best for last:

Say a Little Prayer Studies show that compared with those who profess no faith, religious and spiritual people are calmer and healthier.

Recognizing that it is NOT all you is a healthy. When the sun sets on your shoulder, they the clouds are your fault too. In other words, don't takes God's job away from Him. Let Him run the show and get Him involved with a prayer.

This tip could have been first, since it is the first you should do when you are getting out of control. Or this tip could have been #13 because it would have been in the middle, as in, God is int he middle of everything. I chose to make is last because in the end, it is all about God!

Peace.

Stress Management Tip #24

Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Tending a garden helps get you out of your head and lets you commune with nature, a known stress reliever.

Also tending to a houseplant works too.

Do something that helps you focus on life! Plants have a way of calming people down.

Stress Management Tip #23

Make Plans: Looking forward to something provides calming perspective. Plan something fun that will excite you. Think about the fun that you are going to have, this is a fabulous way to extend the fun even before is starts.

Many people don't start a vacation until they reach their destination, mistake! The vacation starts the minute you leave the office and are not coming back until the vacation is over. Maximize your fun.

Stress Management Tip #22

Stretch When we feel stressed, muscles tighten. Stretching loosens muscles and encourages deep breathing. The greatest stress-relieving stretches is a yoga position called the child pose.

BTW: There are many yoga posses that will help you destress. Try several that forces you to relax your back, works like a charm

Remember: BREATHE

Stress Management Tip #21

Phone-a-Friend Sharing your troubles can give you perspective, help you feel cared for and relieve your burden. You are not in this alone.

The world will try to isolate you and expect you to do everything on your own, don't buy it!

Every watch a horror film and that one idiot goes out in the woods alone, after hearing an odd sound? Alone, woods, ax-murder. Yes he dies a gruesome death.

Don't go out there alone, you may meet a gruesome death yourself. Take a friend, one that you can out run. Because you don't have to run faster than the killer, you just have to out run your "friend"

Stress Management Tip #20

Practice Mindfulness: Heighten your awareness of the moment by focusing intently on an object. Notice a pencil's shape, color, weight and feel. Slowly savor a piece of chocolate. Mindfulness leads to relaxation.

Mindful walking is another technique. Simply pay attention to every step, the feeling you get when the foot hits the ground. Feel the toes, the knees, pay attention to all the feelings that every sensor in your body is sending to your brain. Next, try to isolate the feelings one by one.

This is mindfulness.

Stress Management Tip #18

Play a Few Bars: A number of recent studies have shown that music can do everything from slow heart rate to increase endorphins. Classical music works best for the brain. Try: Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, or Mozart.

Also, a great stress reducer is to actually play a musical instrument. It helps you change focus to doing something creative. Very right brain!

Stress Management Tip #17

Soak it Up: Nothing is more stress relieving for most than a hot bath. The next-best thing: Wash your face or even just your hands and arms with hot water.

Breathe and relax, close your eyes and feel the warmth overcoming your anxieties.

Stress Management Tip #16

Take a Walk: It forces you to breathe more deeply and improves circulation. Step outside if you can; if that's not possible, you can gain many of the same benefits simply by walking to the bathroom or water cooler, or by pacing back and forth.

Movement is the key!

Stress Management Tip #15

Tea for me: The calming properties of chamomile tea are well documented, so try a cup of tea. Whether you use tea bags or loose tea (one teaspoon of tea per cup of boiling water), steep for about 10 minutes to get the full benefits of the herbs.

This is also another stress reduction technique that has positive health benefits.

Stress Management Tip #14

Munch Some Snacks: Foods that are high in carbohydrates stimulate the release of serotonin, feel-good brain chemicals that help induce calm. Crackers, pretzels, or a bagel should do the trick.

My favorite, chips and salsa. That is really comfort food for me and I can tell it calms me down very quickly.

Be careful that you don't over do this one!

Stress Management Tip #13

Shake It Up Baby: This quick exercise helps loosen the muscles in your neck and upper back: Stand or sit, stretch your arms out from your sides and shake your hands vigorously for about 10 seconds. Combine this with a little deep breathing and bending.

Moving large body parts quickly gets the blood moving and helps with relieving stress.

Stress Management Tip #12

Schedule Worry Time - Some stressors demand immediate attention; but many low-grade stressors can be dealt with at a later time, when it's more convenient. File them away in a little mental compartment, or make a note then deal with them when the time is right.

Don't let the stressors control you. Ask, "Is this a now thing? Can it wait?"

BE IN CONTROL

Stress Management Tip #11

Warm Up Rub your hands together vigorously until they feel warm. Then cup them over your closed eyes for five seconds while you breathe deeply. The warmth and darkness are comforting.

This is a really clever way to fool your body into destressing. It will make you feel good almost instantly. Rubbing your hands together will release some energy; but, the warmth on your eyes is the real trick!

Stress Management Tip #10

Smell that? Oils of anise, basil, bay, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rose, and thyme are all soothing. Place a few pieces of rock salt in a small vial, then add a couple of drops of the oil of your choice (the rock salt absorbs the oil). Open the vial and breathe in the scent whenever you need a quick stress release.

This is such a cool trick to make sure the oils don't leak. Cotton in a vial works too; however, rock salt tends to hold the scents longer.

Stress Management Tip #9

Count to ten before you say or do something you'll regret, step away from the stressor and collect yourself. You can also look away for a moment or put the caller on hold. Important to realize that from an action to a reaction there is an element of time that you want to use to your advantage.

Just Say No!

Trying to do everything is a one-way ticket to serious stress. Be clear about your limits, and stop trying to please everyone all the time.

Remember this tip works for calming down a child as well as a grown up!

Stress Management Tip #8

Put it on paper Writing provides perspective. When you write down the stressor, your next step is to write what you can do about it.

Here is an example: My wife doesn’t close the kitchen drawers. When she gets something out, she leaves the drawers open. It was really annoying me. So I wrote down all my options: I could get angry, takes forever to cool down. I could divorce her, wow that is drastic. I could close the drawers, takes all of 3 seconds. Guess what I chose, if you guessed, close drawers, you were right.

You will see that the response to your stressor is manageable once you realize that you are in control of the situation. Cool, right?

Stress Management Tip #7

Compose a Mantra Devise an affirmation statement, a short, clear, positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. Silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to our stress. Example: “I feel calm. I can handle this.” “I am strong, I can do this.” “I am too blessed to be stressed!”

I used to say, "Ain't no thing, I have had MUCH worse!" My friend in college used to say, "At least I'm not y0u!" Sounds like he was ahead of his time, he had a stress reduction mantra and it really worked!

Stress Management Tip #6

Stop Gritting Your Teeth Stress tends to settle in certain parts of our bodies, the jaw being one of them. When things get hectic, clench your teeth and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, and as you exhale say, "Ah-h-h-h," then unclench your teeth. Repeat a few times. Clenching your teeth let you know what unclenching feels like!

Remember - motion produces emotion. Grit your teeth and you will feel stressed.

Stress Management Tip #5

Rate the Fate Using a scale of one to ten, with one being the equivalent of a minor hassle and ten being a true catastrophe, assign a number to whatever it is that's making you feel anxious. Most problems rate somewhere in the two to five range, I.E. they're really not such a big deal.

Basically, chill out, it isn't that bad. Stop fantasizing and exaggerating.

Just relax, tomorrow is another day.