Stress Busting Tips

Society, the world of work and technology means the demands of daily living has changed dramatically over th e last 50 years, so much so that we are struggling to keep up with the pace. These changes and its relentless pace bring a huge amount of stress into our lives and we need to be aware of how it’s affecting us. Here are some top tips to keep your stress levels under control. They are by no means the solution to long term problems but can help keep things in perspective on a day to day basis.

1. It may be obvious and clichéd but taking care of yourself is a must. Eat a well balance diet including plenty of fruit and veg, drink plenty of water, get regular quality sleep and find a form of exercise you enjoy, this could be anything from walking to belly dancing. Cut down your intake of caffeine, sugar and alcohol and look to stop smoking if you are a smoker.
2. If you are feeling overwhelmed with everything you feel you have to do, learn to prioritize, decide what is really important and ask for help. There will never be enough time in the day for everything you need to do and if everything feels like it’s a priority you may have taken on too much. (Read the Time Management sheet for further tips).
3. Ask yourself “What do I do to relax?”,” When was the last time I did something for me?” “Do I even know how I like to relax?” Time for yourself and doing something you enjoy is vital to enjoying life and having a balanced outlook. You are no good to family, friends or your boss if you are stressed and tired.
4. Learn what your stress warnings and triggers are. Once you start recognise these and identity what is causing stress in your life you are half way there, the next step is learning to take the right action for you before things get out of perspective.
5. Take some time get to know yourself, what you really want from life, relationships, work, hobbies and see how much stress you are creating by not being true to yourself.
6. Start to ask others for help, most people want to help and feel good when they can. It does not need to be a big thing, quite often it’s the small things that make the biggest difference.
7. Don’t bottle things up, a problem shared really is a problem halved. Others won’t be as subjective as you and will be able to give you ideas and support. Sometimes just telling someone how you feel is a good start.
8. Keep a stress diary for a couple of weeks, look back and see if you can identify any reoccurring themes and trends and decide how to tackle and reduce these.
9. Make sure you take time off work and have a real break, spend quality time with family and friends. Plan your weekends so that you have things to look forward to and time to relax. Time away from the office should not be taken up with recovering from work only to go straight back and start all over again.
10. Face your fears. Your fears about money, performance, relationships, appearance etc are causing you some stress. If you face and tackle them you regain control of your life and start moving on.
11. Whether you work or not ensure you take a lunch break. Enjoy your food, relax a little and get some distance from what you were doing. This will allow you to go back refreshed and re-energized.
12. Go for a short walk if you feeling anxious, agitated or stressed. Fresh air can help to calm you down and it gives you time to think about the situation, to gain some perspective and think about how you are going to resolve the situation.
13. Keep a little bottle of Rescue Remedy on you at all times. It’s a natural flower essence which helps to calm you in times of stress, anxiety or shock and you only need a couple of drops for it to start working.
14. Try to avoid (where possible) people and situations that tempt you to behave in ways you are not happy with, you know what they are and that they cause you stress and concern.
15. Remember to have some fun! As adults we seem to forget how to let go and just enjoy ourselves. Enjoyment and laugher are by far the best way of beating stress.