STRATEGIES TO MANAGE STRESS

HELP!

OR

HOW TO MANAGE STRESS WITHOUT KICKING THE NEIGHBOR’S DOG

TALK IT OUT• FRIEND• SPOUSE • PARENT• NEIGHBOR• COWORKER• PASTOR• PROFESSIONAL

COUNSELOR• ANYONE WHO

WILL LISTEN

ANTICIPATE TIMES OF STRESS

• Look into your future– Review your calendar

– Identify possible stressors - both at work and at home

• Plan to get more sleep• Stop to check ‘how

you’re doing’• Don’t discount PMS

LISTEN TO MUSIC• Especially nature music

REWARD YOURSELF• Give yourself

something to look forward to when the ‘stressful time’ is over– Buy a new book

– Gourmet Ice Cream?

– Leave work early

– Get a massage

– Go to the theatre

• Unless an event is life threatening, it’s stressful only if we choose to let it be stressful

• Your interpretation of an event will determine your reaction to it– This is the most fun I’ve ever had– For now I’m going to make the most of this

– This is the worst thing that ever happened to me– This is terrible

CHALLENGE YOUR MIND SET

OR

LAUGH• Laugh a lot!

– Muscles relax

– Endorphins begin to flow

• See a funny movie• Watch a funny TV

show• Visit a comedy club• Wear a clown nose

BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF - USE MODERATION

• Don’t let minor aggravations get to you.– Don’t ignore your feelings,

acknowledge them

– Keep your perspective

• Don’t succumb to guilt– Fix it

– Apologize

– Change your behavior

• Don’t take things personally– We are usually just

convenient targets

Who cares?

RELAX• Concentration focusing

– concentrate totally on relaxation

• Deep breathing– counteract and reduce the flow of

adrenaline and cortisol

• Progressive muscle stretching– tense, then relax muscles

• Gentle muscle stretching– yoga, tai chi

• Visualization/imagery– peaceful settings

• Music therapy– natural sounds, New Age

EXERCISE• Schedule regularly

– Must be a priority

– YOU time

• Resistance training

– anaerobic

• Cardio training

– aerobic

• Other benefits

– Improved energy

– Disease, illness prevention

– Weight loss

– Increased metabolism

PAY ATTENTION TO NUTRITION

• What you eat• When you eat • How much you eat• What to do you when

you screw up• Are you really what

you eat?• How can good

nutrition effect your stress level?

EXIT IF YOU MUST• When the stress is too

much– you won’t be

productive

– you won’t have job satisfaction

– your health may suffer

– you are making enemies