Stress Management Tip – Time Management

By David Tomaselli

Managing your stress and your time go hand in hand. Stress can often be caused by not having enough time to do the things you want or need to do. This is a common problem shared by many employees and employers alike in the workplace as well as students at school, colleges and universities. By managing your time, stresses can be reduced significantly.

The key to good time management is self-organization. So at the start of each day, make a list of the main tasks you need to achieve. These tasks should be prioritised so that you will always achieve your highest priorities first. Set time limits on various tasks. For example, set aside no more than one hour to reading emails. Finally set a schedule based on the priority of tasks and the amount of time you intend to spend on each one. (Don’t forget to schedule some time for lunch or dinner.) Establishing such a basic routine will go along way towards better managing your time.

Besides the basic time management techniques already discussed there are other things you can do to better manage your time. Firstly, eliminate all non productive time wasting activities. One way to do this is by simply keeping a track of every activity you do and how much time you spend. Soon you will realize that real time wasters like surfing the net or making personal calls actually impact your time. Secondly review your efficiency on the various tasks you do day to day. Can they be improved? Are they taking more time than what they should? For example do you waste time looking for where you last placed something? Perhaps a better filing system can improve your efficiency. Thirdly, utilise the time where you are actually waiting. If you are travelling to and from work/school by public transport, there is plenty of opportunity to complete a task, especially in today’s mobile computing age. Finally it is worth acknowledging that there is only 24 hours in a day. Don’t bust your gut trying to fit in more than what is humanly possible.

David Tomaselli is the creator of the Wholistic Development Exchange. The Wholistic Development Exchange is a web site focusing on Stress Management. Here you can access frequently updated tips, news and resources on how to reduce stress and manage stress.
For the latest tips go to Stress Management Tips and Techniques.
To download free E-Books go to our Free Stress Management E-Books Section.

Reduce Your Stress With Stress Balls

By Trevor Dumbleton

Of all the methods of stress elimination used, the most popular methods is through good old stress balls. The simple act of squeezing something in your hand can help you ease a few of your concerns, release some built-up tension, and make you feel like you are at least doing something rather than brooding upon everything that has you down. Fortunately, stress balls are easy to find and they can be very effective for some quick relief.

The most common stress balls are the beanbag type that can be picked up at job fairs and industry gatherings. They are very effective, they provide enough resistance to make you feel good and they give off a relieving noise that tells you that something is happening. Sure it is just some sort of filler grating against itself, but darn it, it's something! And when you are stressed, the simple feeling of doing something, anything is its own reward. Plus, you are getting a little bit of a workout for your hands and even this form of exercise can give you some benefits.

As well, there are some liquid filled stress balls that can be very good for relieving your worries. They usually do not give as much resistance as the beanbag type, but they do still provide you with something that will give your hands a workout. This can be a good thing if you tend to squeeze the stress ball a lot, simply because your hands will not get tired as quickly. As well, they tend to squeeze out much more than the beanbag type, so they give you a bit more of a feeling of doing something. However, they also tend to make a serious mess if you happen to break them, since the contents cannot be vacuumed up. But, if you are going to be spending a lot of time squeezing the stress ball, this might just suit your fancy.

However, not all stress balls are the squeezable kind. There are also Chinese stress balls that are made out of very hard materials that are not meant for squeezing. Rather, they come in pairs so that you can roll them around in your hand in order to relieve stress. Also, these stress balls sometimes come with some sort of noisemaker inside that provides a soothing sound other than the noise of the balls banging and rubbing against each other. However, this form of stress ball is usually not very good to use at work, since they do tend to make some noise. But, if you are sitting at home and you want to relieve a little tension, they can be very soothing.

When using stress balls, it is best to treat them as a form of meditation. That is, you concentrate on the stress balls so that you are not worrying about anything else. Feel them in your hand and notice the weight. When you are either squeezing them or rolling them around in your hand, notice how they feel in your palm and in your fingers. Concentrate on putting your concerns into your hand, then putting them into the stress balls, as though they are absorbing all that stress and taking it away. By placing all your thoughts into your stress balls, you can push away all those concerns and worries and put them into an inanimate object that does not notice the stress. Then, once you are done, you should feel as though a burden has been lifted and your mind is cleared.

However, you should also be careful with stress balls, as the squeezable kind can break. Yes, it takes a lot of effort, time and strength to break them, but it can be done. Thus, if you notice any leaks in your stress ball, or you notice that weak spots are starting to appear, you should throw it out and get a new one. After all, the stress of cleaning up some sort of fluid or vaccuuming up a large quantity of small, grainy material can stress you out too. Thus, do not squeeze a stress ball over a computer keyboard. If it does break, you will have a lot of problems that you would much rather avoid -- such as the need to run out and buy and new keyboard.

Used properly, stress balls can have a very beneficial effect on your mind and body. Though the only workout you are getting from them is in your hands, it is at least something. And those people who have to type constantly could also get a nice break from pecking at a keyboard and, by exercising their hands in a different way, will be able to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. So see what is out there, see what you like, and let some stress balls take away those petty concerns for you.

Copyright 2005 Trevor Dumbleton

LowerYourStress.com: for everything to do with stress. Get a free ebook to help with your stress levels: http://www.loweryourstress.com/stress-book.html

Preventative Stress Maintenance

By Tristan Loo

Stress can take its toll on the body. Take care of yourself by doing some preventative stress maintenance.

Eat right. Your body requires proper nutrition in order for it to be able to supply the muscles with energy and to make essential hormones necessary to cope with stress.

Do Consume

* Plenty of water (8 glasses a day minimum)
* Zinc and Magnesium rich foods (seafood, beans, grains)
* Vitamin A and Folic acid rich foods (dark greens, orange juice)
* Wholegrain breads, cereals
* Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
* Lowfat milk or soymilk

Avoid

* Caffeine
* Alcohol
* Sugar
* Salt
* Saturated fats
* Skipping Breakfast. Breakfast helps maintain steady blood-sugar levels throughout the day

Stay Fit. One of the best ways of relieving stress is through physical exertion. Stress and anxiety cause a lot of pent up energy inside your body that needs to be released. Any type of aerobic exercise is the best choice from releasing stress, but exercise in general is better than nothing at all. By maintaining a healthy body, you will have the physical stamina to handle long and stress-involving negotiations. You should strive for at least three 30-minute sessions a week.

Sleep. You need adequate sleep for the body to recharge and repair itself after a long day’s work. Make sure you allow yourself enough time for an adequate amount of sleep (6-8 hours).

Smile. By smiling you not only appear more confident, sociable, and attractive to others, but it unconsciously makes you feel better too. Studies have shown that smiling makes you more relaxed and calms you down when you are stressed.

Avoid stress-causing situations. If you can avoid a stress-causing situation, then do so. While some stress-causing situations are unavoidable, there is simply no reason to add additional stress to your mind and body if there is no reason to. Avoid adding any unwarranted stress to your life.

Tristan Loo is an experienced negotiator and an expert in conflict resolution. He is the author of Street Negotiation--How To Resolve Any Conflict Anytime.He uses his law enforcement experience to train others in the prinicples of defusing conflict and reaching agreements. Visit his website at http://www.acrsonline.com or e-mail him directly at tristan@acrsonline.com

Stress Management Tip – Nutrition and Stress

By David Tomaselli

A lot of research today is showing that having a good nutritional diet has a direct impact on a person’s ability to manage stress. A body that is well nourished and healthy is far more resilient to stressful conditions than a poorly nourished body.

In order to function properly, you body requires a certain amount of energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats. Like the term “balanced diet” suggests, there is no single food that provides all the essential nutrients. Rather you should be eating a variety of foods during the day to ensure that your body is receiving the necessary nutrients.
A healthy nutritious diet typically includes fresh fruit, whole grains, vegetables, lean meat and fish. Foods that contain high levels of fat, salt, sugar and alcohol should be taken in moderation. A healthy diet enhances the immune system and helps to maintain a reasonable energy level which is essential for dealing with stress.
As certain foods are helpful in dealing with stress, other types of food are known to have a detrimental effect and quite possibly add extra levels of stress particularly when consumed in large amounts. For example, too much caffeine, i.e. coffee or tea, can increase anxiety and cause inability to sleep. Large amounts of alcohol may initially cause you to feel sleepy but will ultimately disrupt sleep. Nicotine, while not a food, raises the heart rate and is quite simply bad for the body. Finally too much sugar may give an initial burst of energy but can cause an energy dip as the naturally occurring insulin is generated within the body.

As you can see the impact of these food types, do not only add to your stress levels, but also can affect your ability to deal with stress.

In short, if you follow the suggested tips below, your ability to deal with stress will be maximised while the impact of any ongoing stress will be reduced.

• Never start the day with out breakfast.


• Eat slowly rather than rush.


• Eat small frequent meals and snacks.


• Include a variety of foods in your diet as described earlier.


• Avoid saturated fats.


• Minimise your intake of salt and sugar.


• Drink alcohol in moderation.


• Avoid excessive caffeine based drinks such as coffee and tea.


• Drink plenty of water.

David Tomaselli is the creator of the Wholistic Development Exchange. The Wholistic Development Exchange is a web site focusing on Stress Management. Here you can access frequently updated tips, news and resources on how to reduce stress and manage stress.
For the latest tips go to Stress Management Tips and Techniques.
Looking for more nutrition in your diet to combat stress? Then go to MonaVie Acai Berry Juice.

Stress Management Tip – Take Control of Your Finances

By David Tomaselli

Financial worries can add to the stress levels of individuals. For many families it can become one of the biggest sources of disagreements and tension. The most common financial concern is that the money coming in never ever seems to match the money going out. The most obvious way to address this is by taking control of your finances. This is easier said than done.

An important thing to remember about financial concerns is that it should be resolved before it becomes severe. The longer you procrastinate over resolving the issue, the worse it becomes, and the more stressed you become. Another important element is acknowledging that controlling your finances is more than simply just getting control of your money. It involves changing your habits both in your thinking and spending, as well as your short and long term financial goals.

Financial management and control revolves around one very basic concept: Spend Less, Save More. Start spending less by setting up a family budget, that is, agree on a figure that you will not spend over for a specific period say per week or month. To track how you are going, keep a record of all your expenditure items. As a receipt comes in log it. You may even decide to categorize it so you know where it came from, for example, Groceries, Insurance and Rates, Dining and Entertainment, etc. The use of a spreadsheet package such MS Excel is a very useful tool that can help maintain a list of items you have spent as well as compute on the fly your current expenditure total for the month. By keeping track of what you are spending money on, you will be able to assess areas that need improvement and examine ways to save money on the items purchased.

A financial budget is just the first step to controlling your finances. Other things to consider include changing your lifestyle. For example you may reduce the times you go out to dinner, save on petrol by car pooling or take cheaper vacations. Also stop purchasing big ticket items that are rarely used, such as things for hobbies that you have not taken up or expensive toys that are never used. It is important to review your lifestyle to assess whether it is within your earning potential.

Set short and long term goals that work towards decreasing your debt. Put aside a specific amount each month towards reducing your loans, not just paying the minimum amount each month but adding enough to make a significant debt reduction over a year.

Finally it actually helps if you look at a bad financial situation as a war. It is you and your family against the debt. You must work together as a team, communicating, planning and analysing your ongoing financial situation. In severe cases, it might be helpful to engage the services of a financial consultant. What ever you do and however you tackle the problem, the most important thing to remember is to work together.

David Tomaselli is the creator of the Wholistic Development Exchange. The Wholistic Development Exchange is a web site focusing on Stress Management. Here you can access frequently updated tips, news and resources on how to reduce stress and manage stress.
For the latest tips go to Stress Management Tips and Techniques.
To download free E-Books go to our Free Stress Management E-Books Section.

Create Reserves for a Stress Free Life

By Di McDonald

One of the ways I have avoided a lot of stress the last two years is to have a stockpile of birthday and all occasion greetings cards in my filing cabinet. When you work at home like I do, you try to have the least interruptions to your day as possible. These cards have saved the day on many occasions. I get them when I am out shopping, I look for the ones I love and sometimes I am able to make the most of sales and cut price items by buying them in bulk. Of course I make sure I also have a big reserve of stamps to go with them.

There are many ways to avoid those extra stresses of everyday life by thinking about what you would love to have reserves of. When you have large amounts of reserves you also start to gain extra feelings of security and abundance. You know what happens then??? If you are feeling abundance then you are living abundantly and things will start just showing up in your lifeJ What fun this is!

What if you were to have large reserves of Toilet paper and other paper items, light bulbs, laundry detergent, providing, of course that you have somewhere to store it. Start buying the very biggest packs you can find and take care to buy when they are “on special”.

Ok, so its obvious that you can always gather stocks of goods you need around the house but what else?

How about what would happen if your washing machine and car broke down on the same day and you had all your underwear waiting to be washed? Ok , well maybe that wouldn't happen, but if you had reserves of underwear, it would be no problem at all. Makes quite a good argument for haveing plenty of underwear:-)....So make sure you buy in bulk and when its on sale.

Another idea is make sure that your computer has more than enough memory before you NEED to upgrade. This way if you have something important to do it doesn’t result in panic when suddenly you realize you need more space!

Lets take the idea of reserves even further. What if you were to have a “reserve of time” up your sleeve, wouldn’t that feel great? One way to do this is to make dummy appointments with your self on the calendar. This is great for creating time just for you, those times when you could do with a bit of pampering or just some quiet time to veg out and read a book. Just write “MPT” on the day for however much time you want, then if anyone questions it or asks you to do something you can say “sorry, no I already have an appointment that day”. By the way, MPT stands for My Private Time, but know one needs to know that but youJ

Think of lots of ways you can use the idea of “reserves” in your life to make it much more stress free. I would love to hear of any ideas that you come up with. Email me at di@dyzee.com please.

Di McDonald is a certified Life Coach who has a deep love of personal growth, visual journaling, constant learning and the laws of attraction. "I love teaching and encouraging women to make time for themselves, to get what they want in life and to pursue their creativity" she says. Please visit her websites ---> http://www.DiMcDonald.com and
http://www.dyzee.com

Stress Management: 7 Universal Laws for Managing Change

By Jeff Herring

1. The Law of Stagnation

This is also known as first order change. First order change is a type of change where there really is no change.

How’s that again? Pretty foggy, huh?

Allow me to clear it up for you. Authors Waltzlawick, Weakland and Fisch, in their book "Change: Principles of Problem Formation and Problem Resolution" explain it this way:

“...A person having a nightmare can do many things in their dream - run, hide, fight, scream, jump off a cliff, etc. - but no change from any one of these behaviors to another would ever terminate the nightmare.”

In other words, you can have lots of action and moving around, without any real change taking place.

A good example from the relationship world is the belief that ending one relationship for another will change everything and make you happy. Not necessarily. Remember these profound words of wisdom, “Wherever you go, you take yourself with you.”

2. The Law of Transformation

This is also known as second order change. Again, according to the authors,

“The one way out of a dream involves a change from dreaming to waking. Waking, obviously, is no longer a part of the dream, but a change to a different state altogether.”

In other words, transformation, or put more simply, real change, involves movement from one state to another.

3. The Law of The Clutch

This is also known as the law of conscious attention. Several years ago, the clutch went out on my two year old car. I asked the mechanic why this would happen so soon and he asked me a few questions about how I drive. It turns out I was a champion clutch rider. If it was possible for me to have the clutch in, it was in.

What’s the point? Well, I found myself having to pay conscious attention to something I had been doing, kind of unconsciously, for years - driving.

There are times in our life where we have to pay conscious and careful attention to what we are doing and thinking in order to get the changes we want.

4. The Law of Others

Whenever you set out to change someone else, you are doomed to frustration and failure. The only person we can change is ourselves, and that’s difficult enough sometimes.

5. The Law of Wet Diapers

The only person who always likes change is a wet baby. Sometimes change can be the last thing we want. At the same time, change is an inevitable part of our lives.

6. The Law of Waves

Like change, there are three ways to handle a wave: you can let it knock you down, you can survive it, or you can ride it and thrive. Only the wisest and most creative of people do the latter.

7. The Law of Kaleidoscopes

Remember the kaleidoscopes we played with as kids? You would look through the hole in the tube, turn the end of the tube and watch the colors change. Many times there would be a series of small shifts followed by a big shift in the picture.

That’s often how we change as well. We make a series of small shifts leading to big changes.

So if you find yourself frustrated by only being able to make small changes, remember, big changes can be just one more small shift away.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

How To Reduce Stress and Ease Worries in Just 3 Minutes

By Ananga Sivyer

Meditation, relaxation and visualisation are the standard recommendations for reducing stress, and they are all beneficial and useful to us in many ways, however, they are not so easy to put into use when stress strikes with it’s disruptive companions frustration, overwhelm, confusion, anxiety etc in full attendance.

Here’s something simple you can try to diffuse stress quickly and easily, anytime and anywhere.

1. rub your forehead with both hands in vertical lines from your eyebrows to your hairline for a few moments

2.about an inch above each eyebrow you will find a bump – rest your fingertips there lightly and hold

3. take a deep breathe in and lighten the pressure of your fingertips until they are touching those points very softly

4. breathe deeply again and allow yourself to sink into how you are really feeling right now – focus clearly and specifically on the one thing that is mainly causing you stress, or anxiety

5. allow yourself to think the truth of the matter, hold the points and breathe and remain that way for a couple of minutes

6. concentrate on the area you are holding and feel for pulsations under your fingertips as the blood flow, previously diverted by stress, is restored to your forebrain. Now you can begin to think clearly again as you feel stress drain away and find yourself in control and able to choose how you wish to respond to what’s at hand.

What many of us don’t realise about stress is that although it is often triggered by our mental states and emotional responses it is in fact a physiological occurrence. The body responds directly to every impression we feed it be it real or imagined; it makes no difference to the body. If you tell it you are stressed it will respond immediately by sending the majority of the blood from your forebrain to your chest for faster breathing and the more efficient pumping of blood through your heart and to the muscles of your legs for whatever action they may need to take.

When you consider this automatic physical response it’s easy to see why we don’t always think well under stress. This simple technique tells your body to stand down and encourages the blood flow to return to the brain for clear thinking and decision-making.

Try this for:

- diffusing stress on the spot and stopping it from accumulating

- easing worries

- regaining control of your resources and having access to your full capacity for dealing with any given situation.

- preventing the digestive disorders associated with stress developing. (Use this before eating to make sure that your digestive system is ready and willing to receive the goodness from your food in a calm and efficient manner.)

- relaxing and clearing your mind before sleep

- inducing a feeling of calm from which you can then step deeper into a meditative or relaxed state

Ananga Sivyer is a Personal Development Coach, author and health consultant for LifeScape magazine, her resource website contains articles, information and book reviews on the very best and latest in self-help psychology. To find more self-help techniques like the ones used in this article click here.

Stress Managment and Mastery: 6 Stress Busting Tips

By Jeff Herring

In a hectic world, it's all too easy to reach the point of feeling stressed out beyond our ability to cope. Yet it's our ability to cope that makes all the difference. The point is that stress is not going to go away; it's here to stay.

If you find yourself reading a book or attending a seminar that says you can eliminate all stress, either throw the book down or leave the room.

You cannot eliminate stress. But you can learn to handle stress successfully.

Let's look at six different strategies for successfully handling the stress in our lives. Each can be used separately or in conjunction with the others.

1. Talk it out

Whatever we don't talk out, we act out. That's a basic rule of mental health. If we don't discuss the issue, it's sure to surface in some other way.

2. Take mini-vacations

It's a mistake to think that we can push hard all year (or maybe longer) and then expect that all our stress can be healed in a one or two week vacation. It just doesn't happen.

Our bodies, minds and spirits need more frequent breaks. This is especially true if you are one of those people who schedules a vacation as they would a typical work day, so as to get the most out of it.

3. Distinguish between stress and pressure

Stress comes from the outside; pressure, on the other hand, is an inside job. Pressure is what we tell ourselves about the stress.

Here's a saying I came across recently:

"All the water in the ocean can't sink a ship unless it gets inside."

Sometimes, telling ourselves something as simple as "I can handle it" is all we need to keep the stress outside of us.

4. Create your own relaxation triggers

This exercise involves three simple steps that allow you to relax anywhere, any time.

Step 1: Picture yourself in a relaxing place. Create as much detail as you can in the picture, making it bright and colorful. Immerse yourself in the scene: See it, hear it, feel it.

Step 2: While you are picturing yourself in this place, create an immediate trigger that will instantly remind you of the relaxed feeling. It could be a snap of the fingers, a word or phrase, or a mental picture. It should quickly and strongly remind you of your relaxing place.

Step 3: When you find yourself in a stressful situation, simply fire off your relaxation trigger and feel the almost-instant relief.

5. Stop worrying

That sounds too simple, but just consider for a moment: What good, what change has come about from worrying?

6. Take action

Do something about what is causing you to worry. It's difficult to worry when you are busy doing something about it.

This list began with a suggestion that you talk about your stress. That's a good idea, most of the time. It can become a bad thing, though, if that's all you do.

To make stress work for you, it's essential that you take concrete action.

So there are six strategies for making stress work for you. Here's one more suggestion: Practice one of these each day for the next six days.

At the end of those six days, you'll have strong tools for dealing with stress.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

Stress Management and Mastery: 3 Steps to Loving What You Do

By Jeff Herring

My first real job (schedule, time clock, paycheck, boss) was as a bag boy with a chain grocery store in Winter Park, Fla. I had worked before, cutting lawns, etc., and thought I knew about working hard. I remember asking my supervisor if it was against company policy to collapse on the job on the first day.

While certainly a noble pursuit, I soon learned that bagging groceries was not my dream job.

I'm one of the lucky ones. I have my dream job. Saying that I counsel/coach, speak and write really oversimplifies all that I do, but I can tell you this:

While there really are no bad days, the absolute worst day doing what I do is still better than the best day doing anything else I've ever done.

From my experience working with clients in hundreds of different jobs, here are three tips for success on the first day, and all days, of a new job:

1. Learn from the person in the position before you

OPE, Other People's Experience, is a valuable resource to help you reduce the length of the learning curve in a new job. This is especially true when the person before you has done a great job. The really good news here is that success almost always leaves clues, a trail you can follow and from which you can learn. So, study what your predecessor did to be successful. Some questions to pay attention to are:

• How did they make it work?

• What were their unique gifts?

• What can you do the same?

• What can you do differently?

Another way to discover what the person that went before you did to be successful is to simply ask them. Yep, that's right, ask them. Contrary to popular opinion, it does not make you look as if you do not know what you are doing. The reality is asking makes you look both humble and wise enough to ask good questions. You have to A-S-K to G-E-T. You do not have to reinvent the wheel or make it up as you go along. And not only does it make you look teachable and smart enough to ask but it also honors the other person.

2. Learn all you can about what you are doing

I really admire how my father-in-law makes major purchases. When he is getting ready to spend some money, John becomes an expert in that area. He reads and studies all he can, questions lots of experts and winds up making the best decision more often than not.

Become an eager and continuous student of what you are doing. I've been in private practice for almost 20 years and in this field in some way for 27 years. I still want to be better than I was yesterday, in part because just when I get cocky enough to believe I have seen it all, God sends me something unique to keep me humble. The other reason is that the older I get and the longer I am at this, the more I realize how very much there is that I do not know or even have a clue about. The seasoned professional, the craftsman or craftswoman, is always learning.

3. Make it your own

One of the best ways to be successful in any endeavor is to make it your own. Put your own stamp on it. Barbara Glanz is the author of CARE Packages for the Workplace and a professional speaker specializing in motivating employees. She calls it putting your personal signature on your work.

Barbara tells the story of a young man named Johnny with Downs Syndrome. Johnny worked as a bag boy in a grocery store and was in the audience when Barbara spoke at a meeting on the importance of putting your personal signature on your work. Johnny heard and ran with the idea; he began to include his own "thought for the day" typed on a small sheet of paper and placed in one of the grocery bags of customers that went through his line. It was not long before the line where Johnny was bagging would regularly back up because people wanted his thought for the day.

I first heard this story almost 10 years ago. I understand that Barbara and Ken Blanchard of "One Minute Manager" fame are coming out soon with a new book titled "The Simple Truths of Service — Inspired by Johnny the Bagger." You can check it out at www.barbaraglanz.com.

If Johnny the Bagger with Downs Syndrome can do it, what in the world is stopping you and me?

Visit BuildingYourIdealPractice.com for more leading edge tips and tools for creating your ideal practice. You are also invited to visit our Private Practice Marketing Podcast

Stress Managment: 12 Universal Laws for Managing Anger

By Jeff Herring

1. The Law of Everyone

It is not neccessarily wrong to get angry. You get angry, I get angry, all God’s children get angry. It’s what we do with our anger that makes the difference.

2. The Law of Stress

Although we don’t often think of anger as a form of stress, it is by far one of the largest and most destructive forms of daily stress. Manage your anger, and you manage a large amount of your stress.
3. The Law of Choice

Anger is rarely if ever an automatic response. It’s a choice. It’s a choice because we have to think about something before we get angry.

4. The Law of Shoulds

We all have beliefs about how the world and the people around us should behave. When these beliefs are violated, anger is a natural, and sometimes reasonable response. The problem is that when we “should” on somebody, it can become a trigger for our anger.

For example, if we run the sentence “that driver should not have cut in front of me” over and over in our heads, the response is not likely to be pretty. At best we’ll raise our blood pressure, and at worst do something really stupid.

5. The Law of Blame

Another one of our thoughts that lead quickly to anger involves
blaming someone or something. The dance of blame is a deadly two step:

1) someone is at fault, and

2) they should be punished - anger can be very punishing.

6. The Law of Cause

This one is closely related to the law of blame. There is a myth in our culture that very few people ever question. The best example is the phrase “he made me angry.”

Well, bull! No one can make us angry without our cooperation.

7. The Law of Emflaming

Another myth is that if we are able to vent our anger it will
automatically decrease. That is not necessarily so. I once watched a neighbor stomp around the side of his house, grumbling and swearing as he went. Stomping by the air conditioning unit, he smashed his fist down on top of it. That move not only made him more angry, it looked to me like it hurt a lot too. Grumbling and swearing even louder, he stomps into his backyard and kicks a lounge chair. It didn’t appear to calm
him down, and it looked like that one hurt too. I found out later that he broke both his hand and his foot on his romp around the yard.

8. The Law of Source

In almost every case, anger is a secondary emotion. In other words, we experience some other strong emotion before we feel the anger. Follow the source and you usually come up with one of three strong emotions - fear, frustration or hurt, or some combination of the above. Deal with fear, frustration and hurt and you can cut anger off at the pass.

9. The Law of Battles

Learn to pick your battles. If you get angry at everything, then your anger means nothing. If that sounds confusing, here’s an example: how much would gold be worth if we all had it in abundance? That’s right, not much. Gold is valuable because it is so rare. If you are always getting angry, people stop taking you seriously and just want to avoid you.

10. The Law of Worth

Ask your self this question: “is this situation worth getting angry over?” Most time it just isn’t.

11. The Law of Muscles

Learn to exercise your choice muscles.We can choose to be angry or we can choose another way of handling the situation.

12. The Law of Channeling

When you do get angry, channel it into something you can use to benefit you, such as motivating you into changing what can be changed.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

12 Proven Ways To Relieve Stress Today!

By Whozylee Aris

Do you feel that you just don't have the time to properly de-stress each day? The good news is you can incorporate simple stress busting routines into all that you do!

Stretch those muscles!

Lean your right ear down to your right shoulder and stretch the left side of your neck as you do. Now, switch sides and do the other side. Now, look down and drop your chin towards your chest. Now slowly, let your head roll to the right and then to the left. Repeat slowly until you feel yourself loosen up.

You can do this same exercise for your shoulders, too. Try a few shoulder circles, as well. This is simple to do and when you take the time to do these several times a day, your range of motion will increase and you'll feel considerably more relaxed.

Enjoy a relaxing massage

Treat yourself to a professional therapist massage and be sure to ask for a calming essential oil such as lavender or chamomile. Buy yourself some of the same oil to take home, and when you're having a stressful moment, put a few drops of oil onto your tissue or pillowcase and then just breathe into it deeply. You can also use some of the oil to be infused into the air with a diffuser. Just smelling the oil will relax you even if you don't get to have a massage!

Wear a Smile

Always begin your day with a broad smile on your face. Purpose in your heart to be lighthearted on this day and every time you see someone pass them a big, sincere smile. You will be surprised how easily this action will affect your mood.

Share in a good joke or two and try to make someone else laugh. Feeling lighthearted is a good thing! Just ask Martha Stewart!

That Small Inner Voice -- Talk to yourself

Gently close your eyes and repeat positive affirmations. Tell yourself over and over what you want to believe to be true, such as: 'I am calm' or 'I am confident and sure…' Keep in mind that what you believe to be true will be felt by your body!

In Support of Good Posture

Take in a few, good deep breaths as you sit up very tall. Put your feet flat on the floor. At the same time angle your thighs slightly toward the floor, arch in your lower back slightly, gently push your sternum (chest bone) back and then relax your shoulders.

Take in another good deep breath and hold your position for a minute or two. Don't allow your posture to slouch at all during this time - hold your position upright and support your good posture.

As your good posture continues to align, you will relieve all muscle tension. Do this exercise twice daily and you will find yourself naturally supporting your good posture each day.

Have Some Fresh Air and Take a Brisk Walk

If you must be indoors most of your day, taking a break to breathe in pure air and to exercise your limbs will be an instant refresher. Doing this will give you back good concentration and you will feel more limber.

Spend only 20 to 30 minutes each day taking in fresh air and walking and you will improve both physically and mentally. If you have a dog, take them along with you. They need to be refreshed just as you do.

Take up a Relaxing Hobby

Spend an afternoon at your local craft store and select a new hobby. A good hobby that really interests you will breathe new life into your day. You will be more relaxed and enjoy having a new interest. Whether you choose painting, playing an instrument, knitting, or even kite flying, choose something that will encourage calm and serenity.

Try a Relaxing Form of Eastern Meditation such as Tai Chi

Take time to focus from within and you will cultivate a spirit of self control over the anxiety-ridden external world.

Take a good book to bed with you each night and spend 30 minutes relaxing before you turn out the light. This will be calming and as you close yours eyes each night remind yourself of your many blessings.

Give Lots of Hugs and Kisses Daily

Even on your busiest days, stop and hug and kiss someone who is special to you. Your children, especially, need to know how much they mean to you. A show of affection will go a long way.

Spend time each day with a beloved pet. Studies have shown that when we care for a pet we release anxiety and tension, naturally.

Spend quality time with your loved one. Remember those special times with your spouse before the children came along. Nurture moments with just the two of you and you will relax, naturally

Replace that Uncomfortable Office Chair with an Ab Ball

Next time you leave for your office, stop, first into a fitness store and buy an Ab Ball. This ball will allow your core muscles to have a great wake up call. Just sit on your Ab Ball and then bounce on the spot! You will feel instantly refreshed and your co-workers will want to do the same!

Just as it is time to take your lunch, first bounce on your Ab Ball to get your gastro-juices going! You will firm up your body in no time and best of all you will have fun!

Breathe in the Gift of Life

We can all go for weeks without a crumb of food, days at a time without water, but, we can only go for minutes without good, pure oxygen.

The average person breathes very shallowly and this makes it almost impossible to be relaxed.

Sit yourself down, purposefully, and take in a slow deep breath in through your nose until you have properly filled up your lungs.

Hold in the air in for a moment and then very slowly exhale through your lips. Breathe deeply in this way for 4 - 5 times, a few times a day.

You will feel instantly refreshed!

Listen to the Gift of Music

As much as possible, always set your mood with background mood music. Some like traditional blues, some like jazz. Try the newer nature sounds, so you can be working to background sounds of tin pans, flutes and ocean waves crashing on the beach. Whatever you choose, make sure it relaxes and does not energize you. There is a time to be energized and a time to relax. For relaxation, select the mood music over the rock and roll or the hip hop.

Whozylee Aris is the author of various health related articles.
Find more free tips on how to relax and leave stress behind at
his how to relieve stress website. Visit http://www.whozylee.com/stressrelief.html

Seven Steps to Reducing Stress and Reclaiming Your Life at Work

By Deb DePorter

According to the StressPulse survey by ComPsych Corporation completed at the end of 2003 and is still valid today:

· Employees in the category of high stress have increased by 15%
· More than 29% of employees come to work five or more times a year when they are too stressed or distracted to be effective
· 63% have high levels of stress with extreme fatigue or feeling out of control
· 32% have constant but manageable stress levels
· 43% lose one or more hours per day in productivity due to stress

The Definition of Burnout

At some point in your career you will experience burnout. No matter how much you enjoy your job there will come a time when you just do not feel like doing it anymore. If you could choose between being sick enough to stay home and not lying about being sick or going to work, you would actually choose to be sick! Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines burnout as “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.” Who has not felt stressed or frustrated in life?

The exact causes of employee burnout can vary from person to person. Employee burnout can be caused b the workplace, i.e. lack of recognition or lack of control, by the employee, i.e. unrealistic expectations; inability to set and maintain boundaries, or by poor employee/workplace match, i.e. personal values conflict with job values or lack of skills. Employee burnout is not a temporary situation after a difficult workweek. It is a physical, emotional, and mental state of exhaustion caused by a demanding environment and/or the inability or desire to meet those demands.

Burnout does not happen only to those who are stressed or frustrated. Maybe there are no apparent problems or issues that need to be resolved. Work may seem to be going along smoothly. You get along with your boss, co-workers, and clients. Then suddenly one day you feel a tight knot in your stomach when you think about work. You can’t seem to come up with any new creative ideas. You let your email pile up. You cringe when the phone rings. Yesterday you loved your job and today you hate it. You notice that you feel sick and take more days off to spend in the doctor’s office. What could have caused this to happen? Many of us work long hours because we actually love our jobs. We have work that needs to get done and we choose to spend ten hours a day or more doing it.

Then one day we realize that many months have passed since we had a vacation, a full weekend off, or even a relaxing evening at home. There is no life balance in our lives. The scale has tipped over and we are just mechanically moving through our days. We have less patience and coping with stress is becoming more difficult. Burnout out is caused by imbalance – an imbalance not caused by overwork, but by neglecting personal values. Not balancing the body, head, and heart leads to a misaligned life in which values of work, home, community, personal and spiritual lives collide. Burnout provides an opportunity to stop and listen closely to your body, to your family and friends, and to your heart.

Stages of Burnout

Physical, Mental and Emotional Exhaustion

You may be holding it together at work and as soon as you get home you grab something from the fridge, collapse on the sofa, and remain comatose for the rest of the evening. Does this sound familiar? Doing more with less, having additional responsibility but not enough authority, or juggling with an unmanageable schedule is taking its toll.

Shame and Doubt

You are not feeling confident about the future and you are feeling lousy about the present so you may even start discounting your past accomplishments. You wonder if your colleagues, friends, or family members will detect that something is wrong.

Cynicism and Callousness

In response to that prolonged feeling of insecurity or vulnerability some people feel that there is only one thing left to do – put on the heavy armor and develop an attitude of looking out for number one. In the short run, the strategy often works. This hard exterior can eventually become a burdensome, self-defeating strategy.

Stress has many physical symptoms. Some are obvious while others are not. Obvious symptoms include fatigue, irritability, crying jags, anxiety attacks, loss of appetite or weight gain due to lack of exercise or overeating in reaction to stress. Less obvious symptoms are teeth grinding, increased drug, alcohol and tobacco use, insomnia, nightmares, forgetfulness, low productivity and inability to concentrate. Untreated burnout can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, headaches, depression, chronic illness and chronic diseases. After an extended period of time burnout can cause physical and mental breakdowns, which include suicide, stroke or heart attack.

Burnout will affect how you do your job. It can show up as poor job performance, absenteeism and lateness, lack of motivation, and poor customer service. The cost of burnout is high to both workers and employers.

There is hope! There are several techniques and tools available to help you move beyond burnout to deliberately living a life on purpose that is balanced, fun, creative, and valued.

Seven Steps To Reduce Stress

1. Pursue the Joy of the Unpredictable

We derive joy from pursuing interests and passions that do not produce any obvious benefits. Unfortunately many people believe that joy should reside in the world of hobbies or retirement. Not so! Do something that gives you energy that resonates with you and motivates you to jump; no, fly, out of bed in the morning. Joy is about surprises and the unexpected. It’s not tranquil and it’s not spurred by attaining material possessions. It’s about feeling the thrill of life. It’s about experiencing moments that you will never forget.

2. Start Liking Yourself

You will find on the outside only what you possess on the inside. Deep down most of us do not have a lot of self-respect. Use your downtime to fix whatever problems keep you from following the best track. Self-discovery and self-improvement are a good start. As a result, improved self-respect often produces better jobs, better outlooks, and better lives.

3. Spend Time with Family and Friends

We tend to hide both physically and emotionally from loved ones and colleagues when we are burned out. We feel embarrassed because we are always canceling commitments or making excuses why we cannot commit. Instead of using downtime to reconnect with loved ones, we wallow in quit. It is too easy to get caught up in our work. It is too easy to treasure our trash and trash ourselves. We may feel important at work but we are only truly valued when we are with family and friends. We can be replaced at work. Our friends and family stick with us.

Burnout may be reserved for people who have more choices than they appreciate. It is an early warning system that can help us get back on track. Burnout may just bring with it a more satisfying life for you, your family, and your future employer. Listen to the disappointments, the sadness, and the regrets from your family and friends. There is truth behind the emotion that is calling to you.

4. Change the Way You Look at Stress

One way to change stress is to change the way in which we interpret any stressful event. We change how we interpret an event by changing how we think about the event. Instead of saying, “I can’t do this, it won’t work out”, try saying “I will break this project down into small steps and talk with my manager later to negotiate more time.” Even slightly changing how we choose to evaluate an event will greatly decrease the amount of burnout we feel. Try to eliminate words and phrases such as ‘Hate”, “can’t stand it”, “no way”, etc. Make a list of those negative words or phrases that you most often use, and then flag them each time they are said and replace them with a more neutral word or phrase.

5. Build Your Personal Foundation

The personal foundation process involves deliberately investing in one’s self. A strong personal foundation includes 10 distinct stepping stones which, when linked together, provide a solid yet personalized base on which to build one’s life. In a world that sometimes appears to be built on quicksand, we all need a personal foundation base. This includes some foundational components such as reduce and eliminate tolerations in your life, simplify, create and use daily habits, creating reserves, and reorient around your values. If you cannot manage this on your own, I recommend finding a personal or life coach to help you in the process.

6. Work to Have Fun at Work and Build Creativity into Your Day

You do not need to throw a party to have fun at work. You can have fun by talking to a co-worker, listening to music, or by just increasing those tasks that you enjoy at work. Attempt to complete tasks that you do not enjoy right away so you do not think about them all day. Check with your manager to see if you can eliminate or delegate these tasks to someone else. If you honestly cannot find anything you enjoy about your work, you might not be experiencing burnout at all, but a true feeling of needing a new job. This might be a good time to do some self-discovery work, take a career assessment, or hire a career coach.

If you go in the same door everyday, sit at the same desk, and start the day off with the same phone calls, a routine can easily lead to boredom. Add some job creativity to your day. For example ask to change your start time, redecorate your office or cubicle, or ask to take on some new tasks that you enjoy. Do not ask to take on additional busy work. It is far more important to ask to take on a new assignment that will fuel your creativity, add interest to your day, and give you positive feelings.

7. Ask for Some Control in Your Job

If you need permission to take control, ask your employer to take a risk by allowing you to take control over your job for one week to see if production increases. If they do not allow you to take full control, ask for control over one small aspect of your job. They slowly ask for more and more until you have as much as you want.

How to Stay Motivated and Live in Balance

· Honor your own values – 365 days a year/24 hours a day
· Live life authentically
· Appreciate and acknowledge who you are – NOT what you do
· Become more conscious about how you are with others
· Access your heart to help you manage the feelings of stress and manage burnout
· You do have a choice about how you feel
· Get help when you need it

Deborah DePorter, CPCC, RCC Licensed HeartMath Stress Management Consultant and Coach Author: Get Your Life Back Today: Overcoming Chronic Illness One Day at a Time C.H.A.N.G.E. Associates, LLC P.O. Box 650338 Potomac Falls, VA 20165 571-276-5528 - E-Mail:
deb@changeassociatescoaching.com
http://www.changeassociatescoaching.com
http://www.getyourlifebacktoday.com

Minimizing Stress

By Manik Thapar

Understanding Stress

Stress has been called “the invisible disease”. It is a disease that may affect you, your organization, and any of the people in it, so you cannot afford to ignore it.

1) What is Stress?

On occasions, all of us experience stress. Beneficial stress can help drive a few of us to become Olympic champions, but harmful stress can drive others to despair. A force as powerful as that should always be handled with respect.

A) The Definition Of Stress

Stress in individuals is defined as any interference that disturbs a person’s healthy mental and physical well-being. It occurs when the body is required to perform beyond its normal range of capabilities. The results of stress are harmful to individuals, families, society, and organizations, which can suffer form, “organizational stress”.

Note:

Learn how to spot your stress warning signals, and then act on them.

B) Its Effects On Society

The social costs of stress are already high-and are increasing steadily. Society bears the cost of public services such as healthcare for those made ill by stress, pension for early retirement brought on by stress, and disability benefits for accidents occurring because of stress. In addition to this, stress often makes people irritable, and this affects the overall quality of everyone’s lives.

Note:

Do not be afraid to talk about situations that you find stressful.

C) Its Effects On Companies

Stress costs industry over $150 billion a year in the US alone – through absenteeism and reduced levels of performance by those who are physically present but mentally absent. In the UK , as much as 60% per cent of all absenteeism is believed to be because of stress related disorders. Anything that can reduce the damaging effects of stress makes workers happier and companies richer.

Note:

Take a stroll when you are stressed – it can help restore your perspective.

D) Its effects On The Body

When the human body is placed under physical or psychological stress, it increases the production of certain hormones, such as adrenaline and cortical. These hormones produce marked changes in the heart rate, blood pressure levels, metabolism, and physical activity. Although this physical reaction will help you to function more effectively when you in pressure for short periods of time, it can be extremely damaging to the body in the long-term.

Manik Thapar (MBA)
http://www.careerpath.cc

6 Ways to Release Stress

By Kenia Morales

We are currently living in a capitalist society where money and power rule. Therefore, many of us have become workaholics and often overlook signs of tiredness in order to stay on track. I am not saying that people should stop working hard to achieve their goals. However, there is a slight problem we do not know how to manage our stress, which is definitely not a good thing! Stress has been linked to mental/emotional (depression, anxiety, and anger) and physical illnesses (weakens the immune system). Therefore, it is more than important that you constantly work on reducing your stress level in order to maintain your overall health. The bottom line is, if we are not healthy there is no money or power that will make things better. So, take care of yourself. Below, I have added six stress releasing tips.

Exercise: even if you go for a walk for 15-25 minutes four days a week it will help your body to get rid of adrenaline and produce endorphins (a natural tranquilizer). Not to mention you will not only feel better, you will also look the part.

Yoga: Many ramble that practicing yoga is the best way to manage or release stress. It focuses on breathing techniques, exercises, connecting with the universe on a spiritual and mental level. If this option seems interesting to you I suggest you do some research in order to learn the principles and decide if it is for you.

Stretch: People often stretch before and after a workout. However, learning stretching and flexing exercises to use as a way to relieve tension on many different areas of the body can help a great deal.

Massage: We all know how massages can help us relax and release tension. Prices start around $40 for 30 minutes; it all depends on what extra relaxation techniques you would like to add to the massage such as aromatherapy, oils, etc. There are also different types of massages so this will also affect the price. I actually found a therapist that charges $33 for a 30 minute session. It sounds pretty good to me. We waste money in so many different ways so investing on a massage once in a while will not kill our pockets.

Laugh it off: Rent a funny movie and laugh out loud. Go out with friends or host gatherings. Tell everyone to bring a platter. Remember the key is to release tension not, add to it. Use paper plates and plastic cups to reduce the amount of work.

Take a break- Take time to relax, sleep, and maybe even take a vacation if you can. Your body does not only need it; you deserve it.

Live stress free,

Kenia Morales

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Kenia Morales is the publisher of online magazine http://kpatra.com "For Every Aspect of Today's Woman. Visit her site to find a variety of women related issues and topics" click here http://www.kpatra.com/keniascolumn.htm to find Kenia's little piece of heaven her inspirational column