Tips for Stress Management - 11/06/12 08:50 PM
Here are some tips we've come up with for stress management. Please share your own ideas as well!
* Ample sleep. The better you sleep, the better you can cope with *everything* in life. Even small improvements reap large rewards.
* Healthy food. Avoid sugars, trans-fats, and preservatives. Aim as much as you can for natural, whole, and fresh. Yes, sometimes it's more expensive. Look at eating local foods in season, stocking up when there are sales, setting up container gardens in your windows, and clipping coupons.
* Ample water. Often we don't get enough hydration in our system.
* Breathe. When we get stressed we often shallow-breathe which reinforces the stress situation to our body. In comparison, deep breathing is a sign to our body to relax. Take in long, deep breaths.
* Build a relaxing atmosphere. Wear a fragrance that relaxes you. Breathe it in. Envision a pleasant retreat in your mind. Focus on its details. Wear clothes that comfort you. Sometimes even just a bracelet or ring can remind you of what is important in life.
* Help others. Doing volunteer work can put your own troubles in context, and realize just how much you do have already.
* Journal. The more you can release worries from your mind onto paper, the more you can look at them objectively.
* Build a supportive network. Have people around you who care for your dreams and goals and who buffer the other nay-sayers in the world.
* Be gentle with yourself. We are all human, we all have challenges and mistakes and hurdles. That is OK. Life has ups and downs. That is normal. Take a deep breath, accept that you're not perfect, and be content with your efforts.
What are some other ideas?
* Ample sleep. The better you sleep, the better you can cope with *everything* in life. Even small improvements reap large rewards.
* Healthy food. Avoid sugars, trans-fats, and preservatives. Aim as much as you can for natural, whole, and fresh. Yes, sometimes it's more expensive. Look at eating local foods in season, stocking up when there are sales, setting up container gardens in your windows, and clipping coupons.
* Ample water. Often we don't get enough hydration in our system.
* Breathe. When we get stressed we often shallow-breathe which reinforces the stress situation to our body. In comparison, deep breathing is a sign to our body to relax. Take in long, deep breaths.
* Build a relaxing atmosphere. Wear a fragrance that relaxes you. Breathe it in. Envision a pleasant retreat in your mind. Focus on its details. Wear clothes that comfort you. Sometimes even just a bracelet or ring can remind you of what is important in life.
* Help others. Doing volunteer work can put your own troubles in context, and realize just how much you do have already.
* Journal. The more you can release worries from your mind onto paper, the more you can look at them objectively.
* Build a supportive network. Have people around you who care for your dreams and goals and who buffer the other nay-sayers in the world.
* Be gentle with yourself. We are all human, we all have challenges and mistakes and hurdles. That is OK. Life has ups and downs. That is normal. Take a deep breath, accept that you're not perfect, and be content with your efforts.
What are some other ideas?