It's been a long, demanding day at work and your nerves feel like rubber bands stretched so tight they may burst with one more tug. Then, just as you start to relax, a new wave of stress hits you -- thoughts of the overwhelming schedule awaiting you tomorrow.
Society as a whole tends to push people to the maximum in terms of expectations,
whether it be from families, employers or others. People need to realize they have the power to change their lives in ways that change their perception of what is stressful.
Reducing the amount of stress in your life is important for physical and mental health. Signs of chronic stress include insomnia, change in appetite, increased use of alcohol or cigarettes, and high blood pressure. People who are stressed may also be more prone to illnesses such as colds or flu and suffer from fear, anxiety, bad temper and frustration.
To begin making changes, I recommends "getting back to the simple life" -- distancing yourself from the frantic pace and pressures of the outside world to discover what you feel is truly important in your life. By identifying personal priorities and goals, you can determine how these fit with your daily activities and interactions with others.
Taking steps to reduce stress in your life may mean adjusting personal expectations. At work, set realistic timelines that, while taking into account the needs of co-workers and others, provide personal control. At home, consider delegating or sharing household responsibilities among family members or scaling back outside activities.
Trying to control your daily schedule isn't easy with career and family responsibilities weighing in. To maintain a balance, I recommend making room for personal advancement and achievement -- time in which you can pursue interests and activities for your own enjoyment.
Also remember that you don't have to deal with stress alone. Share your thoughts with a friend or join a support group. It's important to have a collaborator in your working environment as well as support from family or friends.
I recommends trying one of the following stress management techniques:
- system relaxation -- Take a break from your activities and slowly relax your muscles one by one, starting with your feet or head and moving throughout the body.
- Quieting Response -- Close your eyes and think about "centering" your thoughts and emotions while repeating to yourself, "calm mind, calm body."
- Abdominal breathing -- Practice slow, deep breathing for several minutes.
- Exercise -- Take a walk during lunch time, or find some other enjoyable activity, to help clear thoughts and increase energy.
If attempts to reduce stress aren't successful and stress significantly affects a person's daily life -- including performance at work, relations with family and feelings towards oneself specialists recommend seeking medical advice.
