Top 10 Stress Management Techniques

Stress Management Techniques 1. Organize Yourself. Take better control of the way you're spending your time and energy so you can handle stress more effectively. 2. Control Your Environment by controlling who and what is surrounding you. In this way, you can either get rid of stress or get support for yourself. 3. Love Yourself by giving yourself positive feedback. Remember, you are a unique individual who is doing the best you can. 4. Reward Yourself by planning leisure activities into your life. It really helps to have something to look forward to. 5. Exercise Your Body since your health and productivity depend upon your body's ability to bring oxygen and food to its cells. Therefore, exercise your heart and lungs regularly, a minimum of three days per week for 15-30 minutes. This includes such activities as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics, etc. 6. Relax Yourself by taking your mind off your stress and concentrating on breathing and positive thoughts. Dreaming counts, along with meditation, progressive relaxation, exercise, listening to relaxing music, communicating with friends and loved ones, etc. 7. Rest Yourself as regularly as possible. Sleep 7-8 hours a night. Take study breaks. There is only so much your mind can absorb at one time. It needs time to process and integrate information. A general rule of thumb: take a ten minute break every hour. Rest your eyes as well as your mind. 8. Be Aware of Yourself. Be aware of distress signals such as insomnia, headaches, anxiety, upset stomach, lack of concentration, colds/flu, excessive tiredness, etc. Remember, these can be signs of potentially more serious disorders (i.e., ulcers, hypertension, heart disease). 9. Feed Yourself / Do Not Poison Your Body. Eat a balanced diet. Avoid high calorie foods that are high in fats and sugar. Don't depend on drugs and/or alcohol. Caffeine will keep you awake, but it also makes it harder for some to concentrate. Remember, a twenty minute walk has been proven to be a better tranquilizer than some prescription drugs. 10. Enjoy Yourself. It has been shown that happier people tend to live longer, have less physical problems, and are more productive. Look for the humor in life when things don't make sense. Remember, you are very special and deserve only the best treatment from yourself. 52 Proven Tips for Stress Relief 1. Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful. 2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table, make lunches, put out the clothes you plan to wear, etc. 3. Don't rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc. 4. Do nothing which, after being done, leads you to tell a lie. 5. Make duplicates of all keys. Bury a house key in a secret spot in the garden and carry a duplicate car key in your wallet, apart from your key ring. 6. Practice preventive maintenance. Your car, appliances, home, and relationships will be less likely to break down/fall apart "at the worst possible moment." 7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant. 8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now. 9. Plan ahead. Don't let the gas tank get below one-quarter full; keep a well-stocked "emergency shelf" of home staples; don't wait until you're down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more; etc.

10. Don't put up with something that doesn't work right. If your alarm clock, wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers - whatever- are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones. 11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments. Plan to arrive at an airport one hour before domestic departures. 12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet. 13. Always set up contingency plans, "just in case." ("If for some reason either of us is delayed, here's what we'll do. . ." kind of thing. Or, "If we get split up in the shopping center, here's where we'll meet.") 14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn't get mowed this weekend. 15. Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong, there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count 'em! 16. Ask questions. Taking a few moments to repeat back directions, what someone expects of you, etc., can save hours. (The old "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get," idea.) 17. Say "No!" Saying "no" to extra projects, social activities, and invitations you know you don't have the time or energy for takes practice, self-respect, and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax and be alone. 18. Unplug your phone. Want to take a long bath, meditate, sleep, or read without interruption? Drum up the courage to temporarily disconnect. (The possibility of there being a terrible emergency in the next hour or so is almost nil.) Or use an answering machine. 19. Turn "needs" into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don't get attached to preferences. 20. Simplify, simplify, simplify. . . 21. Make friends with non-worriers. Nothing can get you into the habit of worrying faster than associating with chronic worrywarts. 22. Get up and stretch periodically if your job requires that you sit for extended periods. 23. Wear earplugs. If you need to find quiet at home, pop in some earplugs. 24. Get enough sleep. If necessary, use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed. 25. Create order out of chaos. Organize your home and workspace so that you always know exactly where things are. Put things away where they belong and you won't have to go through the stress of losing things. 26. When feeling stressed, most people tend to breathe short, shallow breaths. When you breathe like this, stale air is not expelled, oxidation of the tissues is incomplete, and muscle tension frequently results. Check your breathing throughout the day, and before, during, and after high-pressure situations. If you find your stomach muscles knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax all your muscles and take several deep, slow breaths. 27. Writing your thoughts and feelings down (in a journal, or on paper to be thrown away) can help you clarify things and can give you a renewed perspective 28. Try the following yoga technique whenever you feel the need to relax. Inhale deeply through your nose to the count of eight. Then, with lips puckered, exhale very slowly through your mouth to the count of 16, or for as long as you can. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times. 29. Inoculate yourself against a feared event. Example: before speaking in public, take time to go over every part of the experience in your mind. Imagine what you'll wear, what the audience will look like, how you will present your talk, what the questions will be and how you will answer them, etc. Visualize the experience the way you would have it be. You'll likely find that when the time comes to make the actual presentation, it will be "old hat" and much of your anxiety will have fled. 30. When the stress of having to get a job done gets in the way of getting the job done, diversion- a voluntary change in activity and/or environment - may be just what you need. 31. Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving. 32. One of the most obvious ways to avoid unnecessary stress is to select an environment (work, home, leisure) which is in line with your personal needs and desires. If you hate desk jobs, don't accept a job which requires that you sit at a desk all day. If you hate to talk politics, don't associate with people who love to talk politics, etc. 33. Learn to live one day at a time. 34. Every day, do something you really enjoy.

35. Add an ounce of love to everything you do. 36. Take a hot bath or shower (or a cool one in summertime) to relieve tension. 37. Do something for somebody else. 38. Focus on understanding rather than on being understood; on loving rather than on being loved. 39. Do something that will improve your appearance. Looking better can help you feel better. 40. Schedule a realistic day. Avoid the tendency to schedule back-to-back appointments; allow time between appointments for a breathing spell. 41. Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are fine to compromise upon. 42. Eliminate destructive self-talk: "I'm too old to. . .," "I'm too fat to. . .," etc. 43. Use your weekend time for a change of pace. If your work week is slow and patterned, make sure there is action and time for spontaneity built into your weekends. If your work week is fast-paced and full of people and deadlines, seek peace and solitude during your days off. Feel as if you aren't accomplishing anything at work? Tackle a job on the weekend which you can finish to your satisfaction. 44. "Worry about the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." That's another way of saying: take care of the todays as best you can and the yesterdays and the tomorrows will take care of themselves. 45. Do one thing at a time. When you are with someone, be with that person and with no one or nothing else. When you are busy with a project, concentrate on doing that project and forget about everything else you have to do. 46. Allow yourself time - everyday - for privacy, quiet, and introspection. 47. If an especially unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with, then the rest of your day will be free of anxiety. 48. Learn to delegate responsibility to capable others. 49. Don't forget to take a lunch break. Try to get away from your desk or work area in body and mind, even if it's just for 15 or 20 minutes. 50. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing something or saying anything that could make matters worse. 51. Have a forgiving view of events and people. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world. 52. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.

How To Reduce Stress While in College At any given point in time, most college students are stressed about something; it's just part of going to school. While havingstress in your life is normal and often unavoidable, being stressed is something you can control. Follow these ten tips to learn how to keep your stress in check and how to relax when it gets to be too much. Difficulty: Easy Time Required: Minimum Here's How: 1. Most Importantly: Don't Stress About Being Stressed This may seem ridiculous at first, but it is listed first for a reason: when you're feeling stressed, you feel like you're on edge and everything is barely being held together. Don't beat yourself up too badly about it! It's all normal, and the best way to handle stress is to not get more stressed about . . . being stressed. If you're stressed out, admit it and figure out how to handle it. Focusing on it will only make things seem worse. 2. Get Some Sleep Being in college means your sleep schedule is, most likely, far from ideal. Getting more sleep can help your mind refocus, recharge, and rebalance. This can mean a quick nap, a night when you go to bed early, or a promise to yourself to stick with a regular sleep schedule. Sometimes, one good night's sleep can be all you need to hit the ground running amidst a stressful time. 3. Get Some Food Similar to your sleep habits, your eating habits may have gone by the wayside when you started school. Think about what -- and when -- you've eaten over the past few days. You may think your stress is psychological, but you could also be feeling physical stress (and the "Freshman 15") if you're not fueling your body appropriately. Go eat something balanced and healthy: fruits and veggies, whole grains, protein. Make your mama proud with what you choose for dinner tonight! Lastly, if your meal plan itself is one more thing making you stressed, learn how to pick a plan that's right for you. 4. Get Some Exercise You may think that if you don't have the time to sleep and eat properly, you definitelydon't have the time to exercise. Fair enough, but if you're feeling stressed, it may be that you need to squeeze it in somehow. Exercise doesn't necessarily have to involve a 2-hour, exhausting workout at the campus gym. It can mean a relaxing, 30minute walk while listening to your favorite music. In fact, in a little over an hour, you can 1) walk 15 minutes to your favorite off-campus restaurant, 2) eat a quick and healthy meal, 3) walk back, and 4)take a power nap. Imagine how much better you'll feel! 5. Get Some Quiet Time Take one moment and think: when was the last time you had some quality, quiet time alone? Personal space for students in college rarely exists. You may share your room, your bathroom, your classrooms, your dining hall, the gym, the bookstore, the library, and anywhere else you go during an average day. Finding a few moments of peace and quiet - with no cell phone, roommates, or crowds - might be just what you need. Stepping out from the crazy college environment for a few minutes can do wonders for reducing your stress. 6. Get Some Social Time Have you been working on that English paper for 3 days straight? Can you even see what you're writing anymore for your Chemistry lab? You could be stressed because you're being too focused on getting things done. Don't forget that your brain is like a muscle, and even it needs a break every once in a while! Take a break and see a movie. Grab some friends and go out dancing. Hop a bus and hang out downtown for a few hours. Having a social life is an important part of your college experience, so don't be afraid to keep it in the picture when you're stressed. It could be when you need it most!

7. Get Some Fun You may be stressed about one particular thing: a final paper due Monday, a class presentation due Thursday. You basically just need to sit down and plow through it. If this is the case, try to figure out how to make it a little more fun and enjoyable. Is everyone writing final papers? Agree to work together in your room for 2 hours and then order pizza together for dinner. Do a lot of your classmates have huge presentations to put together? See if you can reserve a classroom or room in the library where you can all work together and share supplies. You may just lower everyone's stress level. 8. Get Some Distance You may be handling your own problems and trying to help others around you. While this can be nice for them, check in and be honest with yourself about how your helpful demeanor may be causing more stress in your life. It's okay to take a step back and focus on yourself for a little while, especially if you are stressed and your academics are at risk. After all, how can you keep helping others if you're not even in a state to help yourself? Figure out which things are causing you the most stress and how you can take a step back from each. And then, most importantly, take that step. 9. Get a Little Help It can be hard to ask for help, and unless your friends are psychic, they may not know how stressed out you are. Most college students are going through the same things at the same thing, so don't feel silly if you need to just vent for 30 minutes over coffee with a friend. It may help you process out what you need to do, and help you realize that the things you are so stressed about are actually pretty manageable. If you're afraid of dumping too much on a friend, most colleges have counseling centers specifically for their students. Don't be afraid to make an appointment if you think it will help. 10. Get Some Perspective College life can be overwhelming. You want to hang out with your friends, join clubs, explore off campus, join a fraternity or sorority, and be involved in the campus newspaper. It can sometimes feel like there aren't enough hours in the day . . . because there aren't. There's only so much any person can handle, but you need to remember the reason why you're in school: academics. No matter how exciting your co-curricular life can be, you won't be able to enjoy any of it if you don't pass your classes. Make sure to keep your eye on the prize and then head out and change the world!
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