Twelve tips to reduce stress

“My computer crashed at work, my boss was being difficult, and I got stuck in traffic on my way to pick up my son from school.”

— Caroline Greenwood, Amazing new stress busters that will take the stress out of your day,
world of womenMay 30, 2000

Haven’t we all been there? We have an important call to make, but we are waiting for one more piece of information that we were promised two hours ago. Weather! It always goes back in time. There is never enough time. There are so many things to do and so little time to do them. Reports are due. Project deadlines are approaching. A major client hasn’t paid his last bill and there are bills due next week. Stress is closing in on all of us. Stress is affecting not only the way we do business, but also our bodily health at the same time. While we can’t make stress go away completely, there are some things we can do to reduce our stress levels and make ourselves happier and more productive, which lowers our stress levels and makes us . . . And so on and so on.

“As health problems advance, heart disease, cancer and obesity take center stage. But we need to pay equal attention to another serious health problem: stress.”

— 6 steps to reduce stress, United States weekendMay 26-28, 2000

Here are twelve things (and a couple more) that anyone can do (yes, even you) to reduce stress:

• Replace the phrase “I have to…”. with “I get to…” – Small business writer Don Doman, author of Jobless? go into business Y Look Before You Leap: Market Research Made Simple, says that when he feels overwhelmed and has too much to do, he starts using the phrase “I get to”. “Even the most miserable tasks seem easier and less stressful if you can do them. It’s like a reward. Oooeee, I can cold call today. It gives you a positive feeling.” By removing that feeling that you “have” to do something, you have reduced some of the pressure and stress.
• Eliminate coffee, hot chocolate, and sodas. – Caffeine can cause anxiety and make things more stressful. So you may want to limit your trips to Starbucks when you’re under stress.
• Keep the toys on your desk – My wife used to keep “Transformers” near the phone. Transformers were plastic robots that changed shape depending on how you turned them and moved their body parts. She played with them while she talked on the phone. She gave him something physical and mental to do at the same time, and helped reduce anxiety.
• Write down your stressful situation – By putting your thoughts on paper (or on the computer) you can transfer your emotions from your mind to something more tangible. Once you’re done writing, you can shred the paper and throw it away, or light a match and let your troubles go up in smoke.
• Tackle the most stressful tasks first – As we get more tired, our defenses against stress decrease, so it is better to handle the most stressful events when your body is more alert and rested.
• working out – I have a “Thigh Master” that I use to work out my upper body and thighs when I’ve been hunched over a desk for too long. Stepping away from your desk and exercising for just a couple of minutes can dramatically reduce stress. If you can go for a walk, even better. Think pleasant thoughts and not your problems, that also helps.
• Get some oxygen into your body by taking a deep breath – Dr. Jeffry Finnigan, headache expert, in his book Life beyond headaches says that one of the main keys to a healthy body is getting oxygen, which we can’t do if we’re all slumped and stressed. Take a few minutes, close your eyes, and breathe deeply and slowly. I like to tell myself that with each exhalation I am becoming calmer and less worried and stressed. If you can stop and breathe deeply for ten minutes a couple of times a day, you can dramatically reduce your stress.

“Breathing becomes short and shallow when we start to get stressed,” says Deborah Johnson, Ed.D, an assistant professor at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. “The fastest way to break this cycle of tension is to start breathing deep into your lungs, which allows oxygen to flow throughout your body. You should feel the difference almost immediately.” — Calm down your stress points,
Physical aptitudeNovember 1998

• eat a sweet – When you’re feeling really stressed, take a minute and have a bite or two of sweets (watch out for chocolate, which contains caffeine). Researchers have discovered that stress levels decrease when we consume sugars.
• Make yourself at home – Customize your workspace. Surround yourself with photographs of your home, posters of your favorite movies or plants and flowers. Familiar and home objects help to relax tensions.
• drink some orange juice – Scientists have discovered that vitamin C can reduce the production of stress hormones. Eat an orange, drink some juice, take 200 mg. supplement, or eat other foods rich in vitamin C such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, strawberries, grapefruit, and cataloupe.
• Sing a song – This advice has a double function, music and singing relax the body, and when singing you breathe more deeply. However, depending on your voice, you can put more stress on the people around you.
• watch a funny video – Laughter like singing brings more oxygen to our lungs, so watch something that makes you laugh out loud. hot saddles always works for me. I know most of the lines, but so what? mel brooks says that the essence of humor is anticipation and reward. Like reducing stress.
• Eliminate multitasking – The more balls you have in the air, the more stress you can feel. Reduce the number of balls and reduce tension and stress.
• Learn more about stress. Read a book, listen to an audiobook, watch a video. You will see that you are not alone and that there are many ways to overcome stress and how to handle a stressful situation.

No matter what kind of work we do, stress is part of our lives. We can reduce our stress levels, but we cannot eliminate it. However, we can learn to control it and live with it.