Five Stress Tips

Five Tips for Managing Your Stress

Stress is a fact of life and a certain amount of stress, unlike the common cold, can even be good for you - but too many stressful incidents can prevent you from reaching your full potential.

There is no magic wand to wave away stress - it takes a determined effort to control your lifestyle to prevent stress overload. However, the basics of alleviating stress are easy to arrange and practice - it's not rocket science - it just takes time and more than a little effort.

Many times stress is compounded because we allow a tidal wave of different and conflicting thoughts to flood our mind making us believe the assignments ahead are too overpowering. The following are some tips to help you manage your stress level:

1) Prepare for tomorrow the night before.

Take the time to sit down with a pencil and paper and list all the assignments you feel are important to complete the next day. When all the tomorrow tasks are listed, redo and list each item in order of importance. That's tomorrow's schedule.

2) Maintain a positive attitude

Granted, this is not always easy. Maintaining a positive attitude takes a great deal of work and commitment, but by following basic fundamentals of positive thinking, you can point your life into a new affirmative direction that will lower the stress level no matter what the situation and, as a bonus, make you a happier, more contented individual.

3) Stop all the negative talk.

Start today - every time you utter a negative thought, repeat what you said and change the negative into a positive. Make a game of it. Tell those you trust how you are trying to change your lifestyle and have them yell out "negative" every time you utter a negative thought. If they catch you on such a miscue - you have to give them a dime or some such reward.

4) Stay away from those who view life pessimistically.

Those who are unenthusiastic about life can drag you down faster than a freighter's anchor - join the people who make you happy - better yet - be around people who you can talk to about your feelings.

5) Find the humor in situations.

Take time to laugh loud and often - it's the best medicine for alleviating stress.

"STRESS IS WHEN YOU WAKE UP SCREAMING AND YOU REALIZE YOU HAVEN'T FALLEN ASLEEP YET."

----- Lee Iaccoca

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