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Beat Stress Now! 10 Easy Tips
Colleen Kettenhofen
"Never complain about your troubles; they are responsible
for more than half of your income." Robert R. Updegraff
Everyone's busy. Today many of us feel added pressure with
fax machines, cell phones, kids and co-workers. The average
worker fields 52 phone calls, 36 emails and 23 voice mails
a day. And, the holidays and the stress that sometimes comes
with it are fast approaching. Here are 10 quick and easy tips
for managing stress. Please feel free to share them with your
friends and colleagues.
1) Focus on your strengths not on your weaknesses.
Perfectionists take note: the average American is 32 years
old, married, laughs 15 times a day, and has 27 trillion fat
cells. Nobody's perfect. Beat stress by going easy on yourself.
Focus on your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Don't
obsess over your weaknesses because perfectionism often leads
to procrastination.
2) Get up in the morning 30 minutes earlier. Start
your day with solitude and more clarity by rising a half hour
earlier than those in your household. Spend quiet time journaling,
praying or meditating. Just begin by writing your thoughts,
dreams, goals and fears. Start thinking about how to organize
your day.
3) Break the worry habit. 95% of what you worry about
never happens. Ask yourself, "Even if the worst happened,
what could I learn from this experience?" Have a plan B just
in case.
4) Spend time outdoors and out in nature. Especially
in fall and winter when the days get shorter, it's important
to spend time outdoors every day in the natural daylight.
Even if it's gray and overcast, research shows that time spent
in daylight, especially in the morning, helps reduce Seasonal
Affect Disorder or "SAD." Where I live in the Pacific Northwest,
I can actually notice a positive shift in my mood and that
of others when late spring arrives and it's light until 8:45
p.m.
5) Remember the formula E + R = O. Event + (your) Reaction
= Outcome. You can't always control the events or outside
circumstances around you, but you CAN control how you react.
This isn't a new concept, but sometimes we need to be reminded
of it. Most of us spend more time worrying about the things
outside of our control. I conducted a speaking engagement
recently in Seattle on "Dealing with Difficult People." I
reminded everyone of the importance that their response plays
in determining their outcomes.
6) Laughter is a serious business! Laugh to reduce
stress. It's a well-known fact that laughter helps reduce
stress and build the immune system. Laughter IS the best medicine.
It gets those endorphins or "feel-good" hormones into the
brain and elevates your mood.
7) Don't overreact when dealing with difficult people -
especially antagonists. Antagonists, otherwise known as
"pot stirrers," often have a desire for dissention. They're
looking to purposely rattle your cage, ruffle your feathers,
and get you to say something you'll regret. As Zig Ziglar
once said, "No one can get your goat if they don't know where
it's tied up."
8) Reward yourself for a job well done. Indulge in
a massage, manicure or pedicure. Recently I had the glorious
pleasure of staying at the Phoenician hotel in Scottsdale,
Arizona. Splurging on an hour-plus massage worked wonders!
Not to mention lying out by the pool enjoying the beautiful
desert scenery of Camelback Mountain, and later, Sedona.
9) Check your adult at the door. Act like a kid again!
Play, run, engage in a favorite sport or hobby like golf,
tennis, or hanging out with your children at the park. Make
sure to have a date night with your spouse or significant
other. Take a day off and play at the beach doing something
you haven't done in years like playing Frisbee or building
sand castles.
10) Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. List 10 things
you're grateful to have in your life. Revisit and appreciate
the simplest of pleasures. Sip your favorite cup of gourmet
coffee. Sit outside in the springtime in the garden of a friend's
house. Enjoy sunset on the coast. Appreciate the feeling of
being more energized after a workout. Be grateful for your
health.
Decide today to make a commitment to do one activity that
will reduce stress and maximize success. Do it now. What you
do in the present determines your future. Enjoy!
Copyright © 2006, 2007 Colleen Kettenhofen
Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker, workplace expert
and co-author of The Masters of Success, as
featured on the Today Show, along with Ken Blanchard and Jack
Canfield. For more free articles and e-newsletter, visit www.ColleenSpeaks.com
Most popular topics: leadership, management skills, public
speaking, dealing with difficult people. Colleen is available
for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars by calling (971)
212-2412. www.ColleenSpeaks.com
Article Source: http://www.upublish.info
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