EIGHT SIMPLE STRESS-BUSTERS

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EIGHT SIMPLE STRESS-BUSTERS

by Susie Cortright

Choose a life of less stress by identifying your stress points. You can start by

answering the following eight questions in your personal journal:

1. Look around you at all the ways you have created your lifestyle. Why did you

make each lifestyle choice? Why do you work the hours you do? Why are your

relationships in the state they are in? This exercise helps you to remember that

almost everything in is a direct result of a choice we have made and that we

have the power and the freedom to make a new choice anytime.

This is also an excellent tool for positive affirmation, particularly on those

days when the sacrifices you've made stare you squarely in the face. If you

discover that the choice you've made isn't the right one, outline the changes

you need to make.

2. What are your priorities? How important is your spirituality, your family,

your professional identity? Consider this ranking when you're called to make

choices and compromises.

When have you put your identity, your plans, and your self-nurturing on hold

while you took care of someone else?

3. If you had 15 to 30 minutes each day for yourself, how would you spend it?

Schedule time for yourself. Mark it in your day planner or on the family

calendar.

4. How much of your stress level is the effect of over-dramatization? Remind

yourself that the level of stress you experience is directly related to the way

you internalize it and the importance you place on your own dramatization.

5. Do nutrition and exercise contribute to your stress or help you manage it? If

you aren't sure, keep an energy diary to help you determine the hidden factors

in your lifestyle that may be robbing you of energy. Make a plan to change or

eliminate those influences.

Log the times each day when you feel beat or burned out. For me, it's 3 pm --

about the time I want to hit the cookie jar. Try to schedule your workout (not a

great big snack) for the time of day when you need an energy boost.

6. How easy is it for you to say " no " ? Respect yourself and your time enough to

delegate tasks and refuse to take on more than you can handle.

7. Are you multi-tasking yourself into more stress? When we try to do too much

at once, we are raising, not lowering, our stress level. Multi-task only when

you can realistically fulfill all tasks adequately. It's hard to tune into your

kids while you catch up on your own reading, for example, and you can't take

time out for yourself while simultaneously devoting the time to anyone else.

Decide which tasks deserve your full attention. Then give it.

8. Do you have the support network you need? Conduct a search at

http://groups.yahoo.com or http://www.topica.com for an online group that shares

your hobbies, interests, or lifestyle.

Author Profile: Susie Cortright is the founder of two " just for you " websites:

Momscape.com - http://www.momscape.com and BestSelfHelp.com -

http://www.bestselfhelp.com Both websites feature free weekly newsletters. Susie

also publishes a weekly scrapbooking newsletter, featuring cutting-edge

techniques for preserving your precious memories. You can subscribe here:

http://www.momscape.com/scrapbooking

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