Today my job is offering a nice thing... a Stress Relief luncheon seminar. I originally signed up for it thinking it would be nice to get the free lunch ( lol ), but now I am really looking forward to it! We all have stress in our lives, it's inevitable & unavoidable, but there are things we can do to help reduce the number one killer. So, on that note, I have gathered a few ideas for you....
- Eat right & exercise
I know this is not something many of us look forward to. It seems that we hear this everywhere & for every reason. Hmm... If we hear it everywhere & for every reason, why? Could it be that it is actually good for us? Not only does eating right mean we get the nutrients we need and help to decrease our waistline, but it also helps give us the energy that we need to handle all the stresses that come our way everyday!
Exercise does the same for us. Although many times, our excuse for not exercising is that we do not have the energy, if we would just DO IT, we would find our energy increase many times over. This also will help decrease the waistline, the chance of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and so much more!
- Set realistic goals
This means not stressing ourselves out by saying we need to do more in less time than is realistic. If you need to repaint your house, don't expect to get it all done, alone, in one day! Plan, Plan, Plan!
- Handle important tasks first and eliminate unessential tasks
Is it really necessary for you to clean out the garage with it years of discarded items today? This can go right along with the above point. And if you don't absolutely have to go to the grocery store when you have 5 loads of laundry to do, then don't. Have a deadline at work and you want to dust the office? Worry about dusting after your deadline.
- Reduce the urge to be "perfect"
Oh boy do I suffer from this! One easy way to stress me out is to tell me someone is coming over when I haven't been able to sweep, mop, dust, etc... We tend to worry about what others think way too much! It's ok to not get everything right, we are humans and as such we have flaws.
- Reduce criticism of yourself and others
This goes right along with trying to be perfect. If you are constantly knocking yourself for your short-comings, then negativity is all that you will get! The same goes for your interactions with others. Look for the positive points with yourself & others. Negativity only breeds more negativity.
- Smile
Try it. The next time you are feeling stressed out, simply smile. Smile to yourself, smile to others. If you see someone else stressed or upset, smile to encourage them, and see how much better it makes you feel too!
- Have a girl's ( or guy's ) night out
Sometime's just getting out of the house with friend's can be enough to lift stress dramatically.
- Watch a comedy
Laughter really is the best medicine and if you can watch with a friend or spouse then you can reap the benefits doubly!
- Plan a romantic night with your spouse / significant other
I know for me, just a little time without the kids, without work, just with my husband does a world of good! It doesn't even have to include going out, it could be just snuggling on the couch or in the bed and watching a movie - though walks near the ocean or in the woods are my favorite!
You can find many more ideas from the resources at the bottom. The point is, stress is the number one killer and we just let him roam around, running free in our lives. It's time to capture him & lock him away for good!
Resources:
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