Stress Reduction

Stress Reduction Stress is the tension you feel when there are more demands on you than you can handle. These demands may come from your work, relationships, or other responsibilities. Stress is like an out-of-balance scale – the pressures on one side of the scale outweigh the coping resources on the other.
One important step in managing stress is to be aware of how you look at the stressful situation. What do you believe will happen?
Do you feel you will be able to deal with the problem? People who cope well with stress usually have a positive outlook on life. They see a potentially stressful situation as a challenge rather than a problem. Their beliefs about the situation may actually have more of an impact on their stress level than the stressful event itself.

Below are some informational links and quick tips to help you deal with stress.

Stress Self-Assessment Link
Stress Vulnerability Link
Job Conditions That Can Lead to Stress
Simple Brain Yoga link

Ten Tips to Combat Stress:

BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY TO COPE.
Embrace your strengths. Remind yourself that you can influence the outcome of events in your life. Create action plans to address problems at work and at home.

LEARN RELAXATION EXERCISES.
Try deep breathing, visualization, and meditation. A hot bath, a walk in the park, and stretching exercises are also good stress relievers.

GET A GRIP ON GUILT.
Guilt robs you of your energy and motivation. Be realistic about your expectations of yourself at home and on the job.

TALK TO A FRIEND.
Talking about problems can help you blow off steam and give you the perspective you need to solve problems more easily.

DEVELOP LEISURE ACTIVITIES.
Practice a craft, learn to play a musical instrument, or join a community choir or a weekly bridge game.

ESTABLISH A REGULAR EXERCISE ROUTINE.
Stress produces chemicals that make you feel tense. Exercise helps move these chemicals through your body. Try to get at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week. Choose a fun exercise you’ll enjoy and stick with.

GET PLENTY OF REST.
Most people need seven or eight hours of sleep a night to feel renewed and refreshed. If you have trouble sleeping, increase the duration or frequency of your exercise sessions. Take a warm shower before bed.

EAT A BALANCED DIET.
Stock up on bread, cereal, rice, and pasta. Include lots of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Add calcium in the form of milk, yogurt, and cheese, and two to three servings per day of protein from meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, or nuts. Use fats, oils, and sweets sparingly.

IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION SKILLS.
Learn to ask for help when you need it. Defuse misunderstandings before they occur by talking things over with your co-workers, spouse and children.

LEARN TO ACCEPT AND ADAPT TO CHANGE.
Change is a fact of life. Major work and life changes are common. Whether you welcome or dread these changes, they can all be extremely stressful unless you learn to adjust to them. Take time to recover, refocus, and regenerate during a major change such as promotion, relocation, parenthood, or divorce.