Stress Free Living – Top 9 Ways to Beat Stress

Stress is a common part of life. However, that does not mean that we should just accept it and let it roll over us! Not at all; there are many things that you can do to get rid of stress whenever it occurs so that you stay focused on leading a healthy and happy life.

Easy Steps to Getting Rid of Stress

One: Be less busy!
In general, people take on a lot more than they can handle. There are various reasons for this. For one, you may not realize just how much you can and cannot do or you may have underestimated the time allotted for certain tasks. It can also be that you find it hard to say no to certain things especially if you think that saying ‘no’ means that you’re admitting a certain level of incapability.

So sit down and make a list of everything you are involved with and see which ones you can cut out. For instance, to which clubs do you belong? Are you really an active member or are you really interested in the group? If not, then drop it!

Two: De-clutter.
When you are in an unorganized environment, you’re mental state tends to be disorganized, causing a high level of stress. Here’s a simple exercise: sit down in your living room or bedroom or whatever room you like. Look around and see which items can be thrown or at least boxed up. Anything you haven’t used or touched in 2 months should go!

Apply the same process in other rooms of your home and even at work. You’ll soon realize that an organized and clean home and workspace brings clarity and focus to your mind, avoiding any stressful situations.

Three: Budget your finances wisely.
One of the biggest stressors in life is the lack of money. One way to beat this issue is to learn to budget your resources better. You’ll be surprised at how much you can save by simply cutting out certain items. For instance, do you really need that $3 latte run every morning? Don’t be afraid to seek professional help too (e.g., financial planner) if you really want to turn around your finances.

Four: Exercise!
Apart from losing excess weight, exercising also helps you get rid of stress. Endorphins are released when you work out and this gives you a feeling of well-being.

Five: Eat right.
We consume too many chemically-manufactured food items these days and as they say “you are what you eat”. So try to go back to basics and opt for organically grown and produced items. Even if you don’t do this, simply cooking and eating at home can cut oil and salt intake tremendously! So eat well and your body and mind will follow.

Six: Say NO at work.
If you find yourself always running after deadlines and feeling completely swamped all the time with work, learn to say NO. Take good stock of your day-to-day work activities and see which ones you can cut out. And after you do this, see to it that you don’t take on anything extra if you can help it!

Seven: Enjoy what you have.
Enjoy what you do have. In our society you’ve probably learned somewhere along the way that more is better. Well, it’s not.
When you learn to be content with what you have right now, you’ll find much more peace within yourself

Eight: Talk to someone.
The benefits of having someone listen to you are tremendous! So go and reach out to someone and just try to get things off your chest. You’ll feel relieved and happy you did.

Nine: Keep a journal.
Sure you may have a lot of friends you can turn to, but it’s also important to write down what you feel NOW. But remember that journaling is not just for the ‘bad times’. Write down good times too so that each time you’re stressed, all you have to do is read some of those great entries and you’ll feel an immediate sense of relief, gratefulness and happiness.

Stress can eat you up if you let it so don’t. Prevent it by following the tips above. Good luck!

Stress Free Living with Gardening Therapy

Until a few years ago I would have never put stress free living in the same sentence as horticulture.  After all isn’t that  hard work.  What I found in Horticulture, more commonly known as gardening, is a calm, introspective activity.  A lot of people live in apartments or condominiums where there’s little or no place to garden. Then there are those who live in houses with well kept  lawns maintianed by a landscaper  because the homeowner has too much on her plate to garden.

Gardening requires time and you tell yourself you have too much to do and no time. Well, that’s the point – you need to get away from the stress of your day-to-day schedule and gardening is great way to do that!  Whether you have a enormous backyard or a couple of containers on a patio, you’ll be able to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of gardening.

More and more psychologists and physicians are prescribing gardening for stress reduction therapy everyday. Gardening allows you to enjoy an activity that’s nurturing and gives back whatever you put into it.

In our instant gratification world, gardening changes the importance of time. Plants don’t grow overnight. During the growing time, plants require attention and depend upon you to protect them from bugs and disease.

Gardening teaches patience that over-stressed, extremely anxious people don’t appear to have. If you’re facing burnout and stress from work or your personal life, gardening is an activity that gets you outside and actually helps to lower your blood pressure.

Gardening can also give you a secure place to take out your frustrations. Angry with  your co-worker?  Spend your time focuing you your gardening and not your colleagues.. Need to work out some anger?  Pull weeds.

And if you really would like to work out some emotions, work until your dead tired and sweating,  cut off a few  dead branches or  mulch the flower beds. In this ways, you get something constructive out of negative emotions.  Even if your thumb isn’t very green, you can arrange a Zen rock garden surrounded with easy to care for plants in small containers.

If you use small containers, you only stand to lose a few plants at a time. Then you replace the container and don’t have to dig in the dirt. That’s much easier and faster.  Another way to make your garden a peaceful place is to add a water feature.

Local home improvement stores have kits with everything you need and classes on how to set up a fountain or pond. Even a small water feature on the patio can bring more of a sense of accomplishment and peace to your garden then you can even imagine.

As you gain more gardening experience, you will be able to  grow different types of plants. Check with your local plant nursery for suggestions on what types of plants fit into the limits of your outdoor environment and within your skillset. Gardening might just become habit-forming it’s a effective way to decrease stress and provide tranquility.

Live Stress Free – 5 Simple Relaxation Tips

Everyone goes through times throughout the day where you just wish you could relax for even a couple of minutes.

You already know that rest helps your body re-energize, but sometimes you’re so busy and involved in the present moment that you just don’t  have the time to slow down.

Well, as luck would have it there are easy ways to relax, even during your most active days, that don’t involve a great deal of time or equipment.

Here are 5 Simple Relaxation Tips:

1. When you’re in line at the market: rather than stressing out because there aren’t enough cashiers and every line has 5 people with heaping carts of groceries, use that time to relax your body by taking a few deep breaths.

• Deep breathing helps increase the oxygen in your blood. Your blood then circulates that extra oxygen throughout your body helping your internal systems recharge.
• Taking five slow deep breaths will do the trick. The right technique is to breathe in and breathe out deeply through your nose and out your mouth.
• Not only will deep breathing help you relax, it’ll help to clear your mind, reduce brain fogginess, and you’ll feel a good deal more alert and prepared to take on the next project on your plate.
• Deep breathing can be done anyplace when you’re feeling stressed or just would like to clear your mind.

2. When you’re at work: It’s frequently difficult to find time to decompress at work. You may even get in trouble if you’re caught “relaxing.” Oh the horror! However, there are a few techniques you’ll be able to do while you’re at work to help create a sense of calmness that aren’t so conspicuous to other people.

• If your job requires you to sit at a computer all day, make it  a point you get up and move around for a couple of minutes every hour. This helps circulate the blood throughout your body. Just moving the blood flow will make you feel more alert and focused.
• While sitting at your desk, roll your head around, from side to side and from front to back with your eyes closed. This technique helps relieve neck tension, increasing blood flow to your brain, which is a natural and easy way to relax.
• If you’re on your feet all day, stretch out your back and sides by standing with your feet firmly on the floor, shoulder width apart, and twist your upper body, including your head, slowly from side to side. This will loosen up your back muscles and spine, releasing tension throughout your body.
• During a break or lunch period, go for a walk. Walking is a great way to clear-cut your mind and your body will benefit from the additional exercise also.

3. When you’re hurrying through a busy day: Take just a couple of minutes to daydream and escape the busyness of reality.

• Daydreaming permits your imagination to flow, causing instantaneous relief from the stress of the real life.
• Remember a place or experience that makes you feel happy or calm. Imagine how it smells, how the air feels, and who’s around.
• After five minutes of a calming daydream you’ll feel relaxed, reenergized and prepared to face the real world once again.

4. Wherever you’re at, smile: Smiling is proven to help relax and rejuvenate your body.

• When you’re out and about, smile at others around you.
• When you’re at work, smile at your colleagues. Not only will it help you relax, it’ll help relax them also.
• Smile at your children when you’re toting them around to all their different activities. This will create a peaceful environment you’ll all enjoy.

5. When the going gets tough, laugh: Laughter’s proven to be an instant stress reliever. Now I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want to be seen as a crackpot, so laughing aloud when you’re in line at the store or sitting at your desk may not be the best time. When you can, get someone involved in your laughter with you.

• Tell a amusing joke or story to a co-worker (at an appropriate time, of course).
• Play a fun game or sing a silly song with your kids as you’re driving.
• Watch funny videos on YouTube.

Engaging in these simple, everyday relaxation techniques will help to sustain and strengthen you throughout your day. It’ll also make it easier to relax when you get home. Your friends, co-workers, and family will all appreciate the new, relaxed you!

Stress Free Living De-Stressology Tip – Everyone Makes Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes – develop tolerance and patience.  The first step to finding peace of mind for yourself and others is by developing tolerance for mistakes.  Even you make mistakes too.

Stress Free Living De-Stressology Tip – Exercise With A Friend

Get motivated by exercising with a friend.   Exercises releases endorphins and boost your spirit.  It a great way to maintain a healthy weight.  Exercising can be difficult if your not inspired to be active.  So call a friend  make a “date” to get fit together.    When you exercise with a friend you encourage each other to go a little  further then you would have alone.

Use Positive Thinking For Stress Free Weight Loss

First ask yourself can I use positive self-talk for losing weight the stress free way.

There is no single answer because there is no weight loss program that will work for everyone. Certainly just sitting down and talking to yourself about losing weight will not be the only thing you have to loss  weight. .

It cannot make pounds drop from your body, but if used properly and effectively it can help alter your mental state and your receptiveness  that will lead you toward long term and healthy, balanced eating and weight loss. Positive self-talk is not about accomplishing things without having to do anything one at all, but rather about motivating oneself to find the willpower needed to accomplish them.

What is the first step toward losing weight through positive self-talk?

First, you must make a definite decision about the weight-loss process. Begin by reminding yourself that you are fully committed to giving yourself a healthier body and more balanced lifestyle. Tell yourself how great you will feel once you have achieved your goals, and continually reinforce those goals as your own.

But you can’t just tell yourself once.  You do it repeatedly over and over again.  Write out statements on index cards and post them around the house in places your sure to see it every day like the bathroom mirror.  Say it a few times when your in the car going around your day to day business.

And if you want it to be super effective record it with a small tape recorder and listen to the recording again and again.

Parenting Can Be Stressful

Children are absolutely the most amazing part of life, at the same time, they may be at the center of the most stressful part of your life. It’s our fierce love that keeps us from reacting in frustration and disappointment when things don’t quite go our way.

Stress from parenting doesn’t have to damage the relationship you have with your child. Truthfully, the steps you take to lower your stress, can strengthen the bond you have with each other. Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your child after all you need a high level of energy to be a good parent. .

Kids also experience stress. As adults sometimes we have the misconception and mistaken memory of childhood as one long parade of cotton candy and amusement rides. Yet, our kids today are falling victim to negative effects of stress in greater numbers then ever before.

There are fun enjoyable things you can do to eliminate or at least reduce stress at any age.

Soothing infant stress. For infants try a daily infant massage. Gently and softly stroke your baby’s legs, arms and body, to improve circulation and relax muscles. This can be an intimate time for bonding time.

Toddle time is a very exciting time for you two year old. If the terrible twos are wearing you down spend time playing with your child. Remember some toddlers are ready to jump into the next new activities while others are far more cautious. Respect your child’s individual style. Instead of spending time worried about temper tantrums and potty training enjoy the two’s with your toddler. Your only two once.

School Daze. Once your child goes to school it’s so easy to overschedule them and yourself. Select one or two activities that your child loves and set limits. It’s helps them to realize that life has limits. A quiet walk with your child can have an unbelievable benefit of connecting you both. Try a nature hunt of finding the most unusual leaves or stones. It’s fun doesn’t cost anything and you’ll both love the time you spend together.

Teens don’t have to be trouble, but they may be the hardest ones to deal with. Your teen is trying to find where he or she belongs and are looking for the “right group” to fit in with. But as quiet as kept they still want the love, support and discipline from their parents. The teen who’s parents lets them stay out for all hours of the night with very few limits will not have the same feeling of love as the teen who’s parents limit their activities. Don’t be too restrictive because it’s time for them to stick their toe in the water it’s just too soon for them to jump in. Be consistent, don’t loose your temper and never give up.

Now it’s mommy time. All life changes start with small steps. Here are a few small steps you can take:

1. Do something good for your body. No time to join the gym – go for a walk
2. Do something good for your mind. Sit quietly and have a mediation minute. And I do mean a minute. Just take one minute to clear your mind by closing your mind and taking deep breaths.
3. Do something good for your spirit. Tell your children what they mean to you and how much you love and care about them.
4. Do something to simplify your environment. Find 5 things to throw away today. Clean up the clutter in your home.

As a parent, it’s important that you spend some time alone, getting away from it all. But it’s equally important that you monitor your child’s stress levels too and ensure they aren’t reacting to their anxiety in a way that may be harmful.

Stress Management – It’s Easy to De-Stress – Just Say No!

Those most in need of stress management frequently are not the busy executive or the seeker of learning and higher consciousness. Mostly it’s people who are so busy with their hectic stress filled lifestyle they don’t have time to read a book much less meditate for 30 minutes a day. A “half an hour” sputters the busy homemaker, “I could have dinner made in half an hour”. Most of us are a product of the television and technology age. Suffering from have to have it now and it should be faster syndrome.

You take on the extra project and your to-do list becomes even as expansive. You find yourself helping friends or family who seek your assistants with tasks they find they aren’t able to complete. How do you say no and still look like a good guy or good gal.

Unless you have a ready made excuse – you can’t because you’re working or you’re out of town it’s really can be difficult to say no. Saying no we put ourselves on a self inflicted guilt trip. Feeling guilty not being able to help, and overwhelmed and resentful by the prospect of putting another task on the list. After all it’s in our nature to want to help others. It makes you feel wanted and needed.

Women in particular have difficulty with saying no. Being taught to be non-assertive and passive and to always be a help. Look up the word help-mate a companion and helper husband or wife. But let’s face it how many time have you heard the word used when talking about the husband? None right. Women take on the lion’s share of home responsibilities. Couple that with being the breadwinner and you may have a combination that screams “I’m stressed out”.

It’s time to put ourselves as #1 on our to-do list. We have to take care of ourselves first. And that means saying no to adding more on the list. Keep in mind that by saying no when you can’t take on another task is far better for your mental health because you won’t harbor any resentment of doing something for someone else when you essentially don’t have time or desire to do so. One thing you may not think of is to say no to technology. Turn off the phone, turn off the computer and television. They cry for attention, much in the same way as a friend or family does. And when they scream, rest and relaxation will simply float away.

Take care of yourself first. Remember you’re not the rescue squad.

Stress Management – 7 Reasons to Avoid Mismanaging Time With Multi-Tasking

Time management the great illusion. Often we talk about managing our time as if it were as simple as following steps one two three, and I guess in some ways it is. We all know, you can’t get back loss time. So in an effort to get more done on any given day you may decide multi-tasking is the answer. But this leads to mismanaging time and causes stress.

Do you think you can get three things done at once? If you do you’d have better think again. Any attempt to do so is foolhardy. Attempting to do too many task at the same time equals disaster in the form is mistakes, confusion not to mention the excessive stress and anxiety of trying to keep 3 balls in the air at the same time.

7 reasons to avoid multi-tasking time mismanagement

1. Attempting to complete several tasks or projects at the same time, causes overwhelm and incomplete projects
2. Thinking of more than one project at any given time causes errors and misjudgement
3. It causes fatigue and frustration at what you may feel as lack of “real” progress
4. Frequently causes a cluttered desk and a cluttered mind
5. Causes lack of creativity as you attempt to keep tasks sorted in your own mind there is no room for creativity
6. Projects take longer because of lack of focus
7. Causes you to feel more stressed and anxious

Here are a few ways to be more effective with the time you do have.

Brain dump by writing everything down. Once it’s written on paper begin to transfer the tasks onto a calendar. Write it in pencil so you can make changes easily. Keep a small notebook nearby. Instead of trying to remember everything that needs to be done write it in your notebook for safekeeping. Maintain one calendar combining your work and personal events and tasks to be sure nothing is forgotten. As tasks are completed use a yellow marker to highlight the task indicating it was completed. If you find you’re not able to complete a task on a specific date re-write the task on a new date.

If you find you have moved the task to 3 different dates because it was not completed, decide if the task is important, do you need to complete it or should it be placed as part of a longer term commitment. Finally, decide if your procrastinating and if you are, figure out why and make a decision as to what to do about it.

Is the job too big? How about breaking it down into smaller pieces. Often, the reason we find we can’t complete a task is because the task seems enormous and we become overwhelmed. The best way to break down the project is to list all the components of the task. For instance if the task is to clean the bedroom then list all the areas of the bedroom that need attention. For each component list the subcomponents – in this case list what specifically needs to be cleaned. In this case you’ll find cleaning the bedroom become easy because as you complete the tasks on you list you’ll find cleaning the bedroom becomes easy as you tackle one area at a time.

The Warning Signs and Effects of Stress

Stress can affect you  physically if you  don’t learn to deal with it.  It can really cause long term affect their health problems.  You can experience headaches, complaints effecting your stomach or even diabetes and cause your immune system to be ineffective.  In order for you to remain healthy, the immune system needs to be healthy and working properly.

When you allow stress to affect your wellbeing, you set yourself up for anything to happen.  One of the more common health issues you face are ulcers.
With Stress you can also experience the following:

• Backaches
• Pain in the neck
• Pain in the muscles
• High blood pressure
• Chest pains

Warning signs of stress include changes in your appetite.  You may be experiencing stressed if you’re not eating as much and experience  lost weight.  Or you’re eating more than usual and gaining weight.

You may be feeling tired or drained even though you had enough rest.  Often you’re more concerned about problems that you can’t control or wondering how they’re going to turn out.  You’re not sleeping well, if at all.

Your muscles are aching or your have headaches that won’t stop.  You can’t concentrate on the situation at hand and allow yourself to be constantly distracted.

Here are a few practical tips on how you can help yourself eliminate your stress.
1.    Keep the lines of communication open no matter what the subject
2.    Resist the urge to overreact to negative situations
3.    Begin an exercise program
4.    Have family fun time—see a movie, go out for coffee, go shopping
5.    Talk to a counselor
6.    Be aware of physical and personality changes

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