Stress Free Living De-Stressology Tip – Procrastination begins and ends with YOU

“I work better under pressure”, “I’ll wait until I understand everything before I start,” are the words of a procrastinator.    On the surface it may appear you’re just lazy.  But there’s a more serious reason to procrastination just below the surface.  It could be perfectionism, fear, or feeling overwhelmed.  Whatever the cause the outcome can’t be good.  In part you procrastination is a choice.  The first step is to accept it and the second is to decide to do something about it.

Natural Stress Relief Remedy – Aromatherapy

A natural stress relief remedy that most people never think about – aromatherapy.  The first part of the term aromatherapy is just a little misleading. Aroma is usually connected with the sense of smell but aromatherapy is more than that just smell. Although it is true that one method of delivering the therapeutic properties of the essential oils used in aromatherapy is through smell, they are also delivered by being massaged into the skin. Sometimes…VERY rarely….they are ingested. Ingestion of an essential oil should never be undertaken except under the direction of a trained aromatherapist.

There are over 500 different essential oils that are extracted from the leaves, stems, root or bark of various flowers, trees, plants and shrubs. Each essential oil is different and useful for fighting different diseases or different physical and emotional situations. Some essential oils, for example, promote healing by reducing swelling or fighting fungal infections. Other essential oils are used to relieve depression, anxiety or fear. Some essential oils calm while other essential oils stimulate.

The essential oil that is derived from oranges contains a very large quantity of ester which has a calming effect. An Orange blossom bouquet carried by a bride represents the peace and harmony that she will bring to her new home.

Research is being conducted but there as yet is not a definitive answer as to just how aromatherapy works or why. The sense of smell is one of the five senses that most humans are born with but it is also the one that is the most underdeveloped and underused. Researchers have concluded that certain aromas affect our brains in various ways. It is easier to see why aromatherapy that is applied by the means of massage into the skin has a direct effect on the body than why inhaling the scents has such a direct effect. But it is a fact that both methods of delivery have proven to be effective even if the reason remains elusive.

Almost all modern day medications have some basis in ancient herbal medicine. In our modern world, scientists have learned how to reproduce the properties of herbal plants that have been used successfully for thousands of years artificially. They can make synthetic copies of the elements that make herbs work. The problem with these copies is that they often cause many unpleasant or even dangerous side effects that the natural versions do not cause.

In our very modern twenty-first century world, many people are returning to the use of the herbal versions of the synthetic medicines prescribed by physicians in order to avoid the undesirable side effects. Aromatherapy is one of the ways that these herbal remedies can be used.

Stress Free Living – 7 Signs You’re Experiencing Time Management Stress

Living stress free requires time management skills.  The most difficult part of time management is to resolve that you actually do want to manage your time. In life, you quickly learn that your days fill up incredibility fast. You find yourself hurried and rushing to do all that you have on your to-do list. Constantly putting out fires, dealing with last minute crisis, and taking care of the unending details leave you little spare time for anything else and quite frankly exhausted and unable to think clearly.

If you never seem to have enough time to get anything finished you might feel constant, chronic stress. Have you ever seem to notice an hour might fly by like it’s five minutes or crawl by like it’s three hours. Sometimes your workday is over in a flash, and sometimes it feels like 5:00 P.M. when it’s only 11:00 A.M.

Fortunately, managing your time more effectively is something you can learn. Maybe you don’t experience time-related stress. Let’s find out. Take a look at the following list and check off what seems to describe you.

1. I feel that I don’t have enough time for myself, my family or my friends
2. I feel I waste too much time
3. I find myself always rushing
4. I find I don’t have the time to do the things I really enjoy
5. I find I frequently miss deadlines or late for appointments
6. I find I procrastinate too frequently
7. I virtually never work with some type of priority or to-do list

Stress Free Living- 7 Signaling You’re Experiencing Time Stress

Checking off one or two items on this list indicates your time management skills require a tune up. If your time is organized and you are able to devote your full concentration to one task at a time, times seems to expand in quantity and quality. You get something finished. You feel a sense of satisfaction. The time won’t creep by, like it does when your enduring something painful.

Learning how to manage time efficiently takes some practice, but if you have a plan, time management is easy.

1. Begin Small
2. Identify your time management issues
3. Concentrate on your top three
4. Just say no
5. Let it go

You can begin living stress free today.

Stress Less Now

Stress affects each of us differently, and the most effective ways to relieve it are different for each person. You can try different methods to find out which ones work best for you. Some techniques for relieving stress include:

Self-help:

Exercise. Regular physical activity is one of the most effective stress management techniques.
Write. Research shows that expressing yourself in writing can be a very effective way to reduce your stress level.
Express your feelings. Talking, laughing, crying, and expressing anger are normal parts of the emotional healing process.
Do something you enjoy. A hobby or other healthy leisure activity that is meaningful to you can help you relax. Volunteer work or work that helps others can be a powerful stress reliever.
Body-centered relaxation. This includes deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, yoga, and relaxation exercises such as tai chi.
Mindfulness activities. These include learning how to relax your body through meditation, imagery exercises, listening to relaxing music, and using humor to reduce stress.
Get Professional assistance. In some cases, self-help approaches are not enough. You may benefit from professional assistance. A qualified professional can help you pinpoint the causes of your stress, and develop appropriate coping strategies.

Feel free to leave a comment below.  Let me know what YOU think!

Stress Management – I Want An Attitude Adjustment

Negativity is a huge drain on our energy and only gets worse  when we’re stressed.  So what’s your attitude?  Is the glass half empty or half full. Do you see the downside or upside first. 

Being negative is a habit often brought on by past suffering and situations that significantly effects the way we feel.   But it can stop now. Even in suffering, you don’t have to be negative.  What’s the difference? Attitude! 

How do you change your negative attitude? First, become aware when your negative.  This may be easier said then done especially if you’ve sent a lot of your time feeling negative.

Write down how you feel in a journal.  Once you know what kinds of things trigger your negativity , you can begin to catch yourself in the act.  When unexpected things happen are the first words out of your mouth “oh no?”  Notice what your doing and tell yourself I don’t have to respond this way.  This stops your thought process. 

Just like any habit, the more you get use to halting your negative reactions and replacing them with neutral or positive reactions, the less you’ll find yourself reacting negatively.

To change my own negative tendencies of thinking negatively I’ve been evaluating my feelings.  Asking myself these questions:

1. Is the situation or just my perception causing me stress?
2. Am I expecting things to be other than they are?
3. Am I stressed because of someone else’s mistake?
4. Am I wasting time looking for a cause of this situation instead of changing my behavior now?

So do you want an attitude adjustment too? Well it’s your turn to choose.

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.

Identify Your 15 Early Warning Signs Of Stress

Simply speaking, stressors can be defined as that which produces stress.  Any factor that disturbs your sense of well-being.   Stressors can range from illness, financial concern and emotional turmoil. 

Indentifying warning signs is critical in that it allows you to be proactive when dealing with stress.  It will serve as your starting point for gauging your stress level.  It can also monitor your ability to balance your life. 

Without identifying these signs you risk long term negative impact on your physical and emotional health. 

Early Signs include:

1. Headache
2. Sleepless nights
3. Difficulty in concentration
4. Short tempered
5. Upset stomach
6. Dissatisfaction
7. General malaise
8. Irritability
9. Exhaustion
10. Weight gain or loss
11. Increase use of alcohol or drugs
12. Memory problems
13. Unable to relax
14. Feeling overwhelmed
15. unhappiness

Now that you have identified some of the warning signs of stress that has a negative impact on your persoan and prefessional life you can be more prepared to be proactive.  The emphasis here is to empower you to make the necessary adjustments to maintain a sense of balance and well-being.

Managing Time The SMART Way

Most people approach the subject of time management with one major question.  How can I get more done in less time?  Effective time management is a powerful way to lower your stress level, particularly when you use it to create a balanced life.

You’ve probably heard the acronym, SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic Time Oriented.  This time management system is ideal for your work or personal life.

S for Specific: Be specific. Should be written with the five Ws in mind?   Be sure to answer what, why and how. The goal must specially describe your desired end result within a specific time frame.  I will complete writing an e-book by March 30 2009.

M for Measureable:  How will you know when the goal is achieved. What is your point of measurement. It’s a numeric measure. For instance, I will write a 50 page e-book.

A for Achievable:  Is this goal achievable.  Something you can achieve on your own or with help.  Keep in mind you have no control over anyone but yourself.  Stretch yourself but make sure it’s something that you can achieve.  For instance, writing a 50 page e-book in a month if far more achievable then having a goal to write a 50 page e-book in the next eight hours.

R for Realistic:   Are the goals do-able and realistic considering the current environment.  Have you considered all of your constraints?  Are you expecting to write this e-book in the next seven days while touring Europe.  Would it be reasonable to expect to write this book while on a 3 day whirlwind tour of Europe?

T for Time Oriented: have you given yourself an end date.  You’ll get a lot more accomplished much faster if you goal is to write an e-book in the 30 days versus I’m going to write an e-book with no expected date of completion.  Your brain probably won’t wrap around a goal with no date.

A lot of people declare they work better under pressure. But you’re only fooling yourself.  What actually happens is you make a lot of mistakes under pressure.  These mistakes that are careless and preventable.

Use the SMART goal setting system to reduce you stress and accomplish more.

Let me know what you think about this blog and let me know your biggest stress challenge in the comment section below.

Stress Can Cause Chronic Headaches

Do you seem to get headaches frequently?  Not migraine headaches that incapacitate you, but common headaches that creep up on you and ruin your day. Stop looking for another pill to pop and try to identify the source of these headaches, which may be brought on by stress.

Stress and Tension – Stress has a way of accumulating like the clutter in your hall closet. Eventually, it just overflows. Along with stress, you feel tension in your muscles. And the tension spreads until your shoulders are tired, your neck feels like it can’t hold up your head and eventually – your head throbs.

The pain actually comes from decreased blood flow to you head, but that’s the physical explanation. The human body is 65% water dehydration triggors headaches and migranes.  The real root cause is stress.  If you want to stop the tension headaches, you have to take time to relax.

Walk away from work and take a break. Don’t bring work home with you. Give yourself twenty minutes to unwind after work. Lie down or recline in a comfortable chair. Put a cool gel pack over your eyes and think about anything except your to-do list and the problems of the day. You may prefer to use that time to meditate or pray. Just give yourself time to transition so that you can enjoy your dinner and prepare for a good nights sleep.  Drink at least 8 – 10 glasses of water a day.  All of these things will help reduce your stress levels and tension headaches.

 
Insomnia – You simply have to have a good night’s sleep. That means 8 hours, not 5 hours and a cat nap. You need enough restful sleep to allow the body to repair itself and overcome what you put it through during the day. If you aren’t getting enough sleep or good quality sleep, you are a candidate for headaches. And don’t try to self-medicate with sleep aids. See your doctor to find out the reason for the sleep problem and work it out.

Listen to the message in your headache and do something to gain long term relief.

Stress Management – What To Do When You Lose Of Your Job

A job loss is extremely stressful at anytime.  But today considering the economy and the current job market ,one of the most challenging personal crises an individual may have to face is coping with job loss. Unemployment, divorce and the death of a loved one are considered to be the most stressful events that can happen during a person’s lifetime.

The loss of personal identity associated with the job can be more devastating than the loss of income. There are problems to be dealt with, questions to be answered and decisions to be made. You must recognize this and admit that there is likely to be a major change in your life. The threat to your personal and family security is the biggest change.

Fears Associated with Transitioning

• What will I do with myself?
• What will others think of me if I fail?
• How am I going to define myself?
• Will I/we survive financially?
• Will I be able to get the perfect job for me?

Ask Yourself the Following

• What actually happened to cause me to lose my job?
• How did I receive news of the lay off?
• How did I react to the news?
• How long was I in that particular job?
• What was my relationship with my boss, my subordinates and my colleagues?

Coping With Stress
While you may not be able to prevent a job loss, you may be able to use some of the following coping strategies to make the loss easier to handle.

Give yourself time:
Allow yourself appropriate time to adjust to the new realities.

Embrace change:
Embrace the quote by Louis Pasteur, “Change favors the prepared mind.” Remind yourself that change can mean growth and that rigidity is counterproductive. Develop the ability to be flexible.

Pursue support from others:
You cannot do everything alone. Your family and loved ones can help provide the moral and emotional support that is needed.

• Talk with family and friends.
• Involve your family in the decision making process.

Live in the present:
People can carry a huge burden called guilt and anger about experiences. This will rob you of energy and create more stress.

Treat yourself right!
Exercise. Eat a balanced diet. Get plenty of sleep. Read a good book. Go to the movies. Find fun and interesting things to do that don’t cost much.

Know your limitations:
You cannot change others or circumstances, only yourself. Re-evaluate your direction:

Figure out your next steps:
Make a job search plan. Use multiple resources.

Implement your plan:
This is your new job until you have a new position you want. Being actively engaged in your job search will bring you nearer your goals and will go a long way toward alleviating stress.

Seek professional help:
If the stress becomes overwhelming and you are unable to function in a fairly normal way, seek help from your family doctor, clergy, a psychologist or social worker, or a hospital or community mental health center.

You’ll find you have a tremendous responsibility as you decide on your next career, determine your financial requirements, select health and life insurance plans, sort out your benefits and take steps to secure your future goals. It may take some time, however, if you target desired outcomes, plan accordingly and work diligently, you’ll, eventually, achieve your goals. Fortunately, you’re not alone.

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