Stress is a hidden factor that is often dismissed or accepted as an unchangeable part of life. When extreme stress levels go unchecked for long periods of time, the effects are often very damaging.
Reducing stress entails making a first step, establishing a routine, being open to change, and listening to your inner voice. It doesn’t matter where you start. Often the most overwhelming problem comes to mind first, but sometimes it is easier to start in a place where you have control. Pick a place: exercise, health, asking for help, rest, organizing one spot. Perhaps it’s a smaller part of a large stressful problem. Find tools and resource information that will help you look at the problem from many perspectives. Once you begin to change this area of your life, establish a routine of keeping this area in order. As your stress level goes down, you will find other areas that can be addressed.
Sometimes this is just enough to open the pathway to the next thing, and the next. When I have something big to accomplish, a paper, a project, I always want to clean up the office, or go and garden instead. Occasionally, I’ll just go and do that. It wasn’t the project I should have been working on- but when I return I feel better, often spending less time completing the original project than I would have with other things on my mind. This method doesn’t fix everything- but it can help.
Don’t just sit there. Start anywhere you like- just start.
Reducing stress entails making a first step, establishing a routine, being open to change, and listening to your inner voice. It doesn’t matter where you start. Often the most overwhelming problem comes to mind first, but sometimes it is easier to start in a place where you have control. Pick a place: exercise, health, asking for help, rest, organizing one spot. Perhaps it’s a smaller part of a large stressful problem. Find tools and resource information that will help you look at the problem from many perspectives. Once you begin to change this area of your life, establish a routine of keeping this area in order. As your stress level goes down, you will find other areas that can be addressed.
Sometimes this is just enough to open the pathway to the next thing, and the next. When I have something big to accomplish, a paper, a project, I always want to clean up the office, or go and garden instead. Occasionally, I’ll just go and do that. It wasn’t the project I should have been working on- but when I return I feel better, often spending less time completing the original project than I would have with other things on my mind. This method doesn’t fix everything- but it can help.
Don’t just sit there. Start anywhere you like- just start.
Things to think about...
Where will you start? And when?
Where will you start? And when?
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