-
Have lofty goals, but
have limited ones. Rather than having 18, 2 or 3 will do. Make sure
goals are realistic. Don't work for something totally out of reach.
-
Divide what you need to
do into A, B,and C priorities with the A's being the most important.
This helps eliminate items that don't need to be done. Also plan your
schedule on a weekly and monthly basis to allow time to complete
assignments and prepare for tests. Give yourself deadlines that come
before instructor deadlines. Come to class 5 minutes early on test days
to reduce your stress level.
-
Active Exercise.
Exercise is a great way to release physical and mental tension, so
physically fit people handle stress more easily than those who are not
fit. A regular exercise program sbould include some form of aerobic
activity such as running, walking, swimming, or bicycling. Most doctors
recommend 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times each week.
-
Have proper nutrition
and eating habits. Cut down on sugar, sodium. and fatty foods. Eat
more fruit vegetables, and whole grain foods. Don't forget to eat
breakfast. Eat slowly, and remember a meal is not a race!
-
Try not to worry about
potentially unpleasant situations. Things rarely turn out as bad as
what we imagine them to be.
-
Don't accept substitutes
for stress management. This means you should moderate or eliminate
your intake of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. Alcohol can mask feelings of
stress, but can't erase emotional and physical tensions.
-
Avoid caffeine.
Relying on coffee or tea. to get you through the day may leave you a
bundle of nervous energy, and not in a relaxed state of mind.
-
Avoid nicotine.
Cigarette smoking speeds up the brain, increases blood pressure, robs
oxygen from the body and interferes with a person's ability to reduce
stress.
-
Lead a balanced life,
not one preoccupied with work, school, money , or social activities.
-
Have escape routes which
allow for relaxation: read a book; take a long bath; visit a friend,
etc. Do something you enjoy. Do it regularly, at least a half hour each
day.
-
Balance negative with
positive events to look forward to.
-
Have a sense of humor.
We need to be able to laugh at ourselves, and not see life as just a
serious, difficult situation.
-
Learn to say NO!
Trim such unessential activities as volunteer work, serving on
committees, even maintenance jobs around the house.
-
Don't try to conform
to imprisoning and punishing social roles (perfect mother, strong male,
etc.)
-
When you reach the "I
can't cope," level, you need a little distance from your problem to
figure out how to deal with the situation.
-
Work out anger.
Don't let anger get the best of you. Get involved in some useful
physical activity instead.
-
Talk out worries.
Talking with a trusted friend or family member goes a long way toward
putting your problems in perspective.
-
Dealing with criticism.
People who are stress resistant view criticism as information. They can
accept it, reject it, use it, or ignore it. For them it is information,
not devastation.
-
Use "positive head
talk". We all have conversations in our beads all the time and for
many of us this talk is negative. The "up " people we like to be around
tend to have a basic orientation toward optimism and cheerfulness. They
look forward to anything new. This is learned behavior.
-
Pamper yourself.
Frequent small rewards are more effective than one big reward.
-
Energy and time spent
worrying about uncontrollable events is time totally wasted.
-
Live on your net income,
not your gross, and watch spending habits.
-
Work toward better
communications with others.
-
Rehearsal is a way to
prepare for potentially stressful situations before they occur
.Think over the situation, go over the details, plan to take action, and
visualize yourself proceeding successfully.
-
How we interpret things
around us can cause stress. Interpreting a sour look from your boss
or instructor to mean that you are doing a bad job is likely to produce
anxiety . Interpreting the same look as tiredness or preoccupation with
personal problems will not be as frightening.
-
Think positive. It's
like giving yourself the go ahead to succeed!
