STRESS-BUSTERS
Quick Tips for Reducing Stress
& Its Effects
On Your Life
Peggy Elam, Ph.D.
Be kind to yourself.
Say "no" when you need (or want) to.
Talk about what's bothering you. Or write about it, even if for
your eyes only.
Pace yourself. Stop before you get tired.
Take one thing at a time. If you're feeling overwhelmed, divide
your list into manageable parts. Prioritize the list and start at the top.
(If you don't get to everything on the list, what's left undone will be
less important than what you did get done.) Or, if you're having
trouble doing anything at all, start with whatever is easiest to do.
Completing that task can give you a feeling of accomplishment that can
help you tackle more difficult chores.
Take —
or make —
time for activities you enjoy, whether a hobby, club, or special
project.
Detox your environment. Clear your
home, your job, your relationships, your life of things that drain
your energy. If a problem is fixable, take care of it — you'll appreciate
the payoff in stress reduction. If it's not worth fixing, or it no longer
fits you, chuck it. (Recycle or give it to a friend or charity if someone
else might be able to use it.)
Don't try to be Superman or Superwoman.
Move your body regularly, whether that be through traditional
exercise, walking, dancing, gardening, yoga, or tai ch'i
—
whatever you enjoy.
Eat nutritiously, including a wide range of foods you enjoy.
(While you're at it, let go of guilt around eating. There are no bad
foods.)
Get enough sleep. Go to bed earlier, get up later, or take naps
—
whatever works.
Laugh every day.
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Go to Emotional First Aid article
Go to 101 Ways to Cope with
Stress
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