Make a list.
Think of the things that cause you the most stress. Write them down, along with the level of stress they cause (off the charts versus a great deal) and how they affect you (keep you awake at night, make you feel shaky inside, etc.)
Take control.
Decide which things on your list you can do something about. Remember that you might not be able to control everything on your list. For instance, your kids leaving home or traffic jams are the trying parts of life. Even though you can’t control these events, you can control how you react to them. Instead of getting worked up during morning rush hour traffic, use the time in your car to listen to a book on tape or a morning radio show. Even small changes can make a difference and help you feel more in control of your life. Pick one or two of these suggestions and try them.
- Assign some of your household chores to other family members.
- Sign up for community services to help you care for a sick parent.
- Start planning early for holidays- create a budget and stick to it.
Unload and learn to say “no”.
If there are things at home or at work that you just can’t or don’t want to do, let them go- cross them off your list if you can. And don’t commit to new things just because you feel you have to. Say “no” to heading up that new project if you already have too many duties at work. Let someone else run the church bazaar this year. It might feel uncomfortable at first. But taking on to much and failing is more stressful than “passing” on a request in the first place. Work on shedding the “perfection impulse”. Don’t expect perfection from yourself or others. For some things, doing an okay job is just fine.
Practice Setting Limits
The key to setting limits is to first set priorities. Decide what is most important for your family and you, and set time aside for those things, such as family meals, fun time, or retirement planning. For everything that falls outside your priority list, ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that would happen if I didn’t do this?” If you can live with the answer, then drop it from your ‘to do’ list.
Learning to manage the stress in your life can help you live healthier and happier; enjoy your job, family, and friends more; and focus your energies on the things in life that really count
For more information contact Brenda Reece, 828-265-5434 or email: breece@regiond.org.