Lee, Interesting perspective and I have met a lot of instructors who are designed the same way. Sometimes it's tough to complete tasks when we are tired. Also, some people are just morning people. They do better in the morning whether they are tired or not. Knowing who you are and what you need can give you a significant advantage.
Dr. Melissa Read
Sean, So true. It's nice to connect with people who have been in your situation, particularly those who have found good solutions for dealing with the challenges you face.
Dr. Melissa Read
Dr. Read,
I will definitely try to sleep more. I have found that trying to do things when I am tired only makes the task more difficult to complete. There have been many situations where I have struggled with a task late at night only to find it significantly easier to complete in the morning. The biggest struggle I find is structuring my day so that I can get enough sleep each night.
Watching movies with my husband is a healthy way to de-stress, not drinking coffee like I have been in the past
In the future I will try making a stress list. Hopefully with this list, I'll have better results in trying to reduce the large amounts of stress in my life.
I think that having conversations with peers that have gone through similiar challenges can be a healthy coping mechanism
I always find excercising is a great coping mechanism.
Just keeping things in persepctive really helps. Knowing that I can be DONE and not have to think about work, for example, and enjoy a relaxing weekend at home with my family. I always come back to the workweek feeling refreshed.
I am also a big fan of yoga. Mind/body connection- stretching and breathing with meditation- PERFECT for stres relief!
I will talk with my husband more, as well as my best friend, about what is bothering me to help ease my stress. I love to run, so running a bit each day will probably help me as well. Also, people are always telling me to try deep breathing and meditation techniques, so I think I will try those to help manage my stressors.
I enjoy being active so all of the physical activities appeal to me. The breathing and stretching daily does help. I also plan some "me time" into my weekend schedule to read, window shop, get a massage, engage in a hobby,etc. This not only helps at the time but is something I really look forward to all during the week. Amazing as it may sound, doing something for others is a fantastic stress reliever.
Jerry, Excellent to hear Jerry. Planning a new exercise routine can be rewarding, but tough. Sometimes it's hard to get started. I recommend starting small. Do a little each day and get into the good habit slowly.
Dr. Melissa Read
Frances, Interesting approach. I like how you are able to do this coping mechanism almost anywhere - and indoors for the winter too! When we get creative, we can come up with all kinds of innovative ways to cope with stress.
Dr. Melissa Read
Richard, Sounds like you've got a range of methods that work great for you Richard. Wonderful to hear! It's nice to have a diverse set of activities to choose from to give ourselves a little variety in the way we cope.
Dr. Melissa Read
When I think about my stressors that I cannot eliminate, I think that I could at least reduce the amount I let them affect me. I plan to start excercising and think that will help me reduce stress.
Jerry
If I am sitting,I run, my legs and feet go up and down, except I am not going anywhere. It really warms you and gets the blood and oxygen flowing!!! Like the commercial that is on T.V. currently!! Or just bounce your legs. Great expenditure of energy!
I have used exercising, day trips, and sports and ways to cope.
Traci, Glad to hear this module helped you. It's really important to take a step back every now and then and discover all of the things that stress us out. Sometimes things bother us but we are not really aware of their impact. It's good to identify those things, and do something about them too.
Dr. Melissa Read
Anthony, Sometimes we need to compensate with additional exercise when we don't get enough physical activity. If you are in the classroom too much, get out there and take an exercise break every now and then.
Dr. Melissa Read
Frances, Running in place is a new one! I'd love to learn more about how that works!
Yes, deep breaths and stretching can really help. I know of some instructors who guide their students through these exercises during exams.
Dr. Melissa Read
Take a walk and breathe. I guess it is a good thing that I do that anyway. I don't do well with stress. My hair falls out and many other bad things, stomach pain, neck stiffness. I mean the list goes on and on, so at all rate I try to eliminate the things or people in my life who cause stress, whom I can eliminate.
