I will find some balance. Choose to do activities I need to do after or before activities I have to do (like work), not necessarily what others think I need to do.
I will try to eat healthier, excercise and get more rest to start.
Excellent work Shelly. Really like the idea of your reduce and eliminate designation. Sounds like it's really working well for you.
I liked the list idea a lot! I have been a champion list maker for other parts of my life & simply had never thought about a stress list. Just like I learned, sometimes the act of writing out what's on your mind removes the item from your list mentally. By adding the "reduce" & "eliminate" designation, I have begun to manage the list effectively. I love it!
Exercise Exercise Exercise. Also sleep and eat well. Sometimes therapy works.
Yes, go ahead and start with a stress inventory. Sounds like a perfect first step. It's really nice to get all your stress down on paper and out of your mind. This will also allow you to take a step back and look at your stress holistically.
It's nice to take a step back and focus on a new task Karla. Running and gardening are two great approaches. When we take a step back, we're often far more effective when we return to our tasks.
Sounds like you already have several great coping mechanisms in place Gerlyn. Great work!
So glad this module helped you Teresa. Yes, it's true that sometimes bad habits lead to more bad habits. Ultimately, we've got to find a way to break the cycle.
This has been a revelation for me. I didn't realize how some things had become a source of chronic stress in my life. I was able to list these items and have begun taking steps to eliminate, reduce or manage the stress. I had become dependent on caffeine, which contributed to my inability to sleep. So I took something to sleep attempting to manage the symptom instead of the cause. Thanks for helping me come back to reality.
I take walks to de-stress. I also practice deep breathing exercises while walking. I always feel invigorated after my walks.
I also take the opportunity during my drive home from work to de-stress. I play books on tape or play my favorite CD.
One of the things I look forward to is talking to a friend on the weekend to share my stress/stressors. It is true that sharing is a healthy coping mechanism.
A healthy coping mechanism for me is going for a run or working on my garden. These activities helped me really step back for a little bit and focus on something else that makes me happy. I know I cannot eliminate certain stressors but this helps me mentally.
I am a pretty strong exerciser and yoga fanatic. I tend to internalize my stress a lot, so finding someone to talk to about my stress will be the best thing for me. I tend to take on too much and add unneeded stress to myself. I will definitely create a stress inventory to see what I can just cut out. I have a difficult time saying no, especially when a student asks.
Exercise has always worked for me in the past and will continue to work in the future.
Delegate those things that you cannot control or cause you to have so much stress is a great idea if you are able to do that. I have an annual report that I have to submit for accreditation and sometimes getting the information from other departments can be stressful, but I am persistant and try to explain why I need this information by a specific time.
I will continue to close my office door for a few minutes and close my eyes and take some deep breaths to clear my mind and allow the stress to be washed away.
I also am working on setting up an exercise routine to allow me to reduce my stress.
To address the question directly, I have to say that I will continue to talk about my stressors with my friends and family (not incessantly!!!) and try to drink more water and get fifteen minutes of exercise a day. I am planning on trying the exercise for a week as the module suggested and evaluate it at the end of that week.
Dolores Kiesler
I like your approach across the board Jeff. I very much agree with your point that it's easier to handle stress when there's less on our plate. The more bandwidth we have to focus on the challenges in our lives, the better.
I think that a simple lesson is that we can be better equipped to handle stress with the other stressors eliminated or reduced. Some of those stressors also take time away from us, so we feel that there is more time for exercise, lunch, family time and the other things that keep us whole.
Similar to the philosophy of 'paying yourself first', we should make our stress coping mechanisms, like exercise, a higher priority with a schedule that we keep. We keep a Saturday morning exercise class appointment that has helped me handle stress much better.
I also keep some recreational reading time, even for 15 minutes, before bedtime. This has been much better for me than working on course material right before bed. A cutoff time for bed, instead of trying to get one more thing done, has also helped,
I think that a simple lesson is that we can be better equipped to handle stress with the other stressors eliminated or reduced. Some of those stressors also take time away from us, so we feel that there is more time for exercise, lunch, family time and the other things that keep us whole.
Similar to the philosophy of 'paying yourself first', we should make our stress coping mechanisms, like exercise, a higher priority with a schedule that we keep. We keep a Saturday morning exercise class appointment that has helped me handle stress much better.
I also keep some recreational reading time, even for 15 minutes, before bedtime. This has been much better for me than working on course material right before bed. A cutoff time for bed, instead of trying to get one more thing done, has also helped,
