Wow, what a great suggestion Rebekah. Sometimes a good magazine, book or even TV show can really take us away.
It's amazing, but simple deep breaths really can make a huge difference.
I think I need to exercise and when I'm unable to do that, stop and take some nice deep breaths, WOW what a differance just that can make.
I do yoga and go for walks. I also sing - not that I'm good at it but I find that focusing on the words or melody of a song puts distance between my mind and the stressor. It is especially helpful when the kids are crying; I start to sing and they stop crying to listen or join in. (Well my 8 month old won't join in, but she does stop crying!) If only I could sing at my desk...
I wish I could say that I exercise often, but I don't. My schedule is simply too insane right now. But, I DO plan to try to incorporate some kind of exercise into my schedule starting next month, when things are a little less hectic. I have found that, when I go to my local YMCA and get on the treadmill, I really concentrate on my music and can actually briefly take my mind off of all of my "things to do" list!
Here is a kind of eccentric thing I do sometimes when I am feeling overwhelmed with stress. In fact, I am WAY behind in grading all of my papers, so I plan to take a break and do this tonight. I will occasionally buy a magazine that I normally wouldn't buy. For example, some really light reading, i.e. People, etc. Then, I take 20 minutes of a break and just get lost in OTHER people's lives for awhile. It really is a cheap way to unwind a bit.
Thanks,
Rebekah Garrett
This is true. Warm up is important so you don't injure yourself. Stretching and breathing are two great warm up techniques.
exercise works best for me. When exercising, I think that it is important to warm up with stretching and breathing techniques
Increasing and making more formal my exercises should help tremendously with stress and also with my image of myself, which will also reduce stress.
This sounds like a great plan Rich. Good food, exercise and adequate sleep are the top three coping mechanisms for many instructors.
That sounds like a great way to cope with stress Walter. I like how you choose to do this at the start of your day, prior to experiencing stress. Probably gives you a better outlook and approach in dealing with stress.
Some of the things that I plan to do to cope with stress include healthy eating, exersise and getting enough rest so that I am not tired when I am working.
every day before breakfast i go for a 20 minute walk, no matter what the weather is like.this gives me some "me" time and also helps me cope with some of the possible stressors that i might have to deal with the coming day
That sounds like a great plan Bridgett. Yes, exercise has a number of benefits, only one being stress reduction.
Having a good sense of humor about the stress in your life is a great coping mechanism. It can also put others at ease when talking to you about difficult circumstances.
The ones that can't be eliminated or reduced are definitely ones about which I learn to cultivate a good sense of humor. This allows me to talk about them without bringing someone else down (these are usually shared stress points by other instructors). Just complaining brings others down, especially when they deal with similar stress and haven't yet figured out how to reduce the stress. When I can laugh at my own reactions to those kinds of stress then I can talk about them without "complaining".
In the future I'm going to deal with my stress by exercising more. I have already starting exercising, and I can see a difference in the way I feel. I suffer from migraines, and since I have started my headaches haven't been as bad.I have more energy, and at the end of the day I'm not as tired as I used to be.
Brdgett
I believe i might have mentioned this in a previous post. My health coping mechanisms include exercise and praying! The more stressful my day the harder I hit my treadmill.
Based on what I have learned in this module about healthy coping mechanisms, in the future I will cope better with my stressors by getting enough sleep, stretching, exercising and doing breathing exercises.
Exercise continues to be my therapy. Get away, clear the mind, forget for awhile, escape, seperate yourself. The list benefits of regular exercise continues to grow. Stress management is one of the biggest.
Hit the gym; and in time, the stressor may be gone.
