One goal I have is to reduce the number of times I respond to stress negatively and work toward "rewarding" my stress with bad habits.
I will walk more often and work at relieving stress by relaxing with friends and family.
I definately have some unhealthy coping mechenisms. I will begin developing healthy coping mechanisms such as swimming and walking to help me deal more effectively with eliminating the effects of stress.
I find it most helpful to just put everything aside and go fishing...It really reduces the stress.
These are all great points Mark! Animals are great when it comes to reducing stress. They actually have a few built in stress reducing behaviors that we can really learn from. For example, dogs remember to stretch frequently and enjoy doing so.
Well I usually talk about my day with my wife, if I'm overly stressed out I play guitar for hours on end and exhaust myself in music. I also play with my dogs alot, I have 5 of them, so running them at the park helps out bunches! To stop, take a deep breath, focus on what matters in life, and continue, these little steps help out when looking for a calming focus.
You might be surprised at how much your students enjoy it. I have done this with some of my face to face classes and it has worked quite well. But actually, there's really nothing stopping instructors from doing it with online classes too.
Try the breathing and streatching by myself and get my class to do it in class
I think it is important to attempt to "re-think" these issues and not allow them to be such major detractors from our daily lives. Often putting what is good in ones life before what is negative is the first step. Surrounding ourselves with positive thinkers and creating additional outlets for creative/healthy stress busters is also an important step.
Yes, even a short walk can do the trick. Even 15 minutes works great.
This is a nice outlook Adam. It's important to know what we can control and what we cannot control, and just find ways of moving forward.
Great point about caffeine intake Roy. Limiting caffeine intake can also impact your mood and outlook long-term.
I think I will try the breathing and stretching exercise and get my class to do it with me - wounder how they will react to it?
I have been taking very short walks several times a week and I feel better about my stressors.
I will be watching my caffeine intake which should also help with getting better quality sleep. And taking regular walks, to go along with the exercise I get from yardwork. The section on breathing was interesting - I've noticed that I tend to tense up and hold my breath while studying some really difficult material.
Putting stressors, especially ones we cannot eliminate, into perspective helps me to accept certain stressors. However, this process also allows me to realize other stressors that I though I had to accept, actually could be eliminated if I did things differently. For instance, the example of the Nursing Instructor who cannot e-mail. If the Instructor takes a class and masters the art of e-mail, then the stress is eliminated as he/she has improved their competency in that arena.
How can I deal with stressors that cannot be eliminated . . . realize that they are either not that important or are out of my control.
I will make more time for me. I need to stop taking other peoples stresses to heart and move on. I have started reading again and it helps.
Multitasking to reduce stress can actually work great. I know a lot of faculty members who exercise while they watch TV.
I see that the breathing and stretching exercise will be helpful for me with the stress that I cannot eliminate or reduce when I cannot get away to exercise. Also, I will schedule at least 10 minutes of exercise a day, probably when watching the news.
Great idea Scott. Jogging is a great way to cope with stress, and has other benefits too.
