There is an insidious problem that can sneak into your life and turn
it upside down. It can wreck your health, your relationships and your
career.
As you probably guessed, I am talking about stress. Yes, we’re all exposed to it, but we don’t have to become infected. Leo Babauta of Zen Habits put together his top 10 list of stress busters and I wanted to share it with you.
Stress is a major problem for many people — a hectic, stressful job, a
chaotic home life, bills to worry about, and bad habits such as
unhealthy eating, drinking and smoking can lead to a mountain of stress.
If your life is full of stress like mine once was, there are some simple things you can do to get your life to a more manageable level.
Now, your life will probably never be stress-free — I don’t think
that’s even desirable, even if it is possible, because stress is
something that challenges us and helps us grow at a reasonable level.
But when stress gets too high, it causes us to be unhappy and unhealthy.
It wasn’t that long ago when I was working long hours in a very
stressful job, with little time for my family. I had a lot of debt and
too many bills. I was unhappy and stressed out all the time.
So I made some drastic changes. I quit my job. I simplified my life. I
started exercising and eating healthier. I began to eliminate my debt.
And I learned some habits that, when applied on a daily basis, can
really transform the way you live, in a positive way.
How did I do all of this? One thing at a time. I didn’t do a major
overhaul of my life. I changed one habit a month, and gradually over the
course of a year or two changed a lot of things in my life.
I won’t guarantee that all of these will work for you. They worked
for me, but each person is different. Pick and choose the ones that will
work best for you, and give them a try. One at a time.
1. One thing at a time. This is the simplest and best way to start reducing your stress,
and you can start today. Right now. Focus as much as possible on doing
one thing at a time. Clear your desk of distractions. Pick something to
work on. Need to write a report? Do only that. Remove distractions such
as phones and email notifications while you’re working on that report.
If you’re going to do email, do only that. This takes practice, and
you’ll get urges to do other things. Just keep practicing and you’ll get
better at it.
2. Simplify your schedule.
A hectic schedule is a major cause of high stress. Simplify by reducing
the number of commitments in your life to just the essential ones.
Learn to say no to the rest — and slowly get out of commitments that
aren’t beneficial to you. Schedule only a few important things each day,
and put space between them. Get out of meetings when they aren’t
absolutely essential. Leave room for down time and fun.
3. Get moving. Do
something each day to be active — walk, hike, play a sport, go for a
run, It doesn’t have to be grueling to reduce stress. Just
move. Have fun doing it.
4. Develop one healthy habit this month. Other
than getting active, improving your health overall will help with the
stress. But do it one habit at a time. Eat fruits and veggies for
snacks. Floss every day. Quit smoking. Cook something healthy for
dinner. Drink water instead of soda. One habit at a time.
5. Do something calming. What
do you enjoy that calms you down? For many people, it can be the “get
moving” activity discussed above. But it could also be taking a nap, or a
bath, or reading. Other people
are calmed by housework or yard work. Some people like to meditate, or
take a nature walk. Find your calming activity and try to do it each
day.
6. Simplify your finances.
Finances can be a drain on your energy and a major stressor. If that’s
true with you, figure out ways to simplify things. Automate savings and
bill payments and debt payments. Spend less by going shopping (at malls
or online) much less. Find ways to have fun that don’t involve spending
money.
7. Have a blast!
Have fun each day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. I like to play
with my kids — they take my mind off everything and are really
hilarious. I also like to play sports (again, often with my kids). Board
games are fun. Whatever you choose,
be sure to laugh.
8. Get creative. Throwing yourself into a creative activity is another great way to de-stress and to prevent stress. I like writing, but others like to paint or play music or sketch or make pottery or do interior design or build things.
9. Declutter.
This is a favorite of mine. I like to take 20-30 minutes and just go
through a room, getting rid of stuff we don’t use or need anymore. I
look around at anything that’s cluttering up a room, and get rid of it
or find a better place for it. When I’m done, I have a nice, peaceful
environment for work, play, and living. Do this a little at a time — it
can be one of your “fun activities”.
10. Be early.
I will admit that it’s hard to be early when you have to get 6 kids
ready (seriously — try it!). But being late can be very stressful. Try
to leave earlier by getting ready earlier, or by scheduling more space
between events. Things always take longer than normal, so schedule some
buffer time: extra time to get ready, to commute, to do errands before
you need to be somewhere, to attend a meeting before another scheduled
appointment. If you get somewhere early, it’s good to have some reading
material.
