A dozen of proven ways to reduce your stress level

STRESS! It’s the number one disease of our time. There was a time that I felt I was losing control over my life. Too much work; too little time to do it; uncertainty as to what’s going to happen in future, especially within the recession as we have experienced over the past few years. No-one is immune against it. We all experience varying degrees of stress at times as a result of various issues and concerns troubling us.

The worst thing about stress is the fact that we fall victim to it and feel that we have the minimum – if at all – control over it.
 
“It’s not the stress that kills us; it is our reaction to it” – Hans Selye; pioneer stress researcher

Not all stress is bad. It is a natural phenomenon in life and necessary for our growth and development. Many of the things that stress us on a daily basis are realistic and objective. However, we can 'turn on' the stress response with unhelpful stress thoughts, beliefs or attitudes. Many times our response to stressful situations is subjective and even more stress provoking. As a result, we overeat or cease eating, smoke excessively, consume too much alcohol, drink excessive amounts of coffee, cease to exercise and a plethora of other unhealthy behaviour patterns. This only succeeds in creating even more stress in our bodies.

The good news is: You are in control and can do something about it!

HOW?  By learning to react differently towards stress.

The ways I am about to share with you to significantly reduce your stress levels have been proven time and time again. First of all, just to admit to yourself that you are stressed, is already a long way toward improving your reaction to it. Now you can start doing something about it!

1.      Talk to someone you trust about what is worrying you.

2.      Set goals you can reach and use your energy to do the most important and possible tasks. Do not blame yourself if you are unable to reach all your goals; simply push these out to next time.

3.      Eat a balanced diet consisting of fresh foods. Steer clear of some foods proven to increase and prolong stress levels, e.g. coffee, chocolate, alcohol and soft drinks.

4.      Make time (at least three times a week) for exercise such as walking, swimming or anything else physical that you enjoy doing.

5.      Better organise your work habits by getting up 10 minutes earlier so there's no need to rush; break large projects down into small achievable steps; and spend 10 minutes at the end of each day preparing for the next day. This helps you to start feeling more in control of your life.

6.      Give yourself a breather every now and then by taking time out for a weekend or a well-deserved holiday. Even just giving yourself half an hour at the end of the day to simply sit and relax, does wonders!

7.      Become more assertive at work by learning to say NO if you simply cannot help someone. By treating life as a popularity contest, you're not doing yourself any favours.

8.      Focus on what you do well and recognise and acknowledge your good qualities. Practice positive 'self-talk.' It works!

9.      Try to go for a massage every so often, take a soothing hot bath, or listen to your favourite music. There also are some excellent relaxation techniques available, which from my own experience, work extremely well. Whatever you do, learn what works for you and practise it regularly.

10.    Ensure you get sufficient sleep. There’s nothing more tiring and stressful to the body if you’re already stressed and get less than eight hours of sleep on top of it.

11.    Try and laugh more often by watching a comedy on DVD, reading a hilarious bibliography, visiting a comedian show, or simply enjoy some fun activity with your family or friends. Remember that laughter is healing to your inner self.

12.    Seek out a local counselling service or speak to your medical doctor about how you feel. They will know someone in your city, town, or community who they can refer you to.

I want to challenge you to start taking control over those worries and the things that are bugging you. Do something about it right now! Even if you just apply one or two of the techniques above, it will do wonders to get you feeling that you are taking control and claiming back the person you really are!

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