23 January 2013

100 WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS!


We all suffer from stress at some point in our lives which can leave us feeling out of control. 

What simple things can you do today to help reduce that stress and channel it in a positive way? 

Below are some suggestions - which ones might help you and can you add any more to the list?

And always remember, a simple prayer will be heard at any time of the day of the night......
  1. Tell yourself you are doing well
  2. Exercise regularly
  3. Make time to relax
  4. Run a hot bath
  5. Have a hot shower
  6. Reduce your caffeine
  7. Eat well
  8. Meditation
  9. Sleep
  10. Set goals
  11. Celebrate each little success
  12. Be optimistic about the future
  13. Better time management
  14. Do the things you must do
  15. Abandon the things you should do
  16. Do more of the things you want to do
  17. Play with your children
  18. Play with your friends
  19. Play with yourself
  20. Treat yourself to something nice
  21. Simplify your life
  22. Tidy your desk
  23. Clear out clutter
  24. Go to a comedy show
  25. Watch your favourite movie
  26. Count your blessings (literally)
  27. Forgive someone
  28. Breathe deeply
  29. Drink more water
  30. Stop beating yourself up
  31. Pamper yourself
  32. Make love with your partner
  33. Buy yourself a present
  34. Volunteer to help others with more serious problems
  35. Say thank you when you go shopping
  36. Say thank you to machines
  37. Say hello to your colleagues
  38. Listen to music
  39. Smile
  40. Get a pet
  41. Eat some chocolate
  42. Get a massage
  43. Go for a walk
  44. Take the phone off the hook
  45. Leave work early one day
  46. Say 'no' and feel good about it
  47. Go swimming
  48. Set up a squash, tennis or darts match with a friend
  49. Walk to the pub and chat with the people there
  50. Dig the garden and plant some seeds
  51. Arrange a weekend away
  52. Go to a cafe, order a drink and watch the world go by
  53. Call a friend and have a chat
  54. Take a walk and pay attention to the coloursm the plants and any birds and animals you see, hear or smell
  55. Prepare for tomorrow
  56. Transfer items from your "To Do" list to your "To Don't" list
  57. Turn down the lighting
  58. Have an early night
  59. Make a nice healthy meal
  60. Take a day off from stimulants like caffeine, alcohol and television
  61. Curl up with a good book
  62. Go out to lunch with one or two good friends
  63. Control your urge to be strong and independent, and ask for help
  64. Make time to laugh during the day - chat at the coffee machine
  65. Read a funny novel or buy a copy of Dilbert, Far Sidei or Calvin and Hobbs
  66. Let go of any grudges or resentments towards any colleagues
  67. Replace chocolate snacks with fruit or even vegetables like carrots and celery
  68. When you eat, pay close attention to the smell, taste and texture of your food
  69. "I should have" is a major cause of stress - if it's important do it, if it's not then let it go!
  70. Try out a new non-sporting form of exercise - yoga, tai chi, Pilates, Chi Kung, Aikido, Alexander, Shiatsu.....
  71. Join a dance class or club
  72. Turn on some music at home and just dance like no one is watching (it's best to make sure no-one is watching!)
  73. Get a manicure, pedicure or facial
  74. Get some toys and play with them
  75. Plan a great holiday
  76. Create and use a positive, de-stressing, self-affirming mantra
  77. Learn advanced techniques for managing your mental state such as CBT or NLP
  78. Turn off your email
  79. Turn off your computer
  80. Have a lie-in in the morning
  81. Take a break from the news - avoid papers, television or radio news and Internet news services
  82. Ask yourself: "How important will this seem, this time next year?"
  83. Pay compliments to the people you meet
  84. Eat more fruit
  85. Have a good stretch
  86. Take a nap
  87. Set aside time for silence - sit quietly and close your eyes
  88. Eat more nuts and seeds
  89. Have a good breakfast
  90. Savour the moment and focus on experiencing what you are seeing, feeling, smelling and tasting now
  91. Satrt to value your time as your most precious commodity
  92. Confide in a friend and share your stresses and strains with them
  93. Take a break - in fact, schedule regular five-minute breaks into your work pattern
  94. Make sure you have half an hour of time to yourself each day
  95. Plan what you will do on your weekends so you will use them well
  96. Go out to a concert or play
  97. Take yourself to somewhere beautiful and spend time admiring the view - especially at that golden hour around dawn or dusk
  98. Take a day or even a week off and go away somewhere spontaneously
  99. Have a nice cup of tea and a biscuit
  100. RELAX!

4 January 2013

A GREAT QUOTE.....

A great quote from a great man, which is equally relevant now
(especially as we start a new year) as it was then....

 
So, as we start 2013.....