Better Breathing Blows Away Stress

Meditation is an effective stress-relieving technique, one that employs certain breathing techniques. It is a stress-relieving technique that will help to calm the mind, while creating a sense of relaxation and peacefulness all over. Meditation takes many forms, and a number of these practices are associated with religions around the world or other spiritual beliefs. Hinduism, for example, has many methods of meditation, including the well-known practice of yoga. As well, Buddhists reach enlightenment through meditation, and Jewish prayers have a meditative quality. Even many streams of Christianity employ meditation to an extent, such as the Catholic use of rosary beads. That doesn't mean, however, that meditation has to be a religious or spiritual experience. It can also act as a natural, and effective, cure for anxiety and stress that helps restore the balance and harmony of mind and body. People using meditation to relieve stress need to find a quiet place to meditate. There aren't any hard and fast rules about how to position oneself, but many people using meditation for its stress relieving qualities choose the traditional lotus position. This is a seated position that has the legs crossed, back straight, and shoulders level. Some others are more comfortable without crossed legs. Whatever the position used when meditating, it's important to keep the spine straight. That way circulation is improved and the slow, deep breathing that is needed can be done properly. Find a quiet place for meditation, assume a comfortable position, and get ready to begin your natural stress relief. Some prefer to stay silent while meditating. Others keep their eyes shut and hum or make repetitive noises. This helps clear the mind and allows people to block out distracting thoughts and outside sounds. A lot of people use a specific breathing technique and certain thoughts to get into the swing of things and enter the relaxed, meditative zone. A popular way to do this it to focus on individual body parts. Let yourself relax until your whole body becomes relaxed. This method uses deep breathing as well. These are known as cleansing breaths, as they bring more oxygen to the blood and help clear the mind. After these deep, cleansing breaths, breathing should change to inhaling for a count of four, and then exhaling for a count of eight. These counts help focus the breathing and clear the mind of other thoughts. Meditation isn't restrictive like medication is: there's no limit on the number of times you can use it. Use it as often as needed and for as long as required, without worrying about the problems with medication, like negative side-effects. In fact, it can even be possible to get results from meditation with only a one-minute session, though it's more common to use 20 to 30 minutes. Many studies have looked into the use of meditation for stress relief. These studies demonstrate that meditation lowers the chemical byproducts of stress. Meditation also reduces blood pressure and heart rate, it's been shown. This is an advantage to stress-relieving medications, which can temporarily take away feelings of stress, yet may cause harm to the body long-term. In fact, it's possible to see meditation being used in hospitals by patients suffering from serious chronic or terminal illnesses as a means of stress relief. It is important for them to do so because stress itself contributes to poor health. A report by University of Colorado neurophysiologist Dr. James Austin contended that meditation is able to reprogram the circuitry of the brain. Later on, imaging techniques used to look at brain electrical activity confirmed what he had found. At the Mind-Body Medical Institute, affiliated with Harvard University and a few Boston hospitals, it was discovered that meditation led to biochemical as well as physical changes tied in with relaxation, such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, metabolism, and brain chemistry. With all this encouraging research showing the benefits of meditation and breathing techniques for relaxation, it's not hard to see why thousands use them for daily stress relief and to improve their lives. Stress Recommended Products Stress News and Information
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Aldwin Pet is owner of the website: http://tedsworld.org and http://golfidea.org.

Stress Management: How Much Stress Do You Have In Your Life?

There are numerous ‘stress scales’ to measure your stress levels. In this article, we’ve give you several ways to approach the analysis and measurement of the stress levels in your life. If you are one of those people that accepts and tries to adjust to the stress, no matter how much life piles on your plate, you may be surprised at the results of these tests. Whatever you do, don’t take long-term stress lightly and feel you can ‘handle it’ without at least considering how you might eliminate, reduce or learn to handle stress more effectively. If you don’t address the stress in your life, and if this stress is long-term, you will experience physical, emotional and mental effects, and by the time you decide there is a problem, some of these problems may be difficult to solve. What makes this fact particularly dangerous is that we have all come to take stress for granted, and in so doing, we have gradually adjusted to the physical and mental toll stress can take on our bodies and minds. If you have a job, a relationship or a life that is particularly stressful, you may find yourself wondering if the stress you endure is hurting you. Will you know when the damage is irreparable before it is too late? Is the stress as bad as you think it is, or are you overreacting? These are good questions to ask. Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to all of the following questions and keep track of your answers. Then total your scores in each section, as instructed, to see how you did! Routines and Habits 1. My sleeping patterns have changed (I sleep a lot less, a lot more or at different times of day) 2. My eating habits have changed (I eat a lot more, a lot less or under different circumstances, I have problems with digestion, pain in my stomach, etc.) 3. My weight, exercise or recreational activities have changed (I exercise less, I am obsessive about exercise, I have gained or lost a lot of weight, etc) 4. My social life has changed a lot (I go out less/more, talk on the phone less, don’t feel like seeing anyone) Thoughts and Feelings 1. I am tired all the time, I have no energy 2. I am worried a lot 3. I have knots in my stomach a lot 4. I feel anxious even when nothing is happening 5. I feel depressed or ‘blue’ a lot of the time 6. I feel overwhelmed much of the time 7. I cry too easily 8. I don’t laugh often anymore 9. I don’t care much about my appearance or what people think anymore – I’m just tired of trying to please people 10. I often feel like my brain is racing in 20 different directions at once Relationship Problems 1. I have problems with my boss or co-workers at work 2. I have problems with my girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, etc. 3. I have problems with my children 4. I have problems with in-laws 5. I have problems with others (friends, neighbors, club members, associates) 6. I often find myself in arguments with others, or feeling angry or hurt by the behavior of others 7. I feel like I never have time for myself 8. It is hard for me to focus or concentrate 9. I miss a lot of appointments, or I’m late a lot because I have too much to do 10. I find it hard to say ‘no’ when someone asks me to do something, even if I don’t have the time to do what they are asking Changes or Life Events 1. I was recently separated or divorced 2. My child is having problems in school or in life in general 3. I lost my job 4. I have recently been ill or hospitalized 5. A family member has recently been ill or hospitalized 6. There has been a death in my family or in my circle of friends 7. I am having financial difficulty 8. I am having problems with sexual performance or in my sex life in general 9. I or someone in my family have recently had legal problems or been in jail 10. I recently moved or relocated or started in a new school or a new job 11. I recently had a new addition to my family (child, relative moving in, new dog) 12. There is a lot of disruption where I live (new neighbors, increased noise level, crime, remodeling of home 13. Our family or circle of friends does not seem to get together as often anymore 14. I just got engaged, married or entered into a new intimate relationship 15. I just got a promotion, raise or a lot more responsibility at work 16. I just took on a lot of new responsibility at school, in the community or with family (caring for an older relative, etc.) 17. I just retired 18. My child just left for school, got married or moved out of the house 19. I just changed careers 20. My spouse just started working outside the home, or got a new job 21. I just took on a large loan or financial responsibility 22. I just suffered a major setback (default on a mortgage, repossessed car, didn’t get the promotion I wanted, failed the bar exam, dropped out of school, etc.) 23. I am pregnant or about to adopt a child 24. I just got back together with my spouse or girlfriend, boyfriend (after separation or divorce) 25. I am working or studying a lot more hours during the week Routines and Habits If you didn’t answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, skip to the next section and continue adding your totals. If you answered ‘yes’ to 1 of these questions, add 2 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 2 of these questions, add 5 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 3-4 of these questions, add 10 points to your score Thoughts and Feelings If you didn’t answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, skip to the next section and continue adding your totals. If you answered ‘yes’ to 1 of these questions, add 2 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 3-4 of these questions, add 5 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 5-6 of these questions, add 10 points to your score If you answered ‘yes’ to more than 6 of these questions, add 20 points to your score Relationship Problems If you didn’t answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, skip to the next section and continue adding your totals. If you answered ‘yes’ to 1 of these questions, add 2 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 3-4 of these questions, add 5 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 5-6 of these questions, add 10 points to your score If you answered ‘yes’ to more than 6 of these questions, add 20 points to your score Changes or Life Events If you didn’t answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you can now begin to total your scores for each section and proceed to the TOTALS section below, to see how you did. If you answered ‘yes’ to 1 of these questions, add 1 point to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 3-4 of these questions, add 3 points to your score. If you answered ‘yes’ to 5-6 of these questions, add 5 points to your score If you answered ‘yes’ to 6-8 of these questions, add 10 points to your score If you answered ‘yes’ to 9-12 of these questions, add 20 points to your score If you answered ‘yes’ to 13-15 of these questions, add 30 points to your score If you answered ‘yes’ to more than 15 of these questions, add 50 points to your score TOTALS Total your points for each section and add them together. Now look at the list below to determine your stress levels. 0-10 - Your long-term stress levels are low. You are doing just fine! 11-30 - You have moderate levels of long-term stress in your life. You should look for ways to reduce stress (time management, more aggressive negotiation of deadlines, training in conflict management, etc.) 31-60 – Your long-term stress levels are a real concern. Review the areas in which you feel the most stress and work on those to improve your quality of life. Consider a meditation, exercise program, and/or counseling to help you reduce stress more quickly and analyze the areas you may need help so you can set goals and work toward reducing stress in the short term and long term. Over 60 – Your long-term stress levels are VERY HIGH. You should immediately assess the areas of stress in your life, talk to friends, family and co-workers, and begin a program to reduce AND to handle stress better. Consider exercise, meditation, counseling and other stress management techniques as appropriate (time management, training in conflict management and assertiveness, career change or counseling, etc.) As you assess your stress levels and consider options for dealing with your stress, remember that everyone is different. Each of us has a different capacity for handling and tolerating stress. If you have a high score because of temporary conditions that you KNOW will change soon, you need not be as concerned as if you have stress factors that are longer term. These will, over time, affect your mental and physical health and your relationships, unless you address these stressors and find a way to deal with them or get rid of them.
About The Author
Xander Rens is writes articles about stress management. He will give tips and advice about stress management. Also he will show you real working stress management techniques. Visit http://www.nomore-stress.com for more tips and techniques.

Beat Stress Now! 10 Easy Tips

"Never complain about your troubles; they are responsible for more than half of your income." Robert R. Updegraff Everyone's busy. Today many of us feel added pressure with fax machines, cell phones, kids and co-workers. The average worker fields 52 phone calls, 36 emails and 23 voice mails a day. And, the holidays and the stress that sometimes comes with it are fast approaching. Here are 10 quick and easy tips for managing stress. Please feel free to share them with your friends and colleagues. 1) Focus on your strengths not on your weaknesses. Perfectionists take note: the average American is 32 years old, married, laughs 15 times a day, and has 27 trillion fat cells. Nobody's perfect. Beat stress by going easy on yourself. Focus on your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Don't obsess over your weaknesses because perfectionism often leads to procrastination. 2) Get up in the morning 30 minutes earlier.Start your day with solitude and more clarity by rising a half hour earlier than those in your household. Spend quiet time journaling, praying or meditating. Just begin by writing your thoughts, dreams, goals and fears. Start thinking about how to organize your day. 3) Break the worry habit. 95% of what you worry about never happens. Ask yourself, "Even if the worst happened, what could I learn from this experience?" Have a plan B just in case. 4) Spend time outdoors and out in nature. Especially in fall and winter when the days get shorter, it's important to spend time outdoors every day in the natural daylight. Even if it's gray and overcast, research shows that time spent in daylight, especially in the morning, helps reduce Seasonal Affect Disorder or "SAD." Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, I can actually notice a positive shift in my mood and that of others when late spring arrives and it's light until 8:45 p.m. 5) Remember the formula E + R = 0. Event + (your) Reaction = Outcome. You can't always controls the events or outside circumstances around you, but you CAN control how you react. This isn't a new concept, but sometimes we need to be reminded of it. Most of us spend more time worrying about the things outside of our control. I conducted a speaking engagement recently in Seattle on "Dealing with Difficult People." I reminded everyone of the importance that their response plays in determining their outcomes. 6) Laughter is a serious business! Laugh to reduce stress. It's a well-known fact that laughter helps reduce stress and build the immune system. Laughter IS the best medicine. It gets those endorphins or "feel-good" hormones into the brain and elevates your mood. 7) Don't overreact when dealing with difficult people - especially antagonists. Antagonists, otherwise known as "pot stirrers," often have a desire for dissention. They're looking to purposely rattle your cage, ruffle your feathers, and get you to say something you'll regret. As Zig Ziglar once said, "No one can get your goat if they don't know where it's tied up." 8) Reward yourself for a job well done. Indulge in a massage, manicure or pedicure. Recently I had the glorious pleasure of staying at the Phoenician hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. Splurging on an hour-plus massage worked wonders! Not to mention laying out by the pool enjoying the beautiful desert scenery of Camelback Mountain, and later, Sedona. 9) Check your adult at the door. Act like a kid again! Play, run, engage in a favorite sport or hobby like golf, tennis, or hanging out with your children at the park. Make sure to have a date night with your spouse or significant other. Take a day off and play at the beach doing something you haven't done in years like playing Frisbee or building sand castles. 10) Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. List 10 things you're grateful to have in your life. Revisit and appreciate the simplest of pleasures. Sip your favorite cup of gourmet coffee. Sit outside in the springtime in the garden of a friend's house. Enjoy sunset on the coast. Appreciate the feeling of being more energized after a workout. Be grateful for your health. Decide today to make a commitment to do one activity that will reduce stress and maximize success. Do it now. What you do in the present determines your future. Enjoy! Copyright (c) 2006 Colleen Kettenhofen
About The Author
Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker, workplace expert and co-author of The Masters of Success, as featured on the Today Show, along with Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield.For more free articles and e-newsletter, visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com Most popular topics: leadership, management skills, public speaking, dealing with difficult people. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars by calling (971)212-2412. http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com You are free to reprint or repost this article provided Colleen's name, website and phone are provided with the article.

What to do About that High Stress Lifestyle That Could Be Raising Your Blood Pressure

This description of a typical high-stress lifestyle may sound familiar to you... very familiar... You get up in the morning, and you're running late, so the stress begins before you're even done eating breakfast. You rush off to work, stressing about whether you'll make it to work on time and then stressing about whether you'll get a speeding ticket on the way and end up really late. When you get to work, you're stressing about your job performance, your demanding boss and whether you'll get that promotion. When you're not stressing about your performance at work, you're stressing about your son's performance in school. As you're stressing over the traffic on the way home, you're stressing about your upcoming vacation plans. Finally, you're on your way out the door for vacation, but now you've got airport and flying stress! It seems like you can't avoid it. Out of the frying pan into the fire, from one stress to the next you go. It may even seem amusing on the surface, all these little things stressing us out, but it's not a laughing matter at all. Getting control over the stress in your life can be a matter of life and death. If you're perpetually stressed and you don't learn what to do about it, you could become a prime candidate for high blood pressure - the silent killer. Medical experts estimate that 90 percent of Americans will have high blood pressure at some point in their lives. With staggering statistics like this on their minds, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh embarked on a 13-year study to see if early-life stressors impacted someone's future blood pressure levels. Following more than 5,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 30, the researchers studied the subjects' cardiovascular activity through a series of rather unusual tests, including submersing the subject's hands in ice cold water and having them engage in stressful video games. After taking each person's blood pressure, they hypothesized that participants with the highest blood pressure readings would be precursors to high readings later in life. Thirteen years later, when the test results were re-evaluated--you guessed it--a significant number of those same participants had become hypertensive. The study was published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation. So how do you go about minimizing your tendency towards getting stressed? Is it even possible in today's fast paced, information-overloaded and hectic society? The answer is yes and you're about to learn how. First, I'd like you to consider the fact that I'm not suggesting that you stop everything you're doing. You don't necessarily have to slow down, you simply need to calm down. With that thought in mind, here are some action steps you can take starting today, which will make a big difference in keeping your stress levels under control, and minimizing the negative effects of stress that cannot be avoided. (1) Exercise - Besides being good for your body, exercise is good for your brain. Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which make us feel happy, and at ease. It also helps to increase the flow of blood in the brain, ridding the mind of waste products that develop in the course of stressful times when mental processes are in excess. Furthermore, the more fit you are, the more you're able to cope with events in life that bring about stress. I recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of walking most days of the week, gradually increasing to 45 minutes to 1 hour most days of the week. A study published in the December 2005 issue of "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" concluded that walking on a treadmill for just 30 minutes can boost your mood and feeling of well-being. (2) Eat Regularly and Healthfully - Skipping meals is probably the worst thing you can do for your health. Low blood sugar levels that result from skipping meals not only slow down the metabolism but slow down virtually every system in the body. This in turn affects your ability to think clearly and contributes to stressful feelings because of hunger pangs. Have a healthy breakfast for starters. One of my favorites is one cup of slow cooked oats, (not instant oatmeal which is loaded with preservatives) with banana, blueberries and a tablespoon of lecithin granules (very effective for lowering cholesterol). Avoid processed foods such as bacon and sausage, which are high in fat and lack fiber and nutrients. You should also eat small portions throughout the day. This will keep your metabolic fire burning hot and keep your blood sugar levels stable. (3) Learn to Meditate - Research indicates that meditating for less than 20 minutes a day is extremely conducive to mental health and minimizing stress levels. The key is finding the time to meditate and then sticking with it once you start. A study published in the journal of Psychosomatic Medicine concluded that a short program in "mindfulness meditation" produced lasting positive changes in both the brain and the function of the immune system. The University of Wisconsin-Madison research team found that meditation, long promoted as a technique to reduce anxiety and stress, might produce important biological effects that improve a person's resiliency. There are many ways to meditate, but start by finding a serene location, one where there are little to no distractions, where you can separate yourself from the world. Then, just like you see on television or in any other place that illustrates meditation, sit upright with your legs crossed and take long, deep breaths in and out. Focus as much as you can on your breathing and try to not let your mind wander. Be an observer; focus on your inner self. One of the reasons meditation is so effective at reducing stress is because of the power of breathing properly. Go ahead and try it - right now. Take a long, deep breath through your nose... hold it, hold it.... Then slowly let it out through your mouth, and say to your self, silently, RELAX. Even with that one single breath, you felt a wave of relaxation pass through your body as tension drained away. Now imagine what a session of twenty, fifteen, ten or even just five minutes per day, whatever you can manage, of deep breathing meditation or guided relaxation will do for you. The benefits of meditation are remarkable and this is not just some mystical Eastern "new age" prattle - the scientific research now proves it. One way to easily get started with a meditation is with hypnosis audios. Did you know that hypnosis sessions begin by using deep breathing to induce a state of deep, deep relaxation? In fact, when you "let go" and let a hypnotherapist guide you through it, whether in person, or more conveniently, by listening to audio, you automatically release tension, reduce stress and reach a deeper state of profound relaxation than any other way.
About The Author
Frank Mangano is a natural health expert and best selling author who teaches you how to dramatically improve your health naturally without expensive and potentially dangerous prescription drugs. Download a special F-R-E-E 38 page report titled, “The Best Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure, Reduce Your Waistline and Take Back Your Health” by visiting: http://www.thesilentkillerexposed.com.

Stress At Work

Stress in the work place is on the rise. A survey by healthcare consultancy, IHC highlights that 13.4m days are lost each year due to stress, anxiety and depression. This costs industry £11bn each year! Work place energies are dropping to an all time low according to another survey carried out by Adecco and the Chartered Management Institute. The survey also revealed that managers are working 14 hours longer than they are paid for and are not getting to spend enough time with their families. Life is becoming more time pressured and we're all faced with challenges that sometimes we feel we cannot cope with, leading to stress. If you're suffering from stress then you may recognise any of the following symptoms: mood swings, anxiety, skin problems, tiredness, muscle tension, poor concentration, changes in sleep or eating patterns, low self esteem or poor memory. If any of these symptoms are all too familiar it is essential that you take positive action promptly, as long term stress has a detrimental impact on overall health. Perhaps you're in need of some time off work? However, if you're not due a holiday for a while, here are a few tips to help you get through the working week: 1) Exercise improves mental health, emotion, and mood, and is an essential part of stress busting and relaxation. So why not get down the gym or join a regular exercise class? 2) The worst reaction is to use alcohol, cigarettes or drugs to relieve tension. Instead, take time out for enjoyable physical activity such as sports or dancing. You can involve your whole family in this and get fit at the same time. 3) When you do get tense, you also find that your breathing is much shorter, so you need to take deeper and slower breaths, and you'll feel instantly calmer. 4)Yoga is also recommended for combating stress, as it relaxes the mind as muscular activity is increased. 5)Make changes in your diet such at cutting down on sugar or caffeine, which could be contributing to the problem. Of course, eating a balanced diet is vital, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and drinking lots of water will help concentration. 6)Try to make time for rest and relaxation each week; it's vital for your sanity! Spencer cuckney, fitness expert, certified personal trainer with over 15 years experience and founder of Fitnessmaster offers 1-2-1 personal training, online training, nutrition services and specialized fitness services that fit your budget and schedule. Visit www.fitnessmaster.co.uk or call 07919101208 and begin meeting your fitness goals today
About The Author
Spencer Cuckney, fitness expert, certified personal trainer with over 15 years experience and founder of Fitnessmaster offers 1-2-1 personal training, online training, nutrition services and specialized fitness services that fit your budget and schedule. Visit http://www.fitnessmaster.co.uk or call 07919101208 and begin meeting your fitness goals today.

How To Manage Stress Through Meditation

Stress is often referred to as the curse of modern era. Meditation is one of the proven methods for stress management. Meditation is a natural healing therapy, famous for its multifarious effects on a person. The routine practice of meditation therapy in the daily life has been seen to remove most of the ill effects of stress. The reasons of stress include busy schedules, change in working patterns and revisal of the relationship concepts. However stress management techniques are given much importance because of the serious impact of stress in the physiological, psychological and social aspect of the person. The relevance of meditation in stress management is mainly due its capability to provide alleviation to the effects of the stress. Meditation is primarily a concentration technique, in which you focus to provide relaxation to mind. The relaxation of the mind is the basic necessity of stress management. Meditation is not a new technique; it prevails from ancient times as the method to bring tranquility to the mind. The increased acceptance of meditation in stress management is mainly because of the scientific evidence that support its effectiveness in that area. Experiments have shown that meditation will shift the brain waves from the right frontal cortex to left front cortex, which helps to change the mind from a tensed condition to a calmer state. With this practice, the body can switch the brain waves to resting alpha state or relaxing theta state and the stress inducing endocrine secretions such as cortisol and adrenal hormones can also be suppressed. The secretion of endorphins is also substantiated, which is a natural stress and pain reliever. You can manage your stress through meditation effectively by including it in your daily routine. There are many different types of meditation techniques such as mindfulness meditation, concentrative meditation and transcendental meditation. Meditation practice is simple irrespective of the technique and requires only 15-20 minutes daily. It will be an effortless procedure and does not require any other probes to perform the meditation. To begin your meditation, simply sit or lie down and concentrate on a particular object or your breath. Meditation is actually referred to as a fourth state of consciousness and regular attainment of the state will reflect in your outlook about the life positively. Not only your mind, but the body is also well maintained by the meditation. Meditation will reduce the psychological symptoms of stress such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks. This will provide behavioral and social changes, which will make you more creative and boost the talents to increase productivity. The regular practice of meditation will help to manage stress as well as to avoid stress inducing situations. The natural enhancement of talents and mental capability will help for better planning, time utilization and proper management of the situation.
About The Author
Jason Rickard is the owner of http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering a variety of White Noise CDs to help block noise and relieve the symptoms of tinnitus, hypertension, colic and more - Visit http://www.hapahapa.com for more articles.

Yoga Techniques for Taking the Stress Out Of Vacations

Yoga techniques act as a stress reliever. Yoga techniques help to reduce the stress that rises from our daily activities. Even during vacations people are getting attacked with the outside stressful factors, which can damage a very good vacation period. Vacation stress is somewhat an aggressive expression but it is real and it can cause serious disturbances and damages. The reasons for getting stress and angry during your vacation are numerous. The reasons could be poor services, awful weather, high charges, crowd, noisy tourists, irritating insects and many more. In order to avoid the vacation stress, it is better to follow yoga techniques for stress management. Yoga techniques for stress management provides relief by making the body relaxed for the maximum flow of energy through yoga poses, breathing exercises that give energy by pranayama and peacefulness to the mind by meditation. Yoga techniques provide numerous ways of reducing the effects of these negative elements in the form of meditation, sakshin, pratyahara and pranayama. Meditation is a suggested practice when vacation stress factors become active and it helps to avoid these vacation stress factors. Meditation is one of the five principles of yoga. It is one of the important yoga techniques to achieve mental stability and health. There are some simple techniques of meditation that can be used by people to combat vacation stress problems. To have progress in meditation it is more important to meditate at least once a day. • Meditation helps you get ready for any possible stressful conditions. It also helps during and after combating these obstacles. • Sakshin is a separate state of consciousness that provides you a way of getting a better understanding of the realities around you. • Pratyahara is a state of peace that is achieved by reducing all outside interferences to an optimum level. By using pratyahara, the mind gets tranquil and relaxed, focusing towards the inside of your own body. • Pranayama helps in increasing the ability to calm yourself nearly in any difficult conditions by regulating your breathing and hence balancing the energies in your body. It is more important to get prepared for any type of stress factors that arises in a vacation period. Expecting the probability of getting a problem doesn’t imply worrying about it before it arises. It only means that you need to have a good understanding over the situation and the problem that arises. Always, you will achieve much better consequences by dealing an issue with a peaceful and clear mind, rather than acting on an inclination. It is better to “step out” of your body and see yourself in that particular situation, when a problem occurs. Impartiality is hard to attain, particularly when it comes to your own self, nevertheless it helps to get a balanced point of view on situations or things. Stimulating an action by the strategy of an objective mind will illustrate more successful than jumping in head initially into a situation. There are some thoughts such as, it will be hard to help myself from these situations, need to eliminate completely from your own thoughts and dictionary. It will be great if you take control of your inner self because it helps you to have control over the outside things of your body in the surrounding world. You must primarily feel the body’s reaction to an outside element and react only after getting a clear judgment of the things to do. Breathing exercises provides a great help in relaxing an impulsive spirit and getting peacefulness to your mind in a particular event or situation. It is necessary for you to interrupt the events of your subconscious mind before you take control of a situation. Early responses are speedy and often very hard to evade, however it is necessary that, with a regular practice of yoga techniques, you find a constant feeling of control over your reactions. The first reaction to a negative element of vacation stress can be either combating back or escaping. In any of these cases, there will be a significant amount of tensions that fills your body, and it could stay for days or weeks until you manage to get over these unfortunate events. A peaceful and balanced response will have more chances of removing any kind of tension before it even gets an opportunity to start rising. Consider that the most vacations are short and do not afford to waste half of your vacation period in a negative mood. So, yoga techniques and meditation are there to recharge your body energy, and do not try to waste your vacations on worthless stress and tensions.
About The Author
Nishanth Reddy is an author and publisher of many health related websites. For more information on yoga, benefits of yoga, yoga exercises, yoga techniques and yoga postures, visit his website: http://www.onlineyogaguide.com

Stress Eliminating Affirmations

Our thoughts create our reality. Here are some Affirmations which create a more positive, happier more fulfilling reality. A. About Ability and Security 1. Anxiety solves no problems – actions do. 2. Some problems are problems only because I believe them to be. 3. I have the inner power and strength to deal with whatever life brings me. 4. I am capable of handling any possible difficulties which might occur. 5. I feel safe and secure in every situation. 6. While making my own sincere effort, I entrust my life, my family and the results of all my efforts into God’s (the Universes) wise and just judgment. 7. Life gives me in each moment exactly what I need in every situation in order to be happy, perform my life and purpose and grow spiritually. 8. I am intelligent and capable enough to succeed in any endeavor which is important to me. B. About Self-Worth 1. My self-worth is a function of my inner being (0f who I am) and not what others think of me or how much I accomplish. 2. The results of my efforts depend on many different factors including also my efforts. 3. My self worth is totally independent of any external factors such as: intelligence, wealth, my home, appearance, talents, professional success, my children’s success, being attractive to the opposite sex, making friends, disciplines, "spiritual" activities. 4. I am worthy of love and respect even when I am not perfect in what I do and even when I make mistakes. 5. My self-worth is totally independent of whether others agree with me or are satisfied with me. 6. My self-worth is totally independent of how people behave towards me. 7. My self-worth is totally independent of how much others work or how they work or what they believe about me. 8. My self-worth is a reflection of my divine nature and not my gender, religion, social class etc. 9. I am a good person, a worthy person. C. Freedom and Love 1. I respect and love all persons (especially my parents and family) without feeling any need whatsoever to live my life according to their beliefs or values. I live my life in harmony with my inner values and beliefs. 2. I am in no way responsible for others people’s reality but only for my own motives and behavior towards them. 3. No one else is responsible for my reality. I am totally responsible for what I feel and experience in life. 4. I am responsible for my purity of my motives and quality of my efforts and not for the results of my efforts or their affect on others. 5. All beings deserve my love and respect, including myself 6. I understand the fears behind each person’s negative actions. 7. I am free in each moment to be myself. 8. No one can limit my freedom unless I need something from them. 9. Real freedom is freedom from fears, needs and false limiting beliefs. 10. Real freedom is the ability to do what ever is in my best interest as a soul in the process of evolution. 11. Real freedom is the freedom to experience peace, love and happiness regardless of what happens or others’ behavior. For further work on this and many other subjects log on to www.HolisticHarmony.com (Adapted from the "The Psychology of Happiness" by Robert Najemy)
About The Author
Robert Elias Najemy, a life coach with 30 years of experience, is the author of over 20 books, 600 articles and 400 lectures on Human Harmony. Download wonderful ebooks, 100's of free articles, courses, and mp3 audio lectures at http://www.HolisticHarmony.com. Find 8 of his books at http://www.Amazon.com.

Stress Eliminating Affirmations

Our thoughts create our reality. Here are some Affirmations which create a more positive, happier more fulfilling reality. A. About Ability and Security 1. Anxiety solves no problems – actions do. 2. Some problems are problems only because I believe them to be. 3. I have the inner power and strength to deal with whatever life brings me. 4. I am capable of handling any possible difficulties which might occur. 5. I feel safe and secure in every situation. 6. While making my own sincere effort, I entrust my life, my family and the results of all my efforts into God’s (the Universes) wise and just judgment. 7. Life gives me in each moment exactly what I need in every situation in order to be happy, perform my life and purpose and grow spiritually. 8. I am intelligent and capable enough to succeed in any endeavor which is important to me. B. About Self-Worth 1. My self-worth is a function of my inner being (0f who I am) and not what others think of me or how much I accomplish. 2. The results of my efforts depend on many different factors including also my efforts. 3. My self worth is totally independent of any external factors such as: intelligence, wealth, my home, appearance, talents, professional success, my children’s success, being attractive to the opposite sex, making friends, disciplines, "spiritual" activities. 4. I am worthy of love and respect even when I am not perfect in what I do and even when I make mistakes. 5. My self-worth is totally independent of whether others agree with me or are satisfied with me. 6. My self-worth is totally independent of how people behave towards me. 7. My self-worth is totally independent of how much others work or how they work or what they believe about me. 8. My self-worth is a reflection of my divine nature and not my gender, religion, social class etc. 9. I am a good person, a worthy person. C. Freedom and Love 1. I respect and love all persons (especially my parents and family) without feeling any need whatsoever to live my life according to their beliefs or values. I live my life in harmony with my inner values and beliefs. 2. I am in no way responsible for others people’s reality but only for my own motives and behavior towards them. 3. No one else is responsible for my reality. I am totally responsible for what I feel and experience in life. 4. I am responsible for my purity of my motives and quality of my efforts and not for the results of my efforts or their affect on others. 5. All beings deserve my love and respect, including myself 6. I understand the fears behind each person’s negative actions. 7. I am free in each moment to be myself. 8. No one can limit my freedom unless I need something from them. 9. Real freedom is freedom from fears, needs and false limiting beliefs. 10. Real freedom is the ability to do what ever is in my best interest as a soul in the process of evolution. 11. Real freedom is the freedom to experience peace, love and happiness regardless of what happens or others’ behavior. For further work on this and many other subjects log on to www.HolisticHarmony.com (Adapted from the "The Psychology of Happiness" by Robert Najemy)
About The Author
Robert Elias Najemy, a life coach with 30 years of experience, is the author of over 20 books, 600 articles and 400 lectures on Human Harmony. Download wonderful ebooks, 100's of free articles, courses, and mp3 audio lectures at http://www.HolisticHarmony.com. Find 8 of his books at http://www.Amazon.com.

De-Stress Yourself in the Lap of Nature at Alabama Cabins

Making a trip successful depends entirely on the individual. It requires planning in advance the destination that you want to visit, proper budgeting and above all apt research. Let us talk in more general terms. Most of the people want to visit an isolated place. Your excursion can be mystical or a hunt for adventure that you were deprived of in your regular hectic schedule. Alabama cabins befit the requirements of all those, who want to seek some relaxing moments far away from the harassing world. Isolated locations, beautiful islands, sandy beaches will definitely give a vent to the child inside you, who wants to be free. Let us find out how and where you can find such Alabama cabins. As mentioned earlier, the basic idea behind Alabama cabins is to offer the tourists is solitude, but, not at the cost of essential amenities. It means you want to have all the pleasures of being at home. These days, Alabama cabins, condos, villas, apartments are superseding other options like hotels etc. The reason for this is that the above mentioned modes of residing promises comfort, affordability, fun, adventure, so that you can enjoy to the fullest brim. With Alabama cabins, you can have nearly all the facilities of a home. You will have the benefit of beautiful décor, trendy furniture, home made dainty dishes, ample space unlike those congested hotel rooms. Your comfort is the major concern and that is what every one looks up to in a vacation. You can stretch your self on the couch spending hours watching your favorite DVD’s and tapping your feet to your favorite music. And if you prefer home made dishes, Alabama cabins are just for you, for it offers the benefit of attached kitchen. You will have a parking lot of your own. Additionally, you will have abundant choice regarding the number of bedrooms. Are you surprised with the number of plural mentioned here? But, this is true; you can choose a place as per the number of your family members. You can locate Alabama cabins through online mode of search. It can replace any hotel or resort in al aspects. Whether it is about price or comfort, Alabama cabins are the best. You may find Alabama cabins near beaches, with green belt surroundings, exquisite view of sea and many more. For all such purpose, you have to make effective search and find the most apt deal of Alabama cabins.
About The Author
Sylvestor Johnson is offering loan and rental advice for quite some time. He is working as financial consultant for ThinkRentals. To find Alabama cabins, Condo rentals, Rental homes, Vacation rentals, Beach house vacation rentals that best suits your needs visit http://www.thinkrentals.com

Does Stress Lead to Increased Diabetes Risk?

It is believed that improperly unmanaged stress is a major determinant in almost all illness conditions. Does stress also leads to diabetes? Let us investigate. There are two major types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is also known as juvenile diabetes because it starts in children and young adults. It is due to insufficient amount of insulin being produced (known as insulin deficiency). Since it does not start later in life, we can safely conclude that type 1 diabetes mellitus is unlikely to be caused by stress. Type 2 diabetes mellitus usually occurs later in life, after the age of forty. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes mellitus, the problems arise because 1. Either the body does not produce enough insulin, or 2. The insulin produced is ignored by the cells in the body (known as insulin resistance), or both. Discussion on what insulin is and what the roles it plays is in order. Insulin is a hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism (and to some extent fat metabolism as well). Insulin helps the body to use sugar. Sugar is the basic source of energy for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When we say blood sugar, we refer to glucose in the blood. Glucose is the main type of simple sugar in our blood. Our body needs to have glucose level controlled to within a narrow range (0.7-1.1 mg per ml). Below 0.7 mg per ml is termed "hypoglycemia", and above 1.8 mg per ml is termed "hyperglycemia". Both can result in problems as we shall see later. When there is more glucose in the blood, more insulin is secreted into the blood, resulting in cells (muscle cells, red blood cells and fat cells) absorbing the glucose out of the blood, thus reducing the blood glucose level. When there is less glucose in the blood, more glucagon (counter part of insulin) is secreted into the blood, stimulating liver to release the glucose it has stored in its cells into the blood stream, thus increasing blood glucose. Glucagon also induces the liver and some of the muscle cells to produce glucose out of protein. If the glucose does not go into cells, instead it builds up in the blood, two problems arise. Firstly, if the cells do not get the glucose they need, they die. Secondly, prolong period of high blood glucose levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart. Insulin is used to treat this "hyperglycemia" aspect of diabetes. "Hypoglycemia" or low blood glucose level condition can happen when more insulin is introduced than there is food in the stomach to be acted on. This often happens when a patient injects insulin in anticipation of food consumption, but the food consumption is delayed or insufficient food is consumed. Symptoms of "hypoglycemia" include strange behavior, clumsy or jerky movements, seizure, confusion, tingling sensations around the mouth, dizziness, sweating, headache etc. Now that we understand the mechanics of diabetes, is there anything to suggest that stress can cause diabetes (type 2)? The usual reason explaining where stress lead to sickness is the weakening of our immunity system caused by stress. However, diabetes is not caused by weak immunity system. Psychological stress caused by the death of a spouse, a financial crisis or other life-altering event has been associated with higher risk of developing diabetes in middle age. Many studies have shown that the abovementioned types of major life events were associated with type 2 diabetes regardless of family history of the disease, exercise or alcohol use. However, although such circumstantial evidence seems to suggest a link between a higher proportion of people under greater stress and diabetes, we cannot conclude that stress cause diabetes. There is a theory that says that stressful life events increase the diabetes risk by increasing levels of the hormone cortisol and decreasing levels of sex steroids such as testosterone, which have been shown to influence the action of insulin. Some researchers have tried to determine whether stress, which can be measured using the ratio cortisol:testosterone, affects insulin resistance. In the prospective study by George Davey Smith and colleagues from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, cortisol:testoterone ratio was positively associated with IHD (ischemic heart disease) mortality and incidence. Adjustment for potential socioeconomic and behavioral confounding variables had little influence on these associations, but they appeared to be mediated by components of the insulin resistance syndrome (elevated blood pressure, triglyceride levels, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and impaired glucose tolerance). This suggests that methods of reducing the cortisol:testoterone ratio may improve insulin resistance and reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). But, it does not suggest that reducing stress can reduce the risk of diabetes. More conclusive research findings will be needed before we can conclude that stress does indeed lead to diabetes.
About The Author
Jacob Gan PhD (Michigan) has more than 20 years of teaching experience in a university and 8 years of business/industrial experience. He writes for http://succezz.com, http://JacobGan.com, http://JacobEducation.com and http://jacobLearning.com.

Manage Stress by Twelve Golden Habits

Above are twelve best and tested habits that one should develop for oneself to keep stress, depression and anxiety out of life. Please not that develop these habits and change oneself is not immediate process but ongoing process even one can develop some of these habits in life can make deference with life • Develop a habit of prioritize things in order and work everything as per priorities. Do one thing at a time it will manage your stress • Best habit one should develop to live stress free life is make every thing planed and it will decrease no of surprises in life. Surprises are one of major factor for stress less surprises are best factor to manage stress • Live like a bird and wakeup early in the morning and sleep early at night and stay relieved from stress • Limit our expectations from others because over expectation from others or life are major source of stress. This habit will reduce your stress at great level • Try to live life as simple as possible and stay away from addiction like cigarettes, alcohol or drugs or at least control it. Keep in mind that these addictions are part of the problem not solutions. • Develop a habit of meet new people and develop a new relationships and kick out every bit of shyness or fear of meeting people • Try to help other who are in need if possible. This will help you to manage stress • Develop a habit of daily 45 minutes of exercises and yoga. If not possible then at least walk for 45 minutes everyday. It is best habit and remedy for almost every stress related diseases. Breath as deep as possible. • Try to be financially as secure as possible. In modern world financial insecurity is one of major or only cause of stress. Develop a habit of savings at least 20% of income and manage stress by feeling financially secure • If you are victim of anxiety disorder or panic attacks then always keep in mind that Fear of anxiety is always bigger then fear itself. Always hope for best and ready for worst • Kick out habit of compare someone or wealth of someone with yourself. In modern world this is one of the major source of stress • Relieve your self from every bit of jealousy or grudge you feel for anyone. Try to make your line bigger instead of erase line of other. This habit will even destroy every bit stress from your life
About The Author
Sedrik Pet have developed exlusive techniques to coping with stress and more of his work can be found on http://www.copingstress.org

How to Turn Your Stressful Day Around Instantly

What do you do when your day becomes so stressful that you would love to just jump on a plane to get away from it all, like the airline commercials. How can you turn your day around and continue with self confidence? Here are a couple of suggestions to turn your day aound instantly from a stressful, I want to get away from it all day, to a day that you can continue on in a self confident and more relaxed and efficient way. First of all, try to free or empty your mind by using any one or a combination of these 12 suggestions. 1) try diverting your senses by listening to music that makes you feel good, by lighting a great smelling candle, by taking a bubble bath (if you are at home), or filling the room with a favorite scent 2) get rid of the drama in your head that is giving you negative thoughts 3) by lightly tapping the area between your eyebrows and thinking in detail a very pleasant memory 4) by being silent, feeling and concentrating on peaceful thoughts, and turning off any other noisy distracting, if possible 5) by taking a break and doing something else for a little while 6) by writing down your concerns on a to do list so that you will remember which things need to be taken care of next or on your to do list for the next day or two 7) by using color therapy. Stare at a cheerful color, for instance, yellow for 30 seconds and wear that color or place an object with that color on your table or desk and throughout your day when you look at it, use it as a cue to relax 8) watch a comedy on TV or read the comics or a short, funny story 9) do breathing exercises, by taking a deep breath to the count of 3, holding it for a count of 3, and then exhaling it completely Secondly, you need to move your body. Here are 3 suggestions that you can try. 1) pretend you are a robot and then a rag doll by tensing every muscle in your body and after holding for a count of 4 seconds let everything go and relax until your body feels totally relaxed 2) by pressing your palms together in a prayer position, fingers up, with your elbows lifed for 10 seconds and then releasing it. Repeat it 2 more times 3) by doing chair yoga. While sitting with your fingers interlaced behind your head, relax your elbows and shoulders, smile, breathe deeply and stretch your elbows back. Focus on releasing the tightness in your arms and shoulders. Next time, you feel all stressed out or feel like hopping on a plane to get away from it all, try the suggestions above and soon you will feel more relaxed and less stressed out. You will then be able to continue your day with a more relaxed, efficient, and self confident day.
About The Author
Lena Tucker is the founder of come visit http://www.successinlifeandmoney.com right now!

Self-esteem and Curing Stress and Burnout

A simplified definition many people often use for the word “self-esteem” is that it’s “How we feel about ourselves.” But self-esteem includes broader and more important parts of ourselves, so I would prefer to define it this way: High, or natural self-esteem is manifested in a wonderful feeling of inner-balance, grounded on self-acceptance and a healthy, comforting self-respect towards yourself. This is very different from self-confidence which is grounded in what you know you can deal with and accomplish. We can, for example, act in a very self-confident manner without our having high self-esteem. High self-esteem is knowing who we are and living in harmony with ourselves without needing to have the approval of others. So what does the connection between self-esteem and stress/burnout look like? We become negatively stressed when we force ourselves to continue working, even though our bodies have already let us know we’re operating on our emergency reserves. Most of us have a certain level of stress tolerance. However, our usual, everyday level of stress-tolerance significantly expands when we press ourselves to do something we want to do. Conversely, it shrinks when we press ourselves to do something we feel we must do. One of the root-causes to this kind of negative stress and eventual burnout is very often the result of a conflict taking place inside us between our inner child* and inner-parent that has not been taken care of. It’s often related to our being too strict towards ourselves, which adds a special debilitating source of stress into our lives (This unresolved inner-relationship lowers our self-esteem, though not necessarily our self-confidence – but in either event, it takes up a great deal of our reserve energy– energy we may need to meet unforeseen outside stress factors). In short, such unresolved inner-conflicts increase both stress and susceptibility – and if we’re not careful, they can even lead to our becoming physically ill. To everyone in a burnout situation, or with a tendency to burnouts, I recommend that you take care of your self-esteem (which also includes taking care of your inner-child and his-or-her needs), in order to meet situations like these with a deeper and higher awareness whenever they occur. Such expanded awareness gives us the clarity to make the choices and take the actions that will serve us best. Taking care of our self-esteem requires gaining knowledge that we don’t ordinarily encounter in our daily lives. It’s about becoming familiar with, and learning to rely on, the signals that come from our body and our soul as much as those that come to us from the outside real-world we are all trained to deal with. It’s also about getting to understand how this knowledge fits together and how it relates to us, personally, so we can use it in a way that helps us, because it takes into account all the facts about the particular situation we find ourself in. It’s at this point, that we first begin to build a foundation and feel that we have a true self-esteem that reflects our intrinsic self-worth as a human being. Now we're able to give ourselves time to develop, in a natural way, an approach to life that takes into account both worlds and keeps us from negative stress and burnout. Taking care of our self-esteem requires some effort and courage, but it’s well worth it. The rewards are peace of mind, increased well-being, harmony – and a fantastic ability to create long-term success for ourselves, with less effort and more joy. When we first begin to look inside ourselves, many of us feel a little uncomfortable and try out different “shortcuts” to avoid going to the roots of our self-esteem issues. My experience is that these “shortcuts” only lead us away from living life to its fullest because our low self-esteem is still there and, as before, constantly works to undermine our sense of self-worth. We once came to this world to live in happiness and harmony. Deep inside, we all know this, because one of the deepest desires we have in common as human beings is to bring peace of mind into our lives. We all have the ability to reach this state, no matter what our background. We have a “secret” source of Self-esteem and trust within ourselves that can accomplish this. So one of the most important things we can do for ourselves is to find this source. Many people who seek to control their surroundings are afraid of their inner reality – but, in fact, it’s only when we begin to learn about our inner-world that we come closer to something that resembles control over our own lives. It’s then, and only then, that inner forces begin to lose their power to take unseen control over our lives. *Inner child: As children and teenagers we were vulnerable to what went on in our family life and our immediate surroundings. In the event of painful incidents or constantly repeated patterns of being rejected, unseen or insulted, the little child/teenager’s feelings, reactions and images tend to remain in the unconscious memory. This denied and hurt child/teenager (our fears) will live its life inside of us and unconsciously determine how we perceive the world and our self-image - until we take care of it. These “selves” of children and teenagers are submerged personality-states of who we are, they can play a greater or lesser role throughout our lives and sometimes lie wholly at the root of our actions and reactions without our being aware ot it Copyright Julia Nestler 2007. All Rights Reserved.
About The Author
Julia Nestler is a Personal Self-improvement Trainer and Author of the breakthrough book, "How To Find The Secrets To Your self-esteem" http://www.self-esteemnow.com

How Does Stress Affect Health?

Many are now asking the question, "How does stress affect health?" If you too are asking then you have taken the first step to dramatically improving your health. Some health experts are convinced that stress is the largest health problem in America. However, this often goes unnoticed because the damage stress does to our health often gets blamed on other diseases and conditions. One study said that 75% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related. How Does Stress Affect Health? - It's In The Immune System So, how does stress affect health? Well, as you probably already know, your body's immune system is what keeps you healthy from all kinds of diseases, from relatively benign ones like the common cold to more serious ones like bronchitis. People who get sick all the time probably have weak immune systems while those who rarely get sick most likely have strong and powerful immune systems. What few people know is that stress, and more importantly chronic stress, actually weakens the immune system, thereby limiting its ability to fight off even the most harmless of illnesses. This should shed a lot of light on the question of how does stress affect health. Someone who gets a cold every other week may just think they are unlucky or just happen to always be around people who have colds. This is not so. Someone with a strong immune system could be ingesting cold viruses all day long but they never get a cold because their immune system is capable of destroying them. So, if you get a lot of colds you may in fact not be managing your stress effectively. There are other answers to the question of how does stress affect health. For example, there is an immune system protein called interleukin-6. People under serious stress have been found to have much higher levels of this protein than people under little or no stress. Interleukin-6 in large amounts has been associated with various diseases like some cancers, infections, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Can you believe that? Who would have thought that this answers the question of how does stress affect health. Another part of the problem in answering the question of how does stress affect health is that people don't truly understand exactly what stress is. If you ask most people, they may respond by saying stress is caused by worrying about something like money. This is not entirely true. Acute stress is easier to recognize because you can feel it right now. On the other hand, chronic stress is more subtle. For example, all people experience some stress after any big life change, including getting married. Getting married is a wonderful and joyful event for people so they are not aware that it is also bringing with it a certain level of stress. It's just harder to notice. However, that stress will still inflict harm on your immune system. So you can see that asking the question of how does stress affect health is so important. Asking, "How does stress affect health?" is an important questions for you to start asking because it may be causing you serious health problems with you even knowing. The next question you should ask is "How do I effectively relieve stress?"
About The Author
Loni Young will be happy to add you to her Stress Relief Techniques newsletter. Just send her an email to managestressnow@aweber.com. Read her latest stress relief blog entry at http://www.find-stress-relief.com/.

5 Minutes A Day To Stress Management

Stress can seriously affect your health and your relationships. It is essential to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and even more importantly, decrease your negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done for five minutes a day everyday until you have mastered stress. Most of life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time than five minutes, but as they say-- every minute counts. Managing time Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress. To improve your time management: Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself. Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time. Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you. Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don't commit to what is not important to you. Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines. Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like. Build healthy coping strategies It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life. Lifestyle Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to: Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations. Have a sense of purpose in life. Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping. Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress. Get moderate exercise throughout the week. Limit your consumption of alcohol. Don't smoke. Social support Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health. Changing thinking When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body's stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress. Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress. Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly. Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it. Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style. Even writers like me can get stressed even though we're just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you're the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life. by Ron Huxley, LMFT http://angertoolbox.com http://parentingtoolbox.com
About The Author
Ron Huxley is a child and family therapist, author and father of four. Get more stress management resources today at http://parentingtoolbox.com/join.html

Just Steam and Stress Less

According to the National Health Interview Survey, 75% of the general population experiences at least “some stress” every two weeks and half of those experience high levels of stress during the same two week period. With all of the effects stress has on a person, psychologically and physiologically, it is important to understand the implications it has and it’s critical for you to become capable of dealing with it effectively. Effects of Stress on Physical Health The American Medical Association stated that 80% of all human illnesses are the result of stress. Bearing this fact in mind, dealing with stress effectively can be a life saving skill that could drastically improve your overall quality of life. When a person is under a lot of stress, the brain releases chemicals giving the body an instant boost to combat and survive the stressful circumstance. Unfortunately many people in today’s society constantly put their bodies under this stress causing them to suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pains or strokes. The release of these chemicals also prevents the body from sleeping properly, resulting in slower thinking and other side effects such as depression, which in turn can lead to other problems such as alcohol abuse. When the body is under stress it is more susceptible to illnesses and diseases such as pneumonia and cancer as the immune system is weakened. When an individual dies from an illness such as a heart attack, doctors point the cause of death on the heart attack, but in all reality the heart attack was caused by other reasons such as an unhealthy life style and / or stress. Effects of Stress on the Economy According to the HSE (Health & Safety Executive), 6 million working days are lost each year in the UK through stress related problems. This costs the employer between £530-£545 per annum, as stated by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Visit the HSE for more information: http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/. Learning to Relax One of the best ways to combat stress is to relax and unwind. Everybody has their own way of relaxing, therefore it is important that you find a method of relaxing that suits you. Some of the more popular ways to relax and unwind are: * Running, jogging or taking a long walk * Listening to restful music * Receive or give a massage * Participate in an active sport * Visit the park * Practice yoga * Eat organic natural food * Ride a bicycle for pleasure * Read * Sunbathe or have a nap * Play a musical instrument * Use a hot tub, steam room or sauna / infrared sauna Use a steam shower or sauna Steam showers and saunas are well known for their relaxing properties and provide the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Saunas and steam showers can be found in health clubs nationwide, however, steam showers and saunas are becoming more popular in homes as they become more mainstream and affordable. A daily steam shower or a sauna session can really melt away stress and lighten the toxic burden on your body, revitalising and enlivening it. Mohamed Abou Donia, Ph.D from the Duke University Medical Centre conducted a study which showed how stress can turn normally harmless chemicals in the body, dangerous. Dr. Mohamed Abou Donia says that even short term exposure to specific chemicals, just 28 days, when combined with stress caused widespread cellular damage in the brain and liver of rats (http://medschool.duke.edu/). Considering the adverse effects on the body both stress and chemicals can have, it’s critical to detoxify and reduce the stressful burden. Chemicals are rampant in today’s society: they are found in the foods we eat, the liquids we drink and the air we breathe. Whenever you feel stress, a home steam shower or sauna is never far away to provide an instant escape. Steam showers heat up within minutes and use very little energy to operate, making them the choice for those seeking stress relief and physical well being. Just sit down and feel the warmth of the steam loosen all the muscles in your body, revitalising, making you feel brand new and fresh. The soothing warmth causes the body to sweat out harmful toxins and flush out the pores, giving your skin a clean glow. For those who have never seen a steam shower, or are interested in more information / articles or purchasing one, visit steam shower specialist Di Vapor: http://www.divapor.com.
About The Author
Written by David Daniel on behalf of Di Vapor http://www.divapor.com, the steam shower, infrared sauna and whirlpool bath specialist.

Stress Management: It's a Matter of Life and Health

It's common sense that we all need to manage our stress. But, did you know that managing stress effectively is a matter of life and of health? The Stress Response is a series of biochemical events in the human body designed to help a person respond to some sense of danger in the environment. This reaction is intended to help mobilize the body to respond to the danger through either Fight or Flight. While this response serves us well when we are in immediate danger (like when a car is coming straight at us and we need to get out of the way quickly), it has significant negative effects on health when it happens frequently and over a long period of time. Prolonged exposure to the stress response creates and/or aggrevates many health conditions. Heart conditions, muscular pain, gastrointestinal illness, dysfunctions of the reproductive system, breathing difficulties, skin problems and immune system functions are all negatively impacted by chronic stress. That's the bad news....the good news is that active relaxation for a mere 10-15 minutes a day can reduce the negative impact of stress and create a positive Relaxation Response that will reduce blood pressure, slow breathing rate and increase blood flow to muscles (i.e. reduce muscular pain). Relaxation and meditation can also reduce the symptoms of pre-existing medical conditions, such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, and muscular pain. Here's an easy way to start increasing your relaxation today. Do this exercise for 5 minutes 2-3 times throughout your day: 1. Select a comfortable sitting position. 2. Close your eyes and direct your attention to your own breathing process. 3. Put your thumb on your navel and lower the palm of your hand down onto your belly. Breathe into your nose as if you are smelling flowers. You will notice your belly rise as you breathe in. Breathe out as if you were blowing out birthday candles. You will notice your belly fall as you breathe out. 4. Focus on your breathing. Notice the cool air as it enters your nose and the warm air as it leaves your mouth. If thoughts come, notice them briefly and then redirect your attention to your breath. Imagine your thoughts floating away on a cloud and know that you can always get back to them later. 5. After 5 minutes, stand and stretch before proceeding with your day. The take home message: We plan for every situation - we have a financial plan, a home emergency plan, a vacation plan, a health insurance plan - Make sure to have a self-care plan! If you plan to care for your health and manage your stress level now, you will save yourself much distress later.
About The Author
Dr. Irina Kerzhnerman is a Licensed Psychologist in Deerfield Beach, FL. Her private practice focuses on helping people identify and manage their stress, coaching people to figure out what they truly want out of life, and motivating them to get it. For more information on how Dr. Irene can help you, please visit http://www.drireneonline.com or call (954) 692-3570 for a free 30-minute phone consultation.

5 Natural Stress Relief Techniques for Children

Is your child stressed out? Some people think only adults experience stress, but it affects our children too. Here's how to help your child manage their emotions. We often view our kids as happy-go-lucky beings without a care. But children can also experience stress. Not only do they get anxious about things in their own young world--school, friends, peer pressure--but they also can be deeply affected by outside factors such as war, natural disasters and other unsettling world events. In fact, the list of contributors to childhood stress can be quite long. Many stressors are the result of family problems, like divorce, a death or a parent's job loss but there are also less obvious triggers such as moving to a new city or the birth of a new sibling. As a parent, you can become attuned to what's a normal amount of anxiety for your child and what is not. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, use the following tools to help your child handle it better. Tuning into Anxiety Attack symptoms 1. Tune in to their moods. Pay attention to your child's behavior. Take the time to talk to your child to get to the root of the problem. Ask questions like "How are you feeling?" "What's happening at school?" or "How are things with your friends?" When you show concern for their problems and issues, it's reassuring to them and they'll be more responsive to that attention. 2. Watch the same shows they do. If you have younger children, you certainly don't want them watching the doom and gloom of daily news shows. Children's minds are like sponges in they absorb almost everything they see or hear. They are especially sensitive to negative energy, pain or suffering. Shows like the news can be traumatizing and anxiety-producing for younger children. It's important to discuss with them what they've seen. You can't tell them that it's never going to happen to them but you can say,"We're going to do everything we can to protect you". It's also a good idea to let them know whom to call and what to do in case of an emergency. 3. Focus on the positive. There is obviously no way a child can be shielded from a major trauma such as a death in the family, a house fire or a natural disaster. Instead, help children count their blessings. Comfort and reassure them by saying, "We're strong and we're going to make it." "And as difficult as it may be, try to maintain everyday routines. For many young victims of floods or fire, for example, going back to school, even in another city, can help bring some normalcy back to their disrupted lives. What can also help is to make sure children have positive outlets like physical activity, going to the movies or spending time with friends. 4. Lead by example. Children often learn to deal with stress by mimicking how you respond in challenging times. Even if you don't tell your child that you're about to be laid off from your job or that you're worried that your marriage is on the verge of breaking up, they can still pick up on your stress. They may not understand the underlying causes but they can hear the strained tone and elevated volume of your voice,which gives them the message that something's going on that may affect them too. That's why it's so important to show them good coping skills. If you light a cigarette, have a drink, or use foul language when you're under pressure, your little one may internalize that as a coping method. Instead, model healthy behavior during difficult times, such as writing in a journal, de-stressing in a hot bath, sharing how you feel without blaming, or taking a walk. 5. Instill confidence. When children are young, there are times when you will have to come to their defense and help them handle tough situations. But as they get older, you also have to let them champion themselves, which builds their confidence in their ability to resolve problems on their own. One of your missions as a parent is to know when to step in and when to stand back. Your response will depend on the child's temperament, maturity and the situation. For example, your third grader may be able to confront a taunting classmate on their own, but a serious case of bullying may warrant your intervention. Still, always make sure your child knows you've got their back. Tell them, "Try it on your own first,but if you need help,let me know and I'll be there." To Your Great Life and Health...
About The Author
Michael Atma is an internationally known author, speaker & success coach. Known as the person to talk to when you're ready to enjoy massive results, Michael offers simple yet proven strategies to improve the quality of your life in just minutes. Michael's writing comes straight from the front line of good health and successful living Michael Atma had helped thousands of people to enjoy the benefits of natural stress relief that meditation brings. Michael has developed "The Ultimate Relaxation Program" which includes his highly acclaimed stress relief CD – The Ultimate Relaxation! FREE details:=> http://www.theultimaterelaxation.com

Stress Management Secrets for Relationships

Imagine how your life might be if you knew how to finally stop the stress in relationships that saps your strength, drains your energy and ruins your productivity! Until you have released the need for judgment, you will always have it reflected back to you in your relationships. This is one of the main causes of stress. All too often we assume that we know what others mean by what they say or do without bothering to gain a clear understanding of what's really going on. This inevitably leads to a breakdown in communication and conflict. Stress Management Technique 1 The biggest secret to stress free relationships is to master the skill of being agreeable! If you think about it just for a moment this makes a lot of sense. How did you feel the last time someone disagreed with what you though, said or did? Did you thank them, give them a big hug and then ask for more disapproval? Probably not! The bottom line is that people don't like being disagreed with. This is what leads to arguments and conflict. You have a choice every time you relate with another person. You can either be agreeable in nature and in communication or you can be disagreeable. The first choice will cause people to be more relaxed and enjoy your company. The second creates stress and frustration. It costs nothing to agree with someone else's point of view even if you think it's ridiculous. Who are we to judge how another person views their life and the world around them. Conflict always arises from disagreement's which then leads to power struggles. This means that either one or all parties are trying to prove that they are right and someone else is wrong. This is a no win scenario because if one person is made wrong, then the outcome is tension and resentment. More Stress Management Tips So what do you do if you disagree with what someone is saying? Ask if it's ok to share your opinion. If the answer is no, then to keep your relationships stress free keep your mouth shut. Changes topics if you need to or go do something fun together but let it go and move on. Stress Management Tecchnique 2 - Master the skill of understanding. The key here is to learn to be a good listener. Can you remember a time recently when you were talking with someone and they either interrupted you before you finished talking and started talking about themselves or completely ignored what you said and talked about something totally unrelated? I know that's happened to me thousands of times. Well guess what, if you didn't like it I can guarantee you that others won't like it if you do it to them. By listening attentively to what others say and not interrupting you will prevent the possibility of causing stress and tension in your relationships because the people you are communicating with will feel seen and heard. This builds trust and respect which are two of the most important ingredients of a happy, healthy and productive relationship. Here are 4 Stress Managment Skills to master the art of listening with the intent to understand... 1. Don't interrupt unless you have something urgent to attend to. Then excuse yourself politely and make a time to meet with them that you can give your undivided attention. 2. Look them in the eye and keep your body language open 3. Only ask questions that are relevant to the topic. This lets the person who is talking know that you are really listening to them. 4. Never assume you know what someone means, always ask for clarity before sharing you're opinion. Don't be afraid to keep asking questions until you are 100% sure about what is being said. The only time to try and get others to understand you is after you have understood them. Then they are more receptive to what you have to say. This skill is one of the most important in building good bonds between people that are stress free. There is nothing more powerful than letting others know that they matter. The final word on stress relief in relationships Happy, healthy and stress free relationships are no accident. They are skillfully developed over time by people who care about people. These secrets will only work if you apply them. The more you apply them, the less stress you will have in your relationships. I know this for a fact because they have been working for me for more than 15 years. To Your Great Life and Health...
About The Author
Michael Atma is an internationally known author, speaker & success coach. Known as the person to talk to when you're ready to enjoy massive results, Michael offers simple yet proven strategies to improve the quality of your life in just minutes. Michael's writing comes straight from the front line of good health and successful living Exactly how are some people learning to enjoy calmer, happier and healthier relationships? Michael Atma has created the ultimate guide - '101 Strategies for a Stress Free Life!' FREE Details: http://www.theultimaterelaxation.com

Less Stress Leads To A Better Rest

In the modern world of today we are constantly being bombarded with high levels of stress and anxiety. These stresses can be physical, mental or environmental. They place an enormous strain on our physical and mental health. Most of us are aware that excessive stress can affect our ability to think straight, our digestive system, adrenal glands and heart. Research has however shown that whenever a stressful situation arises, there is a knock on effect. Firstly stress limits the blood supply going to the stomach, this hampers the digestive system and a temporary shut down of our immune system may follow. If we are overwhelmed with stress for an extended period we are likely to experience fatigue and exhaustion. Although it may not be possible to avoid these stress factors in our lives there is help available. There are many natural herbal supplements, known for they’re relaxing properties which assist in combating the harmful effects of anxiety and stress. Several herbs are usually incorporated together to make a powerful formula. We will take a look at some of the individual herbs, which go to make up some of these potent anti- anxiety supplements: - * Jujube Seeds: - hypnotic and anti-anxiety effect used for hysteria, fatigue, sleeplessness, debility and restlessness. * Magnolia Bark: - has anti anxiety, anti stress properties, lowers the cortisol, promotes relaxation and improves the mood. * Potassium: -sustains the fluid and electrolyte balance, discharges energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat, assists in conveying nerve impulses. * Magnesium: -is a trace mineral and its chief role is manufacturing and transporting energy, relaxing and contracting the muscles, assisting some enzymes with their task in the body and mixing proteins. * Valerian Root: - It supports a feeling of calmness, improves sleep, reduces anxiety levels and facilitates relaxation of the central nervous system. Valerian root is non addictive and does not cause morning tiredness. It also is useful in slowing the heart in those who have the condition known as tachycardia. * Melatonin: -is one of the most dominant antioxidants in the brain. It restores metabolism, improves the quality of sleep and slows down degenerative diseases of the brain such as Parkinson’s. Melatonin can control extreme cortical production and is therefore effectual in reducing stress levels and regulating sleep cycles. * Vitamin B complex contains Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12 are all essential vitamins for the nervous system Visit http://www.rawleigh-products.com
About The Author
Vincent Platania represents the Rawleigh Products. W.T. Rawleigh founded Rawleigh Products in the late 1800s to create a line of products that possessed both strength and quality. Visit http://www.rawleigh-products.com

Get Creative to Relieve Stress

There are many things we can do to relieve stress, ranging from small routine changes (such as avoiding rush hour traffic) to large drastic life changes (such as quitting our stressful jobs!). At the smaller end of the scale, I believe one of the best ways that you can relieve stress is to 'get creative'. What can you do to get creative? Anything you like, as long as 'you' do the creating! It could be physical or mental creativity (preferably both), big or small. For example, is it about time you changed your garden around? Changed those dull old patio slabs? Now would be a good idea to get creative. To relieve stress you have to do something you can be proud of. You need to be able to stand back and say to yourself, `Yep, I did that and I did a terrific job'. Take the example above, if you're not physically able (and would have to employ someone to do the labouring for you) you could still design the garden yourself! Teach yourself a little about landscape gardening and design the best garden you can. If you are able to labour for yourself, design and build it entirely yourself! And most important of all, give yourself a pat on the back once you've finished and be proud of your hard work. But it doesn't have to be so big (or so expensive). You could make a model aeroplane, do your own painting, and make something from clay, or anything at all. One of my friends recently bought his own materials and built a magnificent kite! He said it felt great to finish it, but when he stood back and actually saw his achievement (i.e. when it was flying) he felt truly elated. Now that's stress relief! Form a personal point of view, having suffered with a phobia of public speaking for so long, I always wanted to set up my own website - to be able to communicate in another way, freely, without the troubles I would usually have. When I eventually found a way to set up my site the pride and sense of achievement I felt was enormous. And with that pride and achievement came the stress relief I was after. So from the examples above I hope you can see how you too can get creative to relive stress. The list of things you could do is endless. Now it's time for the hard part. . . getting started!
About The Author
(c) Paul Evans Helping those who suffer with anxiety, phobias, panic disorders, stress, and all things related. Suffer with an anxiety disorder or phobia, and the stress that comes with it? For more information and directions to the latest self-help techniques, be sure to visit my website at http://www.love-my-phobia.com

How to Cope with Stress

Stress can be addictive, contagious, debilitating, or invigorating. Relentless pressure to perform, personality conflicts, and lack of a sense of purpose can be damaging over time. Identify the causes, learn to control harmful stress, and use healthy stress to your advantage. Feeling Burned Out More than 50% of 2,500 workers who responded to a survey acknowledged that they work under a great deal of stress More then 75% of the respondents said that they feel burned out Causes of Stress 16% attribute the stress to difficult co-workers 15% attribute stress to unrealistic workloads 11% attribute stress to unreasonable deadlines 10% attribute stress to rushed projects 9% attribute the stress directly to the management Stress statistics courtesy of CareerBuilder.com and the American Institute of Stress (stress.org) Stress Addiction Are you addicted to stress? Is your organization addicted to stress? Let's be honest, some individuals and some organizations perform better under stressful conditions. Some organizations nurture a stressful culture as a means to continually pressure maximum performance with minimum manpower. Some other organizations leverage the energy associated with bursts of focused stress to overcome significant obstacles, and then minimize stress in between major hurdles to maintain a balanced workforce. How can you tell the difference? Procrastination in dealing with important tasks is sometimes an indication of personal stress addiction. Some individuals acknowledge better performance under tight deadlines and stressful situations. In some cases this helps to focus on a project and ignore external distractions. If this applies to you, then perhaps it is time to reevaluate your schedule, your personal goals, and your workload. By setting personal goals as commitments to complete projects or workload ahead of schedule, you can create your own deadlines and get ahead of the curve. Procrastination may be a sign that the workload is too light and you need to take on more responsibilities, or challenge yourself with more personal tasks. This will create an environment of balanced stress that you can manage by increasing or decreasing personal additional tasks to accommodate required or assigned workloads. This does not mean that putting things off until the last minute is always a sign of stress addiction. If you continually put things off to the last minute and the quality of the result is equivalent or worse to the product that would have been achieved earlier, then you are just being lazy and you need a stress inducing boss to get you moving. On the other hand, if items are continually addressed at the last minute simply because you have too many other priorities that take precedence and it is virtually impossible to catch up, then you have an unhealthy stressful environment and it is time to evaluate the conditions. Have you ever experienced an organization that continually threatens potential layoffs, cancellation of contracts, or incessantly proclaims gloom and doom of current conditions? While organizations may perform better under short bursts of highly focused stressful conditions, it is not something that can be sustained effectively for long periods of time. Individuals within the organization will react differently to stressful conditions and will burn out at varying periods of time. After a period of high intensity it is necessary to allow a period for cooling down, refreshing and reenergizing the troops. Healthy Stress The objective of healthy stress is to have specific focused goals with measurable targets and schedules. Healthy stress should create an atmosphere of teamwork and cooperation to achieve specific goals. If it is an extended schedule, then there should also be milestones to identify progress along the way. If it is a short deadline then there should be clearly identified resources for support. At the end of the schedule there should be a recognized period to temporarily relax, recognize the accomplishment and recharge the batteries. After all, not everyone is addicted to stress, but nearly everyone can use the short bursts of adrenaline that come with intense concentration toward a common goal. Healthy stress provides rich rewards as a result. The rewards may be a sense of personal achievement, a sense of camaraderie, or monetary compensation. The type of reward is not necessarily as important as the recognition of the reward. If there is no reward for the stress, or if the outcome is detrimental to an individual or group, then the stress is not healthy and needs to be addressed promptly. Nurture healthy stress with teamwork, clearly communicated schedules, and easily recognized rewards. Unhealthy Stress Some of the leading causes of unhealthy stress are the result of individual personalities infecting an organization. This can be caused by an overbearing boss, a lack or respect or trust for certain members in management, or by unrealistic expectations. Even the best of intentions can create unhealthy stress if it is based on unrealistic expectations. Stress can be slowly introduced if management expects everyone to automatically share the same level of passion, enthusiasm and commitment without first creating bonds and buy in with the employees. Employees will not feel the same amount of passion if there is not a personal connection or a sense of purpose. It is reasonable to require performance, but management should not expect passion without first making an investment in the employee. Individual employees can also create stress and distraction. Personality conflicts are depicted as difficult coworkers, and typically the perception is a shared one. Difficult coworkers may be described as overbearing, subversive, interfering, unproductive, or uncooperative. These are dangerous labels for one person to place on another. The labels are most often the result of specific actions or comments. It may not be reasonable to expect that every personality will get along, but it is reasonable to require professional respect and cooperation. The first step in correcting this type of unhealthy stress is not to change people's opinions, but rather to address the actions, responsibilities and expectations of the individuals involved. Keep the focus on the professional requirements and communicate precise expectations, then assess the actions. Unhealthy stress in an organization can be caused when the atmosphere is continually threatening, overbearing and unrelenting. Stress with purpose is like an adrenaline rush during a short sprint to the finish line. Stress without purpose and without end is like running an engine at full speed and never stopping to refill the tank, you are bound to hit a brick wall or empty your tank eventually. It is far better to plan for the short sprints and the breaks to refill the tank than to find yourself stranded. Thrive on Stress Pick your priorities. Remember your purpose - write down your goals and keep them visible. Set your schedule and allow some flexibility for the unexpected emergencies. Communicate your obligations and identify your resources. Ask for and acknowledge the responsibilities of others, then be prepared to support one another when appropriate. If there is a personality conflict, turn the focus to professional respect and responsibilities, or address the matter with appropriate professional communication when necessary. Identify the time of day and days of the week that you perform best under pressure, and be aware that everyone else may be different from your peak periods. Schedule your periods for managing the pressure and allow yourself periods for cooling down, being creative, or relaxing. When possible, do something physical before preparing to address a stressful situation, even if it is only a short walk. When necessary, take a short walk or a few moments to clear you mind after a stressful period so the intense concentration or emotions do not spill over into your other activities. Laugh, and most important, do not be so critical that you can not laugh at yourself. ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it." - Jane Wagner "If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment." - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus "Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it's right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it." - Oprah Winfreyr
About The Author
John Mehrmann is a freelance author and President of Executive Blueprints Inc., an organization devoted to improving business practices and developing human capital. http://www.ExecutiveBlueprints.com