Latest Tip - Take a Break
With our summer of sport in full swing, this tip suggests that we can learn more than technique from our sportspeople.
Resources
Hints and Tips
Overwhelmed?
This tip could be likened to a jigsaw … puzzled?
No more sheep counting!
For anyone who suffers from that upsetting and potentially damaging problem of not being able to get to sleep at night.
Helping others to help yourself
This tip concerns social relationships and offers a suggestion to anyone who would like to enhance or improve theirs.
Sing!
We may not think we’re very good at it but no-one need hear us. In various studies singing has been proven to improve mood and performance, reduce blood pressure, improve breathing and generally promote well-being.
A Simple Hug
As human touch increases the production of endorphins which are known to lower the negative impact of stress, studies have found that individuals who are regularly touched recover faster than those who aren’t.
Try to distinguish between productive and unproductive worries
Productive worries are those concerning situations which we have control over. Time spent thinking about these situations may result in our taking action and therefore being productive.
Acceptance
You don’t have to accept what you’ve got …
but it helps
Reframing
Sometimes when you experience a stressful situation, you lose the ability to see that what you’re doing may actually be making it worse.
3 Positive Things
If you find, especially at this time of year, that you fall into bed physically exhausted but with your mind a whirl of unfinished tasks and things you still need to do, you may find this simple exercise will calm your mind and leave you in a more relaxed state for sleep.
Lighten Up!
Remember that with the on-set of winter comes fewer daylight hours which is enough to leave many of us feeling a little flat.
Turn your problems into challenges
Have you noticed that successful people rarely use the word ‘problem’? Instead, they prefer to use ‘challenge’ as they know that the only way to learn anything valuable in life is from trial and error, and that learning from your failures breeds success.
Break a routine and don't be overtaken by mundane stress
Bringing routine to some of the repetitive tasks of our everyday lives does have the advantage of simplifying them and, in time, allowing us to perform them on auto-pilot.
Don't let negativity cause you stress
Negative people carry stress and, sometimes unwittingly, pass this stress on through negative comments.
Keeping Life in Perspective
If you’re having a stressful time and finding it difficult to see the wood from the trees, try taking a couple of minutes out with a piece of paper and a pen.
Happiness
It is all too easy to get caught up in the speed of today’s life. However, spending a couple of minutes reading and absorbing the words of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Meditation Technique, may refresh your tired emotions.
The 60 Second Tranquilliser
This is a useful exercise to help you cope better in situations where you are likely to feel panicky or fearful.
Don’t bottle up your feelings
Don’t bottle up your feelings, talk them through with a friend or write them down.
Resilience Tip
Why are people like tea bags?
Because people don’t know how strong they are until they get into hot water!
Relaxation
One of the most enduring and successful stress management strategies, with enormous benefits, is Relaxation.
Visualise and make it easier on yourself!
Use your imagination and take a few moments to picture yourself managing what you feel is a stressful situation more successfully.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic or deep breathing is probably the most widely used reactive stress management technique. Give it a try the next time you feel under pressure or are stuck in a tense situation.
Are you planning your day?
Planning each day by writing down specific tasks keeps you organised and helps you feel in control.
Give Yourself a Break
If you are a bit of a perfectionist and tend to be very hard on yourself, try giving yourself a break. For a few days think of yourself as a valued friend who needs support and encouragement.
Unclutter your wardrobe!
You may have heard of this uncluttering tip for paperwork – either “file it, bin it or act on it.”
The Amazing Shrinking Man (or Woman)
If you have someone you work beside who unnerves or intimidates you, (intentionally or not) try using your imagination to bring them down to size.
Get Out of Bed!
Get out of bed earlier and use the extra time to do something you don’t normally get the chance to do.
Have a cup of tea and read the papers alone, take a nice long shower or have a soak in the bath, sort through your old clothes and put them in a bag for the charity shop.
Ideas for Overcoming Shyness
Shyness is a feeling of unease around people – especially with people we don’t know, or with those we feel insecure with. It is very common, but it often stems from false beliefs about what others are thinking, (e.g. that they are making negative judgements about you) or negative beliefs about yourself (e.g. that you are not as good at communicating as others).
Pen Your Way to Inner Peace!
Don’t bottle up your feelings. Often stress occurs out of frustration and lack of communication. Learn positive ways to express your feelings and desires to people who may be causing you stress.
The Bubble Technique
This is a useful technique you can teach yourself which has helped many people in situations where they have felt under pressure or have faced aggression.
Stop Look and Listen to prevent unwanted thoughts
Stress is frequently caused by what we think about. If you find yourself either worrying about a future event or if you can’t get a bad experience out of your mind try the following.
Action
The thing that prevents most people from turning dreams into reality is failure to turn ideas into action.
This could be because we tend to focus on the TASK and not the OUTCOME. The task may seem to be taxing, demanding, even frustrating … but the outcome could be satisfying, exhilarating, even life-changing!
Avoid the Sugar Blues
If you find you are regularly tired and lethargic in the afternoons it may have something to do with your eating habits. If you are taking too much sugar through sweets and sugary drinks you may be spiking your blood sugar levels and suffering the ‘sugar blues’.
Live in the Present
Live in the here and now instead of the past or the future. Take note of what is happening now instead of being anxious about what might happen in the future.
Park Your Thoughts
Do you ever have problems getting off to sleep, or do you ever get up for the loo and have difficulty getting back to sleep again? An effective technique that may help is to ‘park’ your unfinished business before you go to bed.
Must you always be right?
Do other people upset you, particularly when they don’t do things your way? Try co-operation instead of confrontation; its better than fighting and always being ‘right’.
How hot are you in bed?!
You probably know that your body temperature is a key factor in how well you sleep at night. But did you know that once in bed you actually start to lose heat through your face, hands and feet as your body prepares for sleep?
Acceptance
If you can create an environment where genuine praise is given freely, the people within that environment will be much more able to develop themselves and live to their potential.
Too much criticism saps the desire to move forward.
Tips for managing your own stress
Hints and tips on stress management. Stressed out? You’ll find loads of helpful information here in our extensive guide to managing your own stress.
Attitudes and Beliefs
Over the years there have been many studies of successful high achieving people, the objective being to find the secret and bottle it for commercial use. Contrary to what most people think it is not those who are most academically clever or those who work the hardest who always become successful in their chosen field. The only personality trait with a significant relationship to success is a positive attitude.
Regular Physical Exercise
There are many benefits to be gained from having some form of regular physical activity not least of which is a noticeable reduction in stress. Don’t make the mistake of being put off by the belief that regular exercise has to be a chore you need self-discipline to maintain. To get real benefits you don’t have to do that much, particularly if you do very little to start with.
Improve Your Sleep
If you haven’t done it already, become aware of your energy levels and performance on days after a bad night’s sleep. Good quality sleep is, essential for maximising your energy and performing at your best both of which help in combating stress.
Rosy Glow Exercise
Just thinking about and producing this list is a good stress management exercise. It makes you focus on the rosy glow things rather than the negative stressful things, this in itself can reduce your stress.