REDUCING STRESS......SPARKLE

How To Reduce Stress with the SPARKLE Formula

S SLEEP WELL

• Your bed is for sleeping, reading and intimacy.
• When your head hits the pillow, it's time to sleep, not think
• Your bed should NOT be for: watching television, keeping your accounts, planning the next day, arguing with your spouse, checking your e-mail, or making phone calls, or chatting on whatapps or BB's.
• When in bed, books are OK, tabs, laptops and mobiles are not.

P PLAN EVERYDAY

• Create a to-do list every morning. 
• This gives you 
• a) a roadmap of what you need to do at the beginning of the day, 
• b) a reminder of what still needs to be done throughout the day and 
• c) a place to check off your accomplishments at the end of the day.

A  ANTICIPATE LESS

• Recognize the false assumptions you make that lead to anxiety. 
• Will things really turn out to be as bad as you think? Probably not.
• When you look to the future, visualize success rather than failure. 
• After all, you really don't know which it will be. So why not expect the best?

R RELAX

• Breath deeply when you feel stressed. Get up and change your environment, if only for a short time.
• Go for a walk at lunch.
• Relaxation means taking a break from what you were doing, not just going out. 
• For instance, watching television isn't always relaxing; it can be dumbing and dulling. Find activities that calm your body and stimulate your mind.
• Create a time for your own kind of meditation. 
• Find a quiet space and a quiet time that's just for you.

K  KEEP ANGER UNDER CONTROL

• Be empathetic and forgiving to others when they make mistakes. Like you, they are trying to do their best.
• Learn to give constructive feedback rather than destructive criticism.
• When someone makes you angry, remember that you have a choice in how you react. Instead of yelling at that bad driver who cut you off, do a running play-by-play on his erratic driving techniques. It's more fun.

L  LAUGH

• Use positive affirmations to keep yourself on track.
• Affirmations should use the 4 Ps; personal, positive, passionate and present. For instance,I am a confident and successful manager who always runs an amazing team.
• Find time to share a joke. Laugh at the curves life throws at you rather than fretting over them.

E  EAT WELL AND EXERCISE

• Your body needs to be a well-tuned machine to manage all of the stresses that act on it.
• Avoid eating packaged snacks,anything that comes in a wrapper or plastic bag. Try natural fruit instead.
• Add more colored vegetables to your meals.
• Reduce caffeine in your diet. It's a stimulant and can exacerbate physical symptoms of stress that you may already have. Choose water instead.
• Avoid the escalator or elevator and take the stairs.
• Find opportunities to go for a walk. Ideally, get exercise that causes you to sweat for twenty minutes at least three times per week.