REDUCING STRESS......SPARKLE
9:04 AM
By
itian
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.
