You Think You’re Stressed Out?

Here are Some Tips that will Help

Philip A. Gilly, MD, FAAFP
Family Practice Board Certified

Whether your stress is physical or emotional, it changes the way your body works and feels. If you’re under stress you need to be sure that your body is getting the attention that it needs. It is a good idea to adopt some strategies that will calm you down rather than making your stress worse. Here are some tips that may help you:

  1. Don’t rely on your memory - write down all appointments and deadlines, such as when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc.
  2. Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning so you don’t start the day feeling frazzled.
  3. Start your day with a glass of orange juice and continue drinking plenty of water and/or juice throughout the day.
  4. Prepare for the morning the evening before - put out clothes, make lunches, write out your “To Do” lists, set the breakfast table, etc.
  5. Do nothing which, after being done, leads you to tell a lie.
  6. Practice preventive maintenance on your car, appliances, home, teeth, personal relationships, etc. So that they will be less likely to fall apart when you need them the most.
  7. Have a banana, some high-fiber cereal, and some low-fat yogurt for breakfast.
  8. Keep reading materials with you to enjoy while waiting in lines, for appointments, etc.
  9. Procrastination is stressful, so whatever you want to do tomorrow, do it today, and whatever you want to get done today, do it now. Hard work is simply the accumulations of the easy things that you didn’t do when you should have done them earlier.
  10. Think of your next embarrassing situation as an episode on TV’s Candid Camera.
  11. Stick to one cup of coffee, and avoid caffeine the rest of the day.
  12. Organize your home and workspace so that everything has its place, so you don’t have to go through the stress of losing things.
  13. Plan ahead - don’t let the gas tank get below one-quarter full, keep a well-stocked shelf of “emergency” supplies, keep a supply of parking meter change, postage stamps, etc.
  14. Schedule a realistic day for yourself - allow ample time between commitments so you don’t have to rush, worry, and apologize for being late.
  15. Resist the urge to snack on sweets - eat whole grain breads, bagels, and pastas instead.
  16. Relax your standards - the world will not end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this weekend.
  17. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic exercise is a surprisingly effective “instant” cure for most stress. Instead of putting away a few beers or martinis, go for a walk or play a game of basketball.
  18. Take the scissors to any extra credit cards.
  19. Talk it out - discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving.
  20. Make friends with non-worriers.
  21. make some time every day for solitude.
  22. Simplify, simplify, simplify!
  23. Ask a lot of questions - repeat back what you heard the other person say. Taking a minute now to be sure you understand can save hours later.
  24. Donate to a worthy cause - getting rid of what you don’t need will make what you do need that much easier to find.
  25. Stop worrying - if something concerns you then do something about it. If you can’t do anything about it, or it really doesn’t concern you, then let go of it.
  26. Get enough sleep - if necessary use an alarm clock or a timer to remind you when to go to bed.
  27. Remember that for every one thing that goes wrong, there are 50 to 100 blessings, so count them.
  28. When conversing, forget about counting to 10 - count to 100 before saying anything that could make matters worse.