| If you think stress only happens to professionals | | | | excellent way to burn off accumulated effects of |
| who work indecent hours, think again. Stress is in | | | | stress. As for your diet, limit caffeine, sugars and |
| fact part and parcel of everyone's response to | | | | alcohol intake. Junk food and refined sugar low in |
| the increasingly fast pace of daily life in this | | | | nutritional value and high in calories can leave us |
| century. A daily routine can be as ordinary as | | | | feeling sluggish. Go to bed and rise at the same |
| getting the kids ready for school, taking Dad for | | | | time everyday to build a routine habit. Do not |
| his regular medical check-up, driving to work, | | | | engage in exercise or strenuous activity |
| fetching the kids for extra-curricular activities, | | | | immediately before bed time. |
| searching for the right home loan financing... well | | | | 5) Increase quality time - quality time is when you |
| you get the picture. | | | | engage in special events to connect to and share |
| Stress can be what enables you to achieve more | | | | the feelings and closeness with others. Although |
| in your typical day or it can work against you and | | | | you need to have quality time with your family, |
| prevent you from accomplishing your normal daily | | | | it's also essential to set aside quality time for |
| tasks. | | | | yourself, too. |
| The right amount of stress is a positive force. It | | | | Just relax and take it easy |
| helps us to do work to the best of our ability and | | | | To make it easier and to enhance your efforts, |
| keeps us alert, energetic, focused and engaged | | | | include diaphragm breathing techniques, relaxing |
| with others around us. However, too much stress | | | | massages, meditation, to help you in managing |
| on the other hand can leave us tense, anxious, | | | | your body's stress response during demanding |
| drained of energy, distracted and uncomfortable. | | | | periods. |
| The key is to maintain an optimum balance when | | | | All these stress relievers help you to take control |
| we become overwhelmed. | | | | of your health and life goals with ease. By |
| Stress affects us in many ways emotionally, | | | | regularly practicing the diaphragm breathing |
| physically and also directly impacts our behavior. | | | | technique and detoxifying your body over the |
| As stress cannot be avoided, you need to | | | | weekend enables you to experience a sensation |
| manage it as part of daily life if you want to look | | | | of true calm while enjoying better mental |
| after your health and sense of well-being. | | | | alertness and focus within weeks of practice. |
| Here are 5 basic ways to manage your daily | | | | These simple but therapeutic techniques also help |
| stress:- | | | | your body regulate stress to a level that |
| 1) Social support - is the single most buffer | | | | motivates and does not harm your bodily |
| against stress. Spend time with family and friends. | | | | functions in the long run and is most helpful for |
| It's important to share your problems and seek | | | | anyone who wants to protect their body from |
| advice from people you trust and who care about | | | | the long term wear and tear of stress, and also |
| you. | | | | those going through stressful situations. |
| 2) Relaxation - everyone needs to develop | | | | It can also be incorporated in your daily routine |
| methods for invoking relaxation response. | | | | for specific stressful situations such as exams, |
| Relaxation lowers blood pressure, respiration and | | | | hectic schedule, killer datelines, important public |
| pulse rates, releases muscle tension and eases | | | | presentations, etc. You will feel calmer and more |
| emotional strains. | | | | focused with daily practice. |
| 3) Thought management - how and what we | | | | This is the "remedy" for go-getters who just |
| think, what we expect and what we tell ourselves | | | | want to get more out of their life. Most |
| often determines how we feel and how well we | | | | importantly, we all need to draw on calm, focused |
| manage rising stress levels. Stop your thoughts as | | | | and dynamic energy levels to achieve all that we |
| and when you catch yourself leaning towards | | | | have planned for ourselves and loved ones for |
| negativity. | | | | that matter. |
| 4) Exercise, diet and sleep - regular exercise is an | | | | |