Nearly all of us suffer from stress at some level. Unfortunately, most of us unknowingly create our own stress. We live a fast paced and competitive lifestyle, and from that, we suffer the stressful consequences.
What can you let go to simplify your life? Slow down and step back into observer mode. Look at your own patterns — you can’t change them until you recognize them. If you think you can’t change the direction of your life, then simply adjust the path.
We all want everything for our children and ourselves. But what price are we willing to pay? During the process of gaining material possessions, we may be missing out on the true pleasures and satisfaction our lives naturally generate. Time to play with the kids, barbeque with friends, lie on a beach, or read a good book all are simple pleasures. They are less stressful, and, best of all, free.
It’s our everyday habits that become unhealthy and create stress. Because our need to get ahead most likely creates a busier schedule for us, we may eat poorly, not sleep enough, smoke or drink too much, or not exercise. Living this unhealthy lifestyle we not only create our own stress, but we might be prolonging it.
Changing your lifestyle will require changes in your daily habits. Most stress is initially triggered or exaggerated by common everyday occurrences. Make an attempt to satisfy your emotional and physical needs rather than prioritizing your monetary needs.
Look at your daily habits. Do you overwork yourself, eat on the run, or stay up late at night? We all have some unhealthy daily habits. Eliminating as many as possible and replacing them with better choices can reduce our stress levels. Here are some basic guidelines to healthier daily living.
1. Eat at least one hot balanced meal a day.
2. Get seven or eight hours of sleep every night.
3. Turn off the news on television.
4. Exercise to the point of perspiration at least twice weekly.
5. Limit yourself to less than half a pack of cigarettes a day, or better yet, quit all together.
6. Drink fewer than five alcoholic beverages a week.
7. Maintain the appropriate weight for your height.
8. Keep your spending habits in balance with your income.
9. Join a church or social group.
10. Keep your body in good health (including eyes, ears, and teeth).
11. Keep the lines of communication open with your spouse and family (chores, money, etc.).
12. Organize your time. Make daily lists of things to do.
13. Limit your caffeine beverages to less than three a day.
14. Take some quiet time for yourself every day.
15. Prioritize and try to see the big picture.
16. Learn and practice refueling rituals.
17. Do something fun at least once a week.
“Most of the time, I don’t have much fun. The rest of the time, I have no fun at all.”
——Woody Allen, actor
What would it take to find the time to do more of the things you enjoy? What would you have to change? When you’re doing something you enjoy, what is it that makes you stop? If you can answer that last question, you might be able to change whatever it is so you have more time to do what you love. Everything is achievable depending on what you are willing to give up.
Carol Denbow is a three-time award winning author. Her third book, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect is considered by experts to be the most comprehensive and useful stress relief book available today. Visit Carol’s website at http://www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com/stress-books.html to meet “Frank” the lovable “stressed out” character who represents all of us working stiffs!
Showing posts with label reduce stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reduce stress. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
How to Reduce Financial Stress
Nearly half of all working Americans have financial problems. It’s no wonder that one of the leading causes of stress is money. Financial stress is a major contributor to many health issues. Listed below are some of the negative mental, physical, and emotional effects financial stress has on us.
1. Bad habits — When we are stressed, we tend to drink more alcohol, smoke, and eat more, all of which create more stress.
2. Healthcare — With a shortage of money, typically the issue with financial stress, we neglect our health. When there is no money for healthcare, problems are ignored and can become serious.
3. Losing sleep — Our minds don’t function well and our decision-making processes are altered when we are sleep deprived. Not being able to think straight causes more stress.
4. Emotional imbalance — Financial debt can lead to a variety of unhealthy emotions including anxiety, frustration, and depression.
It’s common for people to believe that if they earn and have more money, they will be happier. Having more money may trigger a temporary high and get us a few nifty new things, but people tend to adjust their lifestyles to the level of the added income. They may buy more things and possibly create more debt and greater stress.
It’s better to create goals to be smarter with the money you have. Your first goal should be to get yourself out of debt. There is true satisfaction in owning things free and clear. After you are debt-free, spend your money on things that will make you truly happy and decrease your financial stress. The following are ways to help you lower your debt, increase your happiness, and reduce stress.
*Look for the smallest ways to save money. Start by cutting out the lattes. Usually “coffee on the go” is over three dollars, so making your coffee at home can save you up to a thousand dollars a year.
*If you have a gym membership you use only once a month, drop it and start walking, jogging, or exercising at home. You can save five hundred dollars a year or more.
*Pack a lunch for work instead of eating out, and this alone could save you over two thousand dollars a year. Small expenses add up to thousands of dollars each year causing financial stress.
*Always spend smart — don’t shop just to shop. Ask yourself if you really need the item. Don’t impulse buy. Always give yourself a couple of days to think about a major purchase. Often we buy things and shortly thereafter realize it was something we didn’t really want or need.
*Use your money and stop the credit card madness. If you don’t have the money, don’t buy it. Be sure to never use money allocated for other bills for new purchases. If there’s something you really want to buy, save the money in advance, or try selling something you don’t use on eBay or at a yard sale.
*Implement a budget. Typically experts say you should set aside certain percentages of your income for specific expenses, such as 30 percent of your income for housing, 10 percent for automotive, etc. But we know that each person’s expenses may be different and probably vary from month to month. Implement a budget and reassess it every few months. Don’t include only your monthly rent, food, and gas. The best way to figure your “real” annual expenses into a monthly budget is to search back through your checkbook or bank statements and include the one-payment-a-year expenses, such as car insurance, registration fees, and property taxes. Without taking such expenses into account, your bank balance may show an excess of funds on any particular month. In reality, these funds may be needed to pay one of those one-payment-a-year expenses. If you spend that as “extra” money, you may find yourself stressed out when you fall short of money when an unexpected payment comes due. Add up all the yearly expenses and divide them into a twelve-month plan for a realistic monthly budget total. Then if one month shows you have extra money, realize that over the year that money is allocated for an upcoming expense.
Don’t just look at the big monthly expenses for your budget or for saving money. When we look at our monthly expenses we tend to ignore the small stuff because we see it as insignificant — a few dollars here, a few there. But those little ten- and twenty-dollar-a-month expenses add up over a year’s time. Figure those little expenses into your budget, or, better yet, get rid of them if possible and save that money to start planning for a stress-free retirement.
If your debt overwhelms you and you can’t seem to make your monthly payments, you should contact a debt consolidation company for assistance. There are many non-profit organizations that can help people reduce and consolidate debt.
Overall, the best way to avoid financial stress is to live within your means. Begin living within your means by changing your lifestyle. In addition, learn and practice stress-relieving exercises and incorporate them into your daily routine. To learn more ways of reducing financial burden and stress, visit http://astressfreelife.blogspot.com/
Carol Denbow is a three-time award winning author. Her third book, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect is considered by experts to be the most comprehensive and useful stress relief book available today. Visit Carol’s website at http://www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com/stress-books.html to meet “Frank” the lovable “stressed out” character who represents all of us working stiffs!
1. Bad habits — When we are stressed, we tend to drink more alcohol, smoke, and eat more, all of which create more stress.
2. Healthcare — With a shortage of money, typically the issue with financial stress, we neglect our health. When there is no money for healthcare, problems are ignored and can become serious.
3. Losing sleep — Our minds don’t function well and our decision-making processes are altered when we are sleep deprived. Not being able to think straight causes more stress.
4. Emotional imbalance — Financial debt can lead to a variety of unhealthy emotions including anxiety, frustration, and depression.
It’s common for people to believe that if they earn and have more money, they will be happier. Having more money may trigger a temporary high and get us a few nifty new things, but people tend to adjust their lifestyles to the level of the added income. They may buy more things and possibly create more debt and greater stress.
It’s better to create goals to be smarter with the money you have. Your first goal should be to get yourself out of debt. There is true satisfaction in owning things free and clear. After you are debt-free, spend your money on things that will make you truly happy and decrease your financial stress. The following are ways to help you lower your debt, increase your happiness, and reduce stress.
*Look for the smallest ways to save money. Start by cutting out the lattes. Usually “coffee on the go” is over three dollars, so making your coffee at home can save you up to a thousand dollars a year.
*If you have a gym membership you use only once a month, drop it and start walking, jogging, or exercising at home. You can save five hundred dollars a year or more.
*Pack a lunch for work instead of eating out, and this alone could save you over two thousand dollars a year. Small expenses add up to thousands of dollars each year causing financial stress.
*Always spend smart — don’t shop just to shop. Ask yourself if you really need the item. Don’t impulse buy. Always give yourself a couple of days to think about a major purchase. Often we buy things and shortly thereafter realize it was something we didn’t really want or need.
*Use your money and stop the credit card madness. If you don’t have the money, don’t buy it. Be sure to never use money allocated for other bills for new purchases. If there’s something you really want to buy, save the money in advance, or try selling something you don’t use on eBay or at a yard sale.
*Implement a budget. Typically experts say you should set aside certain percentages of your income for specific expenses, such as 30 percent of your income for housing, 10 percent for automotive, etc. But we know that each person’s expenses may be different and probably vary from month to month. Implement a budget and reassess it every few months. Don’t include only your monthly rent, food, and gas. The best way to figure your “real” annual expenses into a monthly budget is to search back through your checkbook or bank statements and include the one-payment-a-year expenses, such as car insurance, registration fees, and property taxes. Without taking such expenses into account, your bank balance may show an excess of funds on any particular month. In reality, these funds may be needed to pay one of those one-payment-a-year expenses. If you spend that as “extra” money, you may find yourself stressed out when you fall short of money when an unexpected payment comes due. Add up all the yearly expenses and divide them into a twelve-month plan for a realistic monthly budget total. Then if one month shows you have extra money, realize that over the year that money is allocated for an upcoming expense.
Don’t just look at the big monthly expenses for your budget or for saving money. When we look at our monthly expenses we tend to ignore the small stuff because we see it as insignificant — a few dollars here, a few there. But those little ten- and twenty-dollar-a-month expenses add up over a year’s time. Figure those little expenses into your budget, or, better yet, get rid of them if possible and save that money to start planning for a stress-free retirement.
If your debt overwhelms you and you can’t seem to make your monthly payments, you should contact a debt consolidation company for assistance. There are many non-profit organizations that can help people reduce and consolidate debt.
Overall, the best way to avoid financial stress is to live within your means. Begin living within your means by changing your lifestyle. In addition, learn and practice stress-relieving exercises and incorporate them into your daily routine. To learn more ways of reducing financial burden and stress, visit http://astressfreelife.blogspot.com/
Carol Denbow is a three-time award winning author. Her third book, Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect is considered by experts to be the most comprehensive and useful stress relief book available today. Visit Carol’s website at http://www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com/stress-books.html to meet “Frank” the lovable “stressed out” character who represents all of us working stiffs!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Stinky Stuff—Good Therapy?
Aromatherapy originated in Europe back in the early 1900s. Aromatherapy uses aroma-producing essential oils from plants to provide relaxation and help relieve stress. The essential oils are taken from a plant’s flowers, leaves, stalks, bark, rind, or roots. The oils are mixed with other liquids such as alcohol, oil, or lotion and are then rubbed on the skin or sprayed in the air and inhaled. You can also mix them into your bathwater.
Users of aromatherapy believe that the fragrances stimulate nerves in the nose that, in turn, send impulses to the part of the brain that controls both your emotions and your memory. Aromatherapy oils are thought to interact with hormones and enzymes in your body, and can cause changes in pulse rate, blood pressure, or other body functions. Depending on the type of aromatherapy oil, the result may be stimulating or very calming.
The following is a list of symptoms followed by the suggested aromatherapy oil.
Stress — Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Mandarin, Rose, and Sandalwood
Anxiety — Cedar wood, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Mandarin, Rose, and Sandalwood
Anger — Jasmine, Orange, Roman Chamomile, and Rose
Irritability — Lavender, Mandarin, Roman Chamomile, and Sandalwood
Memory — Basil, Black Pepper, Cypress, Lemon, Peppermint, and Rosemary
Depression or Grief: Frankincense, Rose, and Sandalwood
Fatigue — Basil, Black Pepper, Cypress, Frankincense, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Sandalwood
Aromatherapy products can be found in most stores offering lotions, candles, and bath oils.
People with certain chronic illnesses or conditions, lung conditions, asthma, allergies, skin conditions, children under age five, and pregnant women should not use aromatherapy without first consulting a doctor.
Post Author: Carol Denbow is an award winning author of three books including Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect. Visit Carol’s website at http://www.booksbydenbow.weebly.com/
Users of aromatherapy believe that the fragrances stimulate nerves in the nose that, in turn, send impulses to the part of the brain that controls both your emotions and your memory. Aromatherapy oils are thought to interact with hormones and enzymes in your body, and can cause changes in pulse rate, blood pressure, or other body functions. Depending on the type of aromatherapy oil, the result may be stimulating or very calming.
The following is a list of symptoms followed by the suggested aromatherapy oil.
Stress — Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Mandarin, Rose, and Sandalwood
Anxiety — Cedar wood, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Mandarin, Rose, and Sandalwood
Anger — Jasmine, Orange, Roman Chamomile, and Rose
Irritability — Lavender, Mandarin, Roman Chamomile, and Sandalwood
Memory — Basil, Black Pepper, Cypress, Lemon, Peppermint, and Rosemary
Depression or Grief: Frankincense, Rose, and Sandalwood
Fatigue — Basil, Black Pepper, Cypress, Frankincense, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lemon, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Sandalwood
Aromatherapy products can be found in most stores offering lotions, candles, and bath oils.
People with certain chronic illnesses or conditions, lung conditions, asthma, allergies, skin conditions, children under age five, and pregnant women should not use aromatherapy without first consulting a doctor.
Post Author: Carol Denbow is an award winning author of three books including Stress Relief for the Working Stiff, How to Reverse the Embalming Effect. Visit Carol’s website at http://www.booksbydenbow.weebly.com/
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