[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.6.1″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n
Looking to improve your stress levels? Ironically, this can end up being stressful in itself! Knowing you have a problem with stress is of course the first step towards getting better but it also means you now know you have a problem\u2026 and it means you have a long road stretched out in front of you to \u2018recovery\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n If only there were a stress-free way to manage stress\u2026 like a checklist for instance!<\/span><\/p>\n The first point of order is to consider the possibility that you may have a stress addiction. Unlikely though it may sound, stress addictions are common as we find ourselves unable to pull away from work and other high intensity activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n * If you \u2018thrive under pressure\u2019 and if you can never take time off, you may well have a stress addiction.<\/span><\/p>\n * If you feel bored and fidgety when you\u2019re unwinding, you may have a stress addiction<\/span><\/p>\n * If your friends and family complain that they never get to see you, this is a sign of a stress addiction<\/span><\/p>\n * If you feel constantly \u2018wired\u2019 then you may have a stress addiction.<\/span><\/p>\n The first step to overcoming stress then is to recognize that you may feel it\u2019s difficult to change these habits: but you must in order to gain freedom from stress.<\/span><\/p>\n A good place to start when tackling stress is to look at your stressors. Stressors are things that cause stress and these can include things like work and debt. At the same time though, they can also include slightly smaller things in many cases. Common stressors include\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n – Impending deadlines<\/span><\/p>\n – Calls you need to make and don\u2019t have time for<\/span><\/p>\n – Angry bosses<\/span><\/p>\n – Awkward colleagues<\/span><\/p>\n – Friends or partners who are angry with you<\/span><\/p>\n – Arguments<\/span><\/p>\n – The commute to work<\/span><\/p>\n – Untidy homes<\/span><\/p>\n – Health problems<\/span><\/p>\n – Inability to pay bills\/debt<\/span><\/p>\n What you\u2019ll notice is that some of these things are rather small and easy while others are big and abstract. A good place to start is by dealing with the smaller problems that you can tackle more easily. You might also be able to break down bigger problems into smaller issues. For instance \u2018work\u2019 can actually mean:<\/span><\/p>\n – Awkward colleagues<\/span><\/p>\n – Bad bosses<\/span><\/p>\n – Uncomfortable working environments<\/span><\/p>\n – Unpleasant commute<\/span><\/p>\n – Painful working hours<\/span><\/p>\n – Large workloads<\/span><\/p>\n – Impending deadlines<\/span><\/p>\n So even if you can\u2019t change your job, you may be able to deal with some of these specifics. Where will you start?<\/span><\/p>\n A lot of these problems wouldn\u2019t occur if you were to use good stress\/time management habits. Here are some good examples:<\/span><\/p>\n * Little and often \u2013 instead of letting your dishes pile up, try tackling them sooner so that they never build up to that level.<\/span><\/p>\n * The pomodoro technique \u2013 are you prone to procrastination? Get around this tendency by using the pomorodo technique: segregating your working hours into periods of work and rest using a timer.<\/span><\/p>\n * The 80\/20 law \u2013 if you\u2019re self-employed, you might find that 80% of your work comes from 20% of your clients. Cut the rest.<\/span><\/p>\n * Close open loops \u2013 don\u2019t let things continue to stress you out over the long term. If you have a call to make, make it sooner and \u2018close the loop\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n You should also apply these lifestyle changes to make stress easier to cope with:<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, try to learn to deal with acute stress. Some things that can help here include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n * Breathing more slowly which will activate the parasympathetic nervous system<\/span><\/p>\n * Learning mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy<\/span><\/p>\n * Reminding yourself of why you shouldn\u2019t be stressed<\/span><\/p>\n * Removing yourself from the situation<\/span><\/p>\n There you have it: you now have all the tools and know-how to begin your move towards a stress-free life!<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Stress-Free Stress Management Checklist Looking to improve your stress levels? Ironically, this can end up being stressful in itself! Knowing you have a problem with stress is of course the first step towards getting better but it also means you now know you have a problem\u2026 and it means you have a long road stretched […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":236706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[18,19,21],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236705"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236705"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236705\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328101,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236705\/revisions\/328101"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.martin-daubney.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Do You Have a Stress Addiction?<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>Identifying Your Stressors<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/b>Good Habits<\/b><\/h4>\n
<\/span>Lifestyle Changes<\/b><\/h4>\n\n
<\/span>Dealing With Acute Stress<\/b><\/h4>\n