Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Stress Management Series - Part 1

Chances are good that if you live on planet Earth, (and as far as I know, my blog has not reached the outer limits of the universe yet), you have stress in your life. No matter who you are, where you're from, or what you do, you experience stress. I think a lot of our stress originates from the way we live, work, and even the way we relax.

Since there is just no way to avoid stress, we need to find effective ways to manage stress. I am going to post a small series on some of the methods you can practice on a regular basis to win the war against stress. Make these things a part of your daily routine just like brushing your hair and flossing your teeth.

Today's focus is on:

Time Management

Perfect your time management skills and you will have won half the battle. Managing your time effectively will allow you to organize your day so that you will be able to spend more time with your family and friends, and doing the things that you enjoy doing. This will improve your productivity and performance, allow you more down-time and help reduce your stress level.

Time Management Tips:
• Concentrate on one task at a time. This way you will complete your tasks faster and you will be able to get more done.
• Delegate responsibilities to others whenever possible.
• Schedule time for you. Just like you would book an appointment for a meeting, schedule time to do things for you.
• Record your day. Make note of how your time is spent, including work, family, and fun time. Review your record on a regular basis and make adjustments where needed.
• Organize your time by prioritizing tasks in order of importance. Spend your time on the tasks that are important to you.
• Avoid over-committing. If it is not important to you, say no.
• Use a scheduler or day-planner. Divide large tasks into smaller pieces, and set short-term goals for yourself.

By following these few tips on a regular basis, you should be able to start to take control of your time and begin reducing the stress in your day-to-day life.

Tomorrow I will focus on: Building Healthy Coping Methods


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