Stress has always been a part of our lives. It is but a common occurrence for people to hear someone complain of how stressful his life had been in the school, in the workplace, or even with his family. This situation happens everywhere regardless of race, nationality, status in life, or level of education attained. Stress is just there clinging to us wherever we go, and we can’t merely disregard this sad truth.

We must remember that in whatever we do, there are just some inevitable factors that cause pressure and anxiety to us. On the other hand, there are those that we can control. We must therefore be sensible enough to differentiate the two so that we do not end up wasting our time, effort, money and abilities on matters that we can’t change.

Here are some helpful tips on tension management.

1. Identify what makes you anxious and uneasy. Making a list of your stressful experiences is useful. Immediately deal with the issues that you can change like waking-up late for work in the morning or beating deadlines during the last minute. Forget about the ones that you can’t influence like being stuck in a traffic jam or not getting into the elevator because there is no space left.

2. Calm down.  A three-minute break would do you good. You can go to the bathroom and wash your face, sneak out to buy a candy bar, or inhale fresh air. You can also listen to relaxing music, punch a pillow, or call someone. Releasing your inner feelings to a good friend is a healthy option.

3. It will pass; it will be over before you know it. Constantly reminding yourself that the stressful event “will end sooner or later” can make you see the positive sides of things. At the same time, stabilize your emotions and think of what is the best thing to do rather than take your energy away from what needs to be done.

4. Know yourself. Ask yourself: What triggers your anxiety? If it is your job, then maybe it’s the right time for you to reconsider whether it would be best to find a less stressful job. You can also make your present job more bearable by allowing yourself to get that needed vacation or leave. Never tire yourself of thinking what can’t be changed immediately, like a new memorandum assigning you to a new work schedule that you don’t prefer. In due time, things will get better as you adjust to your work.

Life gives you have two choices. Change the situation or simply accept it. There’s no other way to cope with tension producing situations

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If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at rickallen@rickalleninfo.com. I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: estress.wordpress.com

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I!

Also, please feel free to share the following link with people to get a no cost Stress Management

Kit : www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2008, Rick Allen, CH,CI

Self Improvement Center

P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA

Ph: 800 521-3653 Fax: 501 637-5882

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When you ask people where most of their daily stress comes from, majority will tell you that it either comes from their home or from work, with greater emphasis on the latter. Because work is a paid endeavor, and the time allotted for it is regular and measured, a lot of people say the routine is what bothers them – in addition to the gnarly boss, the file pile-ups, and the gossip-mongering co-workers.

If you feel you are suffering from occupational stress, then this is the article for you. Sure, stress from work is inevitable, because all of us do need to work to earn a living and support ourselves and our families. But just because it’s inevitable doesn’t mean we should just raise our arms in defeat and succumb to its every whim. Work stress can be managed. All you need to have to start with is a cool head.

Next time you feel like you’re on the edge at the office, here are a few tips you can try.

1. Take a break.

Leave the office, take a short walk or visit a quiet nook in your office building or a nearby café. Claiming some “me” time helps clear and refresh your mind; so will a change of atmosphere.

2. Talk it over.

Before you snap back at a co-worker, bite your tongue. Pull a close friend at the office, ask if he or she has the time, and ask for help in processing your anger or anxious feelings. Expressing yourself to a confidant for at least 20 minutes helps you simmer down and prevents you from acting or saying things that you might regret later.

3. Stretch.

Exercise can do wonders to one’s spirits. It doesn’t have to be rigorous. A few minutes of stretching and breathing does the trick.

4. Eat, drink.

Yes, stress eating is the number one cause of weight gain, but there are nutritious foods to calm you and to help you sustain your energy for the rest of the day. Instead of reaching out for a sugar-laden doughnut, get a bran muffin; instead of coffee, have a relaxing tea drink.

5. Laugh!

Humor is an effective way to relieve stress. Laughter relaxes tense muscles, brings in more oxygen into our system, and lowers blood pressure. Next time you want to blow your top, call a friend with a good sense of humor. Developing good jokes – no offensive ones – does wonders for yourself and your officemates, too. Seeing humor in everyday things lightens up an otherwise trying and tiring day at work.

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If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at RickAllen@RickAllenInfo.com . I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: estress.wordpress.com

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I!

Also, please feel free to share the following link with people to get a no cost Stress Management

Kit : www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2008, Rick Allen, CH,CI

Self Improvement Center

P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA

Ph: 800 521-3653 Fax: 501 637-5882

We all have those days – when deadlines are approaching and nothing is going right, when we’ve made dozens of nonproductive calls, and when it seems like the odds just aren’t in our favor. All we manage to build by the end of this kind of day is stress.

Stress affects people in different ways. Some of us experience headaches or physical pain. Others lose concentration and focus. When that happens, if you want to accomplish anything at all, you’ve got to do something to relieve the stress. Here are some suggestions.

- Laugh

That’s not as silly as it sounds. Medical research has shown that laughter decreases blood pressure and heart rate, increases oxygen in the blood, creates an enzyme that protects your stomach from stress, and strengthens the immune system. According to a study, the average American child laughs out loud about 400 times per day. The average American adult laughs out loud only about 15 times a day!

When you need a break, call a friend you will make you laugh. You can call anyone you know who has an upbeat, positive attitude. Afterward, you will find that you feel much more relaxed, energized, and able to regain your focus and go on with your day.

- Take a 20-minute power nap.

Keep an alarm clock with you at work so that, if necessary, you can nap in your office. Studies have shown that 20 minutes is the optimal time for napping – it gives us much-needed rest without making us overtired. More than 30 minutes of sleep will make you groggy.

- Change your activity.

Sometimes, repeating the same activity all day – like making sales calls – can cause stress, especially if you’re not achieving spectacular results.

If you’ve been inside all day, go outside for a while. Take an exercise break. Practice a musical instrument. Start a new project. Find something you can do for 30 minutes or an hour that will allow your mind to go in a completely different direction from what you’ve been doing all day. You’ll come back to your work refreshed and renewed, and with a significantly lower stress level.

- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

Not all sales will go well, so make sure you have alternatives. One of the most stressful selling situations is when there are other parties or outside influences over which you have no control. Sometimes you have to depend on people who may not be pulling their weight, or who may be going through their own stressful times. If something’s not working, at least you can move on to another situation in which you can get a greater ROI.

While stress can sabotage a sale, it can also be a great motivator. Concern that things are not going well can push you into high gear and get you thinking in new directions. It can save you from becoming complacent. But don’t wait for stress to push you into making that extra effort.

Most stress is caused by thinking about the things you haven’t done. If you’ve done all you can upfront, you will avoid most situations that cause you stress. And that’s the goal – to avoid stress as much as possible so you don’t have to constantly find ways to relieve it.

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If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at rickallen@RickAllenInfo.com. I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: estress.wordpress.com  

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I!

Also, please feel free to share the following link with people to get a no cost Stress Management Kit : www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2008, Rick Allen, CH,CI

Self Improvement Center

P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA

Ph: 800 521-3653 Fax: 501 637-5882

Making a choice between staying home and working full-time poses a major dilemma for mothers, but experts now say it shouldn’t. Studies have shown have working moms and their stay-home counterparts each bring unique contributions to children’s character formation.

In the past, being a working mom was almost always equated with a stressful life. Who wouldn’t say so, anyway? You wake up earlier than the rest of the family to prepare the kids’ meals and get them ready for school, after which you ready yourself for a day of stress at work, only to end the day with another kind of challenge, that is, picking your usually cranky kids from school, making their dinners, ensuring that they’ve done their homework and putting them to bed.

And that’s just the motherly duties. We still haven’t mentioned the wifely and the homemaker parts. It seems like a life of eternal work, work, work. However, it really isn’t.

Motherhood is a role that entails a good balance between care giving and self-fulfillment. A mother’s positive self-image, whether it be brought about by exposure to the workplace or fulfillment from manning the home front, results in positive interaction with well-adjusted children. Children of working mothers do as well as those thar stay at home.

Child development: The good

- Positive attitude about work

As primary models to young learners, parents pass on their outlook about work and responsibility to their children, whether they intend to or not. Children see the value of contributing to society, and will then strive to apply themselves in the same way.

- Absorb the value of responsibility and independence

When parents share with their children what is enjoyable about their jobs, as well as the difficulties often encountered, they help their kids form their own notion of work, plus the responsibility that work entails.

- Share equal relationship with both parents

The amount of time spent by both parents with the children is almost the same. Both are working, and both will want to spend time with the kids. Mom will cease to be labeled as the only nurturer whom kids bond with emotionally. Dad may take his share of emotional bonding, as mom does her share of providing financially. The positive effects of working moms are multiplied when fathers partake in child care and in household matters.

The bad

- May feel apprehensive

Tension at work plus the pressure to keep the household and the kids at their best increases stress. Kids can sense this tension and become reluctant toward their own moms, which may lead to a less open line of communication between the two.

The level of stress a mother feels as a result of physical or emotional exhaustion, dissatisfaction, or discontent (either at home or in the office) is unknowingly passed on to her child. This stress is eventually translated to children’s poor physical and psychological health.

- May become detached

You emotional bond with your child is shaped during the first year of your child’s life. Early attachment or detachment from parents, especially mothers, has a lasting emotional effect on children. Whoever answers to children’s needs and takes on major part in their care during the early years of their life makes a deep impression.

If a mother’s work takes her away from the child physically, chances are that the child will see the mom as a stranger or a “guest” who visits every so often. Toddlers may even become fearful of their own mothers simply because they don’t recognize them.

- May become too demanding

Whether they feel guilty for not being there most of the time, or because of eagerness to hold their kids, many working moms feel disposed to showering their kids with presents. Having worked so hard, the working mom tends to give little care to money spent. The danger is, when a child finds that his or her parents are appeasers, it doesn’t satisfy him or her – and it makes the child greedy.

While showing affection and affability may come naturally to moms, children must understand that moms are also capable of irritability due to exhaustion. Moms don’t have to shower their kids with gifts to compensate for lost time. Setting the right time balance allotted for the kids often works wonders already. Set a special time for bonding, or communicate frequently. Also, guilt should never precede better parenting judgments.

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RickAllen@RickAllenInfo.com . I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: www.estress.wordpress.com

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I!

www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2007, Rick Allen, CH,CI, Self Improvement Center, P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA, Ph: 800 521-3653 Fax: 501 637-5882 

Today’s world is all about instant gratification and moving forward at a dizzying pace, and this can wreak havoc on your health. You dare not get left behind, and in your rush to catch the train or meet the deadline, your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing suffers. Sound familiar?

Though short-term stress is quite healthy and necessary to stimulate your immune system, chronic, or long-term, stress does just the opposite. Your adrenal glands release stress hormones—cortisol in particular—during taxing situations and cortisol is responsible for kicking the immune system into high gear. But when you are bombarded with stress on a continual basis, the body develops a resistance to cortisol and the immune system stops responding, leaving you vulnerable to all sorts of stress-related health problems.

The best way to counter these ill effects is to get enough rest. It is through adequate sleep (at least seven hours every night) that the rising levels of cortisol in the body can be kept in check.

Know when to give yourself a break. At the rate you’re going, you’ll work yourself right into the grave. No one will hold it against you for wanting to take a breather. Do it deeply—not just regular respiration, but actually savoring every breath. Utilize your diaphragm rather than your lungs, and count four to five seconds while inhaling through your nose, and another four to five seconds exhaling through your mouth. Then repeat the exercise ten times. Not only is this a great way to relax but it slows your heart rate and lessens anxiety. It also helps to lower blood pressure.

Another thing that does wonders for blood pressure is to own a pet. Having a canine or feline companion has been known to reduce stress and help overcome depression. Just make sure you’re not allergic.

Learn proper time management. Despite what you may think, there is no such thing as having no time. Everyone has it. Rather, it is how you budget your time that makes all the difference in the world. And if you believe your schedule is getting just a wee bit unmanageable, don’t be afraid to speak up and say so. Prioritize. You don’t have to say yes to every task thrown your way.

Manage your finances. It is a widely known fact that money problems equal a whole lot of stress. Save yourself (and your wallet) the heartache by reading helpful materials on the subject, like “The Six New Rules of Rich” by Oliver Broudy (Men’s Health, March 2007).

Clean up your act. Free yourself and your living space from clutter. Get rid of eyesores you’ve accumulated through the years. Give whatever you no longer need to charity.

Speaking of charity be more involved in social or civic work. When you expose yourself to the hardships of others, your own problems will seem less burdensome and you will have more courage and energy to face them.

If it can be helped at all, try to stay away from stressful situations. You may be able to give your life some semblance of order, but outside factors could just as easily destroy what you have worked so hard to build. Keep your cool. If you find yourself losing your temper over the slightest altercation, count to ten before retaliating. This will give you time to calm down and address the problem in a more rational manner. Lessen noise. If you can’t do that, then don’t contribute to it. Avoid toxic people as their condition is highly contagious. Of course, we don’t recommend you duck under a table or run for

your life each time you cross paths, but don’t allow their overanxious nature to encroach on your own unstressed disposition.

The frenetic rat race that human progress has become exacts a high price, and the finish line is as elusive as ever. But perhaps this is one race where the ideal would be to slow down.

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If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at RickAllen@RickAllenInfo.com . I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: estress.wordpress.com

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I! Also, please feel free to share the following link with people to get a no cost Stress Management Kit : www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2008,

Rick Allen, CH,CI

Self Improvement Center

P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA

Ph: 800 521-3653 Fax: 501 637-5882

Benefits of Humor

With all the problems and the struggles that we experience everyday, there is nothing left for us to do but to take things lightly – meaning, we should just laugh at our problems.

It might not solve all our problems but at least, it takes away our stresses in life; and most of the time, while laughing, we tend to look at our problems in a different light. In this same way, laughing also has great benefits.

For starters, it alleviates our pains and some sicknesses that we experience in our bodies. There have been studies that make this fact true.

According to the Science of Laughter, Discovery of Health website, laughing eliminates the increase of viruses and tumors – basically, laughing is called natural killer cells, and along with laughter, there are also other types of killer cells that gets rid of diseases – and that’s not all that laughing can do: it also increases oxygen in the blood, which promotes for good healing of diseases in the body system.

Aside from this, humor lowers the blood pressure and changes our biological state. Laughter also protects the heart and gives our body a great workout. Most importantly, humor improves brain function and relieves our stress.

Aside from the physical benefits of humor, humor also affects our mental and emotional state. Instead of feeling angry, depressed or sad, (the negative emotions) with humor, you can release all of these. Besides, you can’t become angry while laughing hard or being humorous, right?

Humor also changes behavior – there will be more chances of you talking much, much more and that you can have eye contact with the person you’re talking with. Humor also increases our energy; when we feel energized, we sometimes do things that we tend to avoid. That’s a good thing, because doing things that we don’t normally do makes us risk takers. Finally, we like to laugh because it makes us feel good!

Humor also contributes to better relations with other people. Humor connects us together when we laugh. It brings a sense of unity and camaraderie when we laugh. And for two strangers that haven’t met yet, it’s actually the start of a good conversation.

For two friends who haven’t seen each other for awhile, laughter brings a sense of closeness and it bridges the gap between distances.

So whenever you are faced with burdens, problems and struggles, you know the right thing to do: Just laugh!

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If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at RickAllen@RickAllenInfo.com . I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: estress.wordpress.com Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I! Also, please feel free to share the following link with people to get a no cost Stress Management Kit :

www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2007, Rick Allen, CH,CI

Self Improvement Center

P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA

Ph: 800 521-3653

So you are standing by the water cooler with the rest of the staff, chatting. Then someone points to a new notice on the staff cork board. All of you rush to the notice and groan in unison: yes, another change will be made in your department. You wonder whether your job is on the line, hoping against hope that it is not. Your organization is going through an organizational change.

When does an organization experience change? The leaders of the organization might initiate change when they try to amend how the organization operates. It also occurs when the organization adds to or takes away a key segment or process from the system.

Change also happens when the organization switches to a new plan to achieve success.

Another reason change occurs is when the organization passes through a range of life cycles as part of its normal evolution as an organization. Like people, organizations do not stagnate at just one stage of growth but progress to new changes.

Who is responsible for initiating changes? Though everyone in the organization is

responsible for carrying out changes, it is the leaders and managers who must initiate change effectively and efficiently. It is part of their job description. There are leaders and managers who succeed and there are those who fail miserably at it. One factor behind this trend might be the dearth of schools that offer educational programs regarding the right way to evaluate organizations; determining vital priorities which should be tackled; and carrying out necessary changes in line with such priorities.

It is important for leaders and managers to understand that they should not undertake change in their organization simply because they want to. Organizational change is only necessary when the organization and the people working in it need to boost their performance.

All individuals in the organization contribute to change from the micro level to the

organizational level. It is also true that the attitude of the individual towards work will affect the organization of the client (regardless of whether the individual is aware of it or not.) The organization you work in and the organization of the client are interrelated. So it is vital that the individual know himself very well – as far as biases are concerned; your ability to handle conflict and feedback; your skills in decision-making and problem solving; your general perception of organizations; and other aspects of your personality.

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If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at RickAllen@RickAllenInfo.com . I’m always

happy to let you use material as long as I get credit with a link to: www.estress.wordpress.com

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I!

Also, please feel free to share the following link with your human resource to get a no cost Stress Management Kit : www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2007, Rick Allen, CH,CI – Self Improvement Center – P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA – Ph: 800 521-3653

“Some people find it hard to control their anger, they more often than not, throw a fit and even become physically violent. Nevertheless, you have total control of your feelings.”

As a guide for you on how to do that, here are some simple steps to remember so you don’t let anger take you over

Breathe and Count to Ten

When on the verge of losing your wits, it is much better to pause for a while, count to ten until you have released all the tension inside. This actually works, trust me.

Shut up

When you feel like bursting and you have the intense urge to shout at the top of your lungs, bite your tongue to avoid adding fuel to the fire. Cool down first before you say anything. Keep in mind that it takes time to build a relationship and only a word to wreck it. Be careful with what you say so you won’t regret anything in the end.

Think of the Possible Consequence

I know that making your mind work, especially when you’re fuming, is hard. Nevertheless, exercising control over your emotions will do wonders. It’s just mind over matter. Think of the possible consequences if you act on your anger. Try to visualize the things that might happen if you do something borne of your anger. Will a breakup ensue or will you leave a bad impression among your friends as soon as you start spewing hurtful words? Through pausing to think, you will be able to stall your emotions while the anger subsides. Be mature enough to take responsibility in the actions you do and the words you say. As the Chaos theory puts it in the movie “The Butterfly Effect,” “Everything, even the flap of a butterfly’s wings can cause chaos” so be wary of what you say and do, as it will affect everything that will happen in the future.

Detach Yourself and Do Something Else
If you find it rather hard to zip your mouth when infuriated, walking away from the situation in the meantime might work for you. In this way, you prevent yourself from lashing out on people around you. When your anger has cooled, talk things over with the person you are angry with like the adults that you are. Take a walk in the park or write in your journal to let go of your emotions. Keeping your emotions bottled up might lead to heart ailments, but going the other extreme and exploding is also as harmful. Allowing yourself to explode may damage your relationships. Walking away doesn’t mean that you won’t address the issue at hand or suppress your emotions forever. This means distracting yourself from extreme anger, calming yourself down, and then dealing with the issue when you are more capable. Later, when you are ready to, you can process your emotion by naming it for what it is, acknowledging you indeed were hurt or offended, forgiving the person and yourself, then asking that person for forgiveness, if need be, then moving on.

Exercise Your Power to Choose

Remember, you have the will to choose. You have the will and the power to choose, even in anger. Try to imagine this scenario. You are in a crowded mall when someone accidentally stepped on your newly polished toenails. You are about to yell at that creep when you suddenly realized that it was your crush. Don’t be a hypocrite: even if you’re fuming mad, you will most likely want to flash your sweetest smile and assure him that you’re perfectly fine. Fine too, your toes would be, despite the searing pain and the toe-flesh turning purple. So you see, you have absolute power to control your anger. Thus, stop saying that emotions are involuntary and they’re hard to restrain and manage. On the contrary, they are totally subject to your will. You hold the choice. Don’t be a victim of uncontrolled emotions. Practice wielding control over them now.

If you want to use this article in a company or association newsletter or for your own purposes, just contact me at RickAllen@StressManagementConsulting.com
I’m always happy to let you use material as long as I get credit and a link to: estress.wordpress.com

Please pass this article on to someone. If you think the content is good, please share it with someone else. They’ll appreciate it and so will I! Also, please feel free to share the following link with your human resource director to get a no cost Stress Management Kit: www.StressManagementConsulting.com

International Copyright 2008,
Rick Allen, CH,CI, Self Improvement Center P.O. Box 245, Fostoria, OH 44830 USA, Ph: 800 521-3653