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Let’s face it, most of us are running ragged and stressed out from hectic school schedules, work projects and deadlines, and busy family responsibilities, just to name a few. Why and how do we get ourselves in these situations where we feel totally stressed out? I would say a large percentage of the stress in these situations comes from improper time management and procrastination. Yes, we’ve all done it….wait until the last minute to study for a test or work on a certain project or business proposal. Â Then, we find ourselves uptight and stressed over the impending intersection of our level of preparation and the actual date of the test, proposal or project.
So how can we decrease our stress levels and still be productive and successful in school, at work and at home?
1. Stick to a maximum of 4-6 projects period. If you say yes to more, than you have to be willing to give up another. Lose the guilt and stop getting sucked in by peer pressure to do more than is healthy for you. Be honest with the other person asking for your involvement or help and also be honest with yourself. It’s perfectly okay to say that the project is great, but just not right now. Honor yourself. You are worth it.
2. Organize the project or class work into smaller tasks. Spend a dedicated amount of time consistently to the task. Perhaps it is 30 minutes a day or 2 hours a week or whatever is in alignment to get the results you need. Â Make sure this time is uninterrupted time as well. Â If you set aside 4 hours a week to start building a side business, for example; it needs to be 4 hours without interruption of texting, emails, Facebook, phone calls, etc. Many of us are technology addicts and lose focus each time we get off track. We then have to spend time getting refocused which uses up valuable time that can leave us anxious and in a time crunch as a result.
3. Breathe deeply and often. If you take a moment to observe your breath, especially when you are feeling stressed, you will likely find that you are breathing very shallow and possibly using your neck accessory muscles to lift your rib cage up as you inhale. Try instead to place one hand on your belly and as you inhale, feel your belly expand into your hand. This is diaphragmatic breathing. You will take in much more oxygen to feed the cells in your brain and your muscles and also ease tension and anxiety.
4. Smile. If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, smile. It is amazing how a simple smile or some laughter can change everything. Your body relaxes and stress levels melt each time you laugh or smile. Take notice for yourself as you try it right now. Â Smile…Laugh. Is your stress level equal or did it decrease a bit?
5. Have gratitude. Often, when we are stressed out, it is easy to forget all the things we should be grateful for in the first place. Â Stressed over school? Take a moment to be grateful for the opportunity to learn and build your foundation for the future you aspire to reach. Â Stressed about work? Maybe look around for a minute. Probably your job helped pay for the clothes you are wearing, helped pay for the car that transported you there, helped pay for the place you live in and paid for the food that you put in your stomach that day. Â As tough and stressful as your day might be, lots of valuable things come from your work, so be grateful. Stressed out over kids and activities? Think about all the joy and laughter that you have had. This period of stress will pass as you learn to react and respond differently. Tip #3 also comes in handy when dealing with kids!
6. Eat healthy. Eat lots of fresh vegetables, nuts and fruits to keep your immunity strong and your body running smoothly. During times of stress, it is easy to reach for sugary foods or fast, convenient, processed foods. These foods do nothing to improve your body’s immune system or improve your performance. Â Feed your body real foods for real results.
Stress is part of life, and certain amounts of stress can actually motivate us. However, its up to us to take steps to help make stress more manageable and less harmful to our bodies. Remember, don’t procrastinate, stay organized, honor yourself and limit your commitments, eat right, breathe and smile all along the journey! Â Traci Vincent
Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “To forget one’s purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.” Unfortunately, many of us spend years if not decades “stupid” and asleep to the idea of living our purpose or perhaps better said, living on purpose. So whether you are 9 or 90, every person who seeks to live wisely, must reach a place where they ponder, “What is my purpose for being here?” What is my intention or what goal have I set out to attain that represents my life?
Most of us have probably heard the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” But do we live our lives like we truly belief this? Or do we spend excessive amounts of time and energy worrying and fretting about our tough situation, telling others about our situation so we can have company in our worry and fret, and then end up becoming nearly paralyzed by our situation?
Recently I was talking to a psychologist who 
