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What is your general state
of mind during the day?
Do you feel relaxed most of
the time?
Or do you suffer from
innumerable fears and anxieties that ultimately wear you down at the
end of the day?
Do you suffer from frequent
headaches, indigestion and other physical ailments due to worry and
anxiety?
If the answer is
yes perhaps you are suffering from over exertion and need
help.
It is however essential to
know that a certain degree of stress and strain are normal and
required for a healthy and active life.
Many of us suffer from a
lot of stress and strain during in our daily lives.
But many of us may not be
even aware that we have stress because our bodies can cope with
stress up to some tolerable limits.
Much of the damage done by
the stress is also repaired during our rest and
relaxation.
It is only when stress goes
beyond manageable limits and starts interfering with your normal
activities you should consider it as a problem and deal with it
accordingly.
The emphasis should be
normally on how to keep stress with in tolerable limits and achieve
a desirable state of relaxation and peace of mind.
In following pages some
suggestions have been given on how to reduce stress.
These suggestions are meant
to deal with normal stress caused by normal day to day events such
as work related or environment related problems only.
In case of acute and
chronic stress disorders, especially those caused due to internal
biological, psychological or physiological problems, it is always
safe and necessary to consult ones physician for proper treatment
and medication.
It is very essential that
the true causes of stress are diagnosed before any preventive or
curative steps are taken.
It is strongly advised that
those who want proper treatment should consult qualified physician
before deciding upon the right course of action to deal with any
type of stress related problem.
1.
What are your priorities in your life? Are you in pursuit of
professional success at the cost of your personal health? Remember
without proper health professional success is meaningless. Make
health
your priority and subordinate your professional interests to your
health needs.
2. The body needs adequate rest to
recover and recuperate between periods of sustained physical and
mental work. It is not made out to perform uninterruptedly for
longer periods without respite in between. So give adequate rest to
your body by planning regular sleeping hours or rest
periods.
3. The present moment is more
important than the past or the future. By living in the present and
enjoying the passing moment you are experiencing the stability of
the movement within you. In such moments you are freed from the
accumulated burdens of your past and the pressing anxieties of your
future. So take care of your present moment and lay foundation for a
secure future. Live life as it happens to you moment by moment. Take
care of your present and take care of your future and all your
worries.
4. Plan and organize your work as
well as your life. Organizing means a place for every thing and
every thing in its place. Planning gives you some idea of how things
need to be arranged and attended, in what manner and what order or
sequence. Both organization and planning add structure and method to
your activities and impart some degree of certainty to your future
life. If you organize your home, your office and your resources
properly, you will be saved from the trouble of searching for things
and situations demanding crisis management
.
5. More than reality it is your
imagination which engulfs and threatens your peace of mind. Always
questions your assumptions and beliefs whenever you are overwhelmed
with seemingly threatening situations.
6. Practice relaxation techniques.
Deep breathing and meditation are the time tested techniques with in
the reach of all for calming down ones excited
nerves.
7. There are two ways in which one
can live this life. One is by going against the currents of life,
pushing and pulling every thing on your way, trying to control and
shape every event and situation, not trusting any thing and any one
and making the whole journey an epic battle, a heroic struggle, or
the saga of one individual pitted against the whole
world.
The other way which is prescribed
in the scriptures is the spiritual way of flowing along with the
currents , knowing that you cannot have control on everything ,
accepting life and events as they happen to you, with complete faith
in yourself and God, with the sure belief that you have the capacity
to handle all situations as they happen to you. Be intelligent
enough to chose which path suits you at what time and in what
circumstances.
Flow along the currents when your
intelligence dictates and engage in the struggle when the situation
demands. This way you will create a period of high activity followed
by a period of low activity and give necessary respite to your body
and mind.
8. Aim to be perfect in every
thing you do, but do not expect to achieve perfection in all things
you do. Accept your limitations as a human being and the limits with
in which you can accomplish tasks and realize your goals. Knowing
your physical and mental limits and having realistic expectations
from yourself and from others make you accept an occasional failure
as a part of your successful life.
9. If your job is creating a lot
of stress and if you have arrived at the conclusion that it is your
job which is giving you all the trouble and if there seem to be no
other way, it is time you seriously think about and plan for a
smooth transition to another job.
10. Detachment is one of the best
remedies suggested for overcoming stress. The eastern religions put
a lot of emphasis on detachment and dispassionate approach to the
existential problems of life. Detachment does not mean abandonment
of one job or responsibility. It only means inner freedom from the
things of external world and realistic acceptance of things as they
are. It means acceptance of the fact that you can control your
actions but not the consequences of you actions. So live with a
sense of detachment, doing your best and not worrying about the
outcomes.
11. Avoid dependency on drugs and
medication to get a good night sleep. Drug dependence for relaxation
and sleep is very harmful in the long run as prolonged dependent
would cause accumulation of harmful substances in your body. Drugs
and medicines provide temporary relief without curing the real
problems. The problem of stress is essentially a problem of habits,
attitude and out look and if these aspects are dealt with, the
problem can be over come to a great extent.
12. Provide adequate time for
recreation. We need occasional escape
into things quite different from what we do. Recreation is one easy
and cheap method to provide temporary relief to the body and the
mind.
13. Have
realistic goals in life. Unrealistic goals and
expectations cause a lot of stress and strain and may also lead to
loss of faith in yourself. Know your strengths and weakness and set
difficult but achievable goals according to your needs .
14. Control your
responses: The world is more or less the same always. What
actually changes and effects our moods and behavior is our internal
attitude towards the external world. Our beliefs and our assumptions
determine most of our behavior. Therefore control your responses and
reactions with the awareness that it is not the external world but
your internal thinking which primarily decide your attitude towards
the world outside.
15. Have positive mental
attitude. Read more about positive mental attitude from our
self-development section. Click
here
16. Be proactive.
This will save you from a lot of trouble and last minute pressures
in fulfilling commitments.
17. Have faith in
yourself and in your ability to overcome any crisis. The more
you trust yourself, greater will be your ability to remain calm in
times of distress.
18. Practice
visualization. Imagine difficult situations that
give rise to stress and visualize yourself managing the situation
calmly and confidently.
19. Practice
moderation in whatever you do. Remember two thousand years ago
the Buddha suggested the Noble Middle Path as the best way to live
in this world. Human beings cannot withstand extreme conditions of
life. It is good remain with in your limits all the time.
20. Live a whole
life. Do not make the mistake of making your job the center of
your life. Have other interests and if possible engage yourself in
some selfless community work.
21. Build
relationships that are based on the ideal of unconditional love
rather than mutual satisfaction of desires and wants. Healthy
relationships build your self-worth and make you feel positive
towards the world in general.
22. Have a philosophy of
your own based upon your experiences and observations rather
than upon some kind of prejudice or blind belief. It can protect you
in times of difficulties acting as a cushioning agent. It can give
you a world view of your own, a sense of purpose and help you relate
yourself to your environment more meaningfully.
23. Share your
problems. When problems appear to be difficult or overwhelming,
using necessary discretion and without seeking approval or pity, you
can share your thoughts with your near and dear, your spouse, or
your dearest friend, or some one whom you can trust deeply. This way
you can take out a lot of stress from your system.
Conclusion: In short
by questioning your assumptions, remaining in your present, having
realistic goals and expectation, changing your inner attitude to
external demands and challenges, providing adequate physical and
mental rest , you bring the problem of stress into manageable
limits. | 
