Tips to control stress
Nicole Devriendt
Issue date: 11/6/06 Section: Opinion
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While doing the article about juggling school with so many other things in life, I figured this would make a perfect opportunity to give some stress control tips. Not only do we have all of life's grand things to keep track of, now that Halloween is over, we have the Holiday's to look forward to. Stress, stress, stress! You may have already heard of the "fight or flight" indicator for stressful situations. When humans are in high stress situations their automatic pilot response to this situation is to get out of there or attack.
While looking through my magazines I found a perfect article in Real Simple written by Nancy Smith about dealing with stress. Smith writes: "if your feeling chronically overwhelmed, try shifting your perspective."
"Rather than seeing stress as something on the outside pushing in, see yourself pushing it away," wrote Smith.
The first tip in the article is to take charge. Know that you are in charge of your life. The stress may seem to be in charge but it is not. "Pilots, neurosurgeons, firefighters, and others with high pressure occupations are trained to use the stress response as a way to monitor their own behavior," Smith writes. "When a pilot flies a plane through a storm, his heart races, his breath becomes shallow, and his attention is intensely focused on the job at hand. He experiences the physiological arousal that defines stress, but he doesn't label the situation as stressful. He's done this before. He knows what to expect. He's in control."
The second tip in the article is to give yourself time-outs. "If you have a series of crushing deadlines looming at work, take some R&R between them. Distract yourself with something you find soothing: Cook, knit, or break out the watercolors," writes Smith. "And if you can't take off foe the afternoon when you feel your stress rising at the office, just get out for a walk. Even a short stroll can make all the difference."
The third tip given by Smith is to reach out, don't retreat. "Indulge in the pleasure of family and friends. Invite old pals to a night out. Call your sister or brother," Smith writes. "Recent studies show that Americans are feeling more isolated; try to fight that situation. It may help you live longer."
While looking through my magazines I found a perfect article in Real Simple written by Nancy Smith about dealing with stress. Smith writes: "if your feeling chronically overwhelmed, try shifting your perspective."
"Rather than seeing stress as something on the outside pushing in, see yourself pushing it away," wrote Smith.
The first tip in the article is to take charge. Know that you are in charge of your life. The stress may seem to be in charge but it is not. "Pilots, neurosurgeons, firefighters, and others with high pressure occupations are trained to use the stress response as a way to monitor their own behavior," Smith writes. "When a pilot flies a plane through a storm, his heart races, his breath becomes shallow, and his attention is intensely focused on the job at hand. He experiences the physiological arousal that defines stress, but he doesn't label the situation as stressful. He's done this before. He knows what to expect. He's in control."
The second tip in the article is to give yourself time-outs. "If you have a series of crushing deadlines looming at work, take some R&R between them. Distract yourself with something you find soothing: Cook, knit, or break out the watercolors," writes Smith. "And if you can't take off foe the afternoon when you feel your stress rising at the office, just get out for a walk. Even a short stroll can make all the difference."
The third tip given by Smith is to reach out, don't retreat. "Indulge in the pleasure of family and friends. Invite old pals to a night out. Call your sister or brother," Smith writes. "Recent studies show that Americans are feeling more isolated; try to fight that situation. It may help you live longer."
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