Stress is like dark chocolate. A little of it won’t kill you. In fact, small blocks here and there can be good for you. But chronic and severe stress can damage your body and mind, blocking the fluid communication to and from most organs–especially in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and in the limbic system, the brain’s emotional center. You want these two systems running as smoothly as possible, with low levels of the delinquent stress hormones in your bloodstream.
This is why I always keep some stress busters handy. Here are nine of my favorites.
1. Simplify.
Cut your to-do list in half. Ask yourself this question after every item: Will I die tomorrow if this doesn’t get accomplished? Every morning I immediately jot down my to-do list. Once I experience the first heart palpitation, the list gets cut in half.
2. Prioritize.
Let’s say you’ve got five huge work projects due next week. Record all the tasks and give each one a number from 1 and 10: 10 being life threatening to 1 being that stupid thing I signed up for. Start with the 10s. If you never get beyond the 8s, that’s okay!
3. Use Pencil, Not Pen. Start using pencil instead of pen to stay as flexible as you can. Things change! And change is not your enemy. You want to be able to erase a task or reminder at any time, because who knows what your day will be like.
4. Give Away Your Cape.
You are not a superhero and don’t possess supernatural qualities and capabilities. Join the race … the human race. Surrender to limitations and conditions–like the number of hours in a day (24) and the amount of time it takes to get from point A to point B - in your car - not in your Batmobile.
5. Laugh.
When people laugh, the autonomic nervous system mellows out and the heart is allowed to relax. Laughter can boost the immune system and the levels of stress hormones. Plus it’s just fun to laugh. And having fun is its own stress buster.
6. Excercise.
Exercise relieves stress in several ways. First, cardiovascular workouts stimulate brain chemicals that foster growth of nerve cells. Second, exercise increases the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine. Third, a raised heart rate releases endorphins and a hormone known as ANP, which reduces pain, induces euphoria, and helps control the brain’s response to stress and anxiety. A quick stroll in the morning or in the evening might be just enough to tell the stress hormones in your blood to scatter..
7. Stop Juggling.
I realize some multi-tasking is inevitable in our rushed culture. If you have trouble chewing gum and walking at the same time like I do, you might try your best to concentrate on one activity at a time.
8. Build Boundaries.
Designate a place and time for certain things so that your brain doesn’t have to wear so many hats at the same time. Make yourself abide by some rules: computer is off when I’m not working, and computer stays off in the evening and on weekends.
9. Think Globally.
This is a simple reminder that compared to other problems in our world today, the things that we stress about are pretty minor. Don’t sweat the small stuff, and most of it is small stuff.
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