Joy Healey, of Life Coaching London, specializes in stress coaching and co-authored this article with former anxiety sufferer Chris Green.
We have access to time- and labour-saving devices beyond the dreams of any
previous generation. Yet stress, anxiety and depression seem more common
problems than ever before.
Do you recognise yourself in any of these common patterns?
# Feel overwhelmed by the pressures of modern living
# Can't say no
# Difficulty setting (and/or achieving) your goals
# Can't switch off at the end of the day
# Have problems finding time for the things and people that really matter
# Repeated procrastination
# Beset by interruptions, emergencies and deadlines
If stress, depression or anxiety is making your life a misery, then try these
quick and easy tips to help you find relief.
Every week make sure you have something enjoyable to look forward to. It could
be seeing friends, a night out at the movies, or even just a night in relaxing
completely. As well as enjoying yourself, you'll have something that you can
look forward to and it helps the week along.
Don't compare yourself to others who are apparently in a better or worse
position than you. If people seem to have more material possessions than you do,
that's OK – it may be that they're heavily in debt to be able to "afford" them.
And on the other side of the coin, don't feel guilty that you are in a better
position than others. You may hear about famines and disasters and wonder why
you can't be grateful for your own circumstances. Just accept that your
circumstances are unrelated to others' situations and address yourself only to
matters you can have some control over. Even better, rather than just feeling
guilty about those who have less than you, why not join a voluntary association
and do something practical? As well as keeping your mind off your own problems,
the warm feeling you get from helping others can lift your mood and boost your
self-esteem.
A certain way to feel worse about your problems is to continually brood about
them. You need to "switch off" and forget them from time-to-time. This could be
through a hobby that you enjoy, a movie (with a happy ending!) or just listen to
some relaxing music. The perfect excuse to sing, dance or even play air-guitar.
Don't choose anything too heavy or emotional; that defeats the objective. Music
is excellent for relieving stress, depression and anxiety, and it's definitely a
better tonic than watching TV.
Do you sometimes feel as if you're 'burnt out'? It's a common problem in modern
society. We do a full day's work, and then may come home to DIY, housework, meal
preparation, elderly parents and/or taxi duties for the children. Everyone knows
it's good to spend quality time with the family – but have you considered
whether you're spending quality time with YOU? At work, have at least a 20
minute break each day. At home, schedule periods of rest and relaxation into
every day. It's important for your mental and physical health. You'll perform
better and feel better.
Often feelings of depression are triggered by a sense of being in a rut, with
the same pointless activities and routines day after day. This isn't what life
should be about. Although some sense of security and predictability is helpful
to reduce stress, new experiences and achievements give sparkle to life. Do
something outside your comfort zone. Take a course, learn a new skill – for
instance a language or a musical instrument. Join a club, or go on an activity
holiday – even just a long weekend break. These needn't be expensive activities.
Check in your local library, you'll often find free activities that can just
give you the change of scene you need.
If you apply the above tips as often as you can, perhaps even just one a day,
you'll soon see a big difference in the way you feel.
Author: Joy Healey and Chris Green Professional Life-Coach
Contact the Author:
Tel: 020 8954 9995
Web:
http://www.life-coaching-london.co.uk/reduce-stress.html
