Shrinking Stress To A Little Bitty Concern
By Nancy Fredericks
Nancy Fredericks pens Women Lead Change's "Mindful Mondays" column, appearing the second Monday of every month. Fredericks is a preeminent Business Executive Strategist, Author and Thought Leader. Corporations like Johnson & Johnson, PepsiCo, Adobe, Allergan and Transamerica have retained her to optimize individual and organizational performance. You can find her at www.thrivewithnancy.com. The views of Nancy Frederick's blogs represent her own and not necessarily the views of Women Lead Change.
For those who track my work, you’re probably scratching your head, inquiring: “Nancy, didn’t you just do a podcast on stress?”
That’s an A+ for you!
Yes, my ThriveWithNancy Podcast 46 from last week is entitled: Ugh…Stress! Hello, Help Coming Your Way
( https://www.buzzsprout.com/1520422/11370420 ). Many listeners have sent me similar requests, saying: “Thanks. …. And please provide more information on stress. I need it!”
It appears quite a few of you are finding yourself running on empty more days than not. Here are additional tips on Shrinking Stress To A Little Bitty Concern.
The Lancet, a peer-review medical journal, published that the more hours you work, the more you increase your stress levels.
41 to 48 hours Ups Your Stress by 10 percent
49 to 54 hours Ups Your Stress by 27 percent
55+ hours Ups Your Stress by 33 percent
Shocking statistics, isn’t it? Perhaps not as you live it and recognize the toll your work hours take on your life. The big question is, what can you do about it?
I can’t wait to share three extra practices beyond the points discussed in last week’s podcast that will make a positive, impactful change for the better in your life.
Shrinking Stress Tip #1: You have two inherent energy reserves that are paramount to how you respond to stress.
When the first Superficial Level is exhausted, it can be restored by a good night’s sleep, a diversion of activities or exercise, or other stress alleviators. Think about it this way… You pick up a weight and start pumping iron with your right arm until it trembles with exhaustion. You’ve overstressed your muscle—never fear—time to kickstart your backup system. Simply switch to your left arm and continue pumping iron! All you need to alleviate your Superficial Level fatigue is to change your focus or actions!
But the scary part is that once your Superficial Level is spent, you automatically dip into your secondDeeper Storehouse Energy Reserve, which is finite. Once used up, there is no restoration.
Considering this, why would you ever tap into your storehouse for just any old little stress-triggering event? Lessen the pressure way before you are forced to resort to using your fixed reserve.
Your incredible body signals you when you’re hurling toward overstress. How? By proactively keeping a check and responding suitably to instances when you become easily frustrated, moody, overwhelmed, or find it difficult to relax or quiet your mind. Other signs to watch for are a sense of loneliness, worthlessness, or underwhelm—even numbness—about your world. These are clear indicators that your body’s natural warning system is alerting you to danger. Begin knocking the root issue of these indicators off one by one.
As you understand the power you have to eliminate or contain stress in your life—your stress resource meter will begin reading “full tank ready to go!”
Shrinking Stress Tip #2: Music. Would you think I was idiotic if I told you that listening to music will make a difference in the stress you experience?
Yes, music appeases the savage stressor beast in you.
Stanford University research has shown that music can change brain functioning to the same extent as medication. So, even though you don’t believe you have time to do something as mundane as listening to music during your busy day, it is what you need.
Music absorbs your attention to such an extent that it begins diminishing stress. You will be amazed by how quickly the right melody can de-stress your body, leaving you soothed and ready for life.
You see, simply hearing a tune will quiet your frazzled nerves—and the music that will do it for you is unique. You may find a faster beat more magical, while others will be more responsive to a slower tempo. Begin taking time to listen to your favorite music, feel the vibrations, and tap your feet in rhythm as you lower your stress by the seconds!
Shrinking Stress Tip #3: Laughter. How good are you at laughing when the going gets tough?
The moment you laugh out loud in the face of disaster or a stressful situation, the sooner you begin moving to a solution and turning your back to stress overload. Are you primed and set to receive these benefits?
- Healing: Shared laughter can mend resentments, unites (even in the most demanding of situations), discharges defensive feelings, supports a healthy perspective, and relieves stress!
- Energy Expander: Overstress is an energy killer causing you to waste time unconsciously. Laughter recharges you as it renews your focus and vitality.
- Emotion Neutralizer: No matter how terrific you are, occasionally, you’ll experience negative emotions—particularly at work. Laughter ousts feelings of anger, distress, frustration, and helplessness. It triggers accessing positive emotions such as joy, hope, happiness, satisfaction, optimism, and courage. Even better, humor is contagious. You’re aiding everyone around you simultaneously!
These three shrinking stress tips sound simple, don’t they? And they definitely work at Shrinking Stress To A Little Bitty Concern. The final ingredient is you choosing to take a stand for yourself and begin today fighting the war of your life…. Rendering stress a non-issue.
Share this article
