This is the time of the year where you find yourself asking how you managed to let things get so far out of control? Every year at this time it's the same old deadlines at work, the same build up to a school break, and for many the holiday season is upon you. I could hit on many issues with this post, like procrastination, commercialism, snapping at coworkers, planning where to travel, time management, and so on. I'm going to focus on some simple ways for you to quickly find balance and manage your own stress so you feel better and do not become a stressor for others. I'm certain your kids, partner, coworkers, roommates, and/or friends deserve the best you.
I like to use PIES (Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social) as an easy way for you to learn to do a quick self-check on your well-being. Once you get the hang of this, as soon as you feel stress taking over, you can get yourself back on track. Better yet, use this regularly to avoid the build up of stress in the first place. First click on the chart provided by helpguide.org showing typical signs of stress. Understand that we are wired to respond to danger so stress serves a purpose. The problem is that some of us keep ourselves in a "fight or flight" state when not in any danger. This can have serious repercussions on overall health. So, how do we use PIES to keep our stress in check?
Let's say that you know you're not dealing well with stress. You feel yourself clenching your jaw, have tension in your neck, and feel tightness in your chest. The reality is that your grades are due in a few days, you haven't finished marking all of the work, you have one family of your cross cultural world irritated that you are not heading their way, and you just snapped at your favorite colleague.
Download and begin using the chart I created below to keep track of all of the self-care related activities you do over the next week. Look for areas you've let slide and get yourself back on track. Be mindful of your unhealthy behaviors when stressed, like increased alcohol/nicotine/caffeine intake, getting sucked into other people's negativity, over-committing to social events, or pulling all-nighters.
Download and begin using the chart I created below to keep track of all of the self-care related activities you do over the next week. Look for areas you've let slide and get yourself back on track. Be mindful of your unhealthy behaviors when stressed, like increased alcohol/nicotine/caffeine intake, getting sucked into other people's negativity, over-committing to social events, or pulling all-nighters.
| pies.xlsx |
Because time is an issue this time of year, I'm listing below some ideas below that you can implement in 20 minutes or less. Many of these cross over into more than one category. Below I will include a few links to get you started.
Physical - Eat healthy food, walk to a spot where you can soak in some nature, take the dog on a walk, take a power nap, try a breathing exercise, complete a 7-minute workout
Physical - Eat healthy food, walk to a spot where you can soak in some nature, take the dog on a walk, take a power nap, try a breathing exercise, complete a 7-minute workout
Intellectual - Have a quick attempt at a chat in your host language, spend a bit of time on an online course that really interests you, research a travel destination, start the mindfulness app you downloaded, read the book that has been sitting untouched on your nightstand for a year, try brain training exercises
Emotional - Watch one episode of a series that makes you laugh/cry, contact a close friend or family member, journal, work on an art piece or poetry; send some gratitude to deserving people, use nature sounds to try a visualization, do a random act of kindness
Social - Meet up with close friends during a work break, take a break with friends to listen to a few favorite songs, send friends a funny YouTube clip, try a group hug, get some colleagues together for a quick workout, plan a simple event for after all of your deadlines are met.
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 Take a Break App for Apple or Android - 7 min work break or 13 min stress relief (my favorite) |  Brain training |
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So you ask, how can I add anything more to my plate when I'm already stressed? Chances are that if you are stressed you are not overly productive right now. By relieving stress in a variety of ways, you will see that your mind clears. Get some balance!
Take care, Sharon
Take care, Sharon
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