Health Society of South Africa

RELIEVING STRESS
Take a breather from your daily tension

Elaine and Al are a typical couple with typical troubles. Each day, they deal with stressful moments. Read about them and maybe you'll learn new ways to deal with your own stress.

Meet Elaine and Al...

While Elaine rushed to pack lunch for the kids, Al read the paper.
(Ask Al to get up and help a little, Elaine. You shouldn't have to do all the work.)
Once out the door, all she could think of was the traffic that waited.
(Bring a tape of soothing music. Listen to that rather than the car horns.)
Al hurried out just before her, late for a meeting.
(Al-You knew about this meeting. Give yourself more time in the future.)

On her way to lunch, Elaine tried something new. She took a deep breath and imagined herself on an island.
(Daydreaming or visualising being someplace else is a great stress reliever.)
At that moment, Al sat at his desk eyeing a new CD player in a catalogue.
(Think hard about whether you can afford one. Maybe you should lay off the credit cards for now.)
He had just got in from a walk. The meeting hadn't gone well. But instead of blowing up, he went out for air.
(Going out for a quick walk is a better stress reliever than venting anger in a meeting.)

Later, as Elaine left for home, her boss asked if she could take on a fourth project next week. "I'm not sure, but maybe I could fit it in," she said.
(More work all at once may add to your stress. Ask which project takes priority and focus on that one first.)
Meanwhile, Al called an old jogging buddy just before leaving work to plan a weekend run.
(The best way to find time to exercise is to make the time. Write it down like it's an important appointment.)

Later that evening, Al had an idea. "Lets go to the park and feed the ducks." The kids jumped at the idea. Elaine smiled broadly at her husband.
(That's a lot more fun than parking in front of the TV for the night. Plus the activity will relieve stress, too.)
"Al," she asked, remembering the morning, "Could you help clean up first?" Together, they did the dishes, gathered the kids, and headed out the door.

Does Stress Control You?

Which of the following statements apply to you? This may help you see how stress affects your day-to-day life.
I sleep so late that I have to rush around in the morning and I'm still late to work on many days.
I wake up early to do chores and then complain because no one else ever helps out.
Blowing my car horn is the best way to express how I truly feel.
While standing in line at the grocery store, I catch myself ready to snap at strangers.
My desk looks like it was just hit by a hurricane.
I worry about my bills more than anything else.
When really stressed, the best thing to do is eat a pint of ice cream.

If you answered "yes" to any of the above, you may have a problem with stress. Read this text. It will provide some tips on how to cope with your daily troubles.

15 Tips to Reduce Stress

Most of the following tips apply both at home and at work. Check each one you can try.

Get exercise each day.
Learn when to say "No".
Try to reduce the clutter around you.
Budget both your money and time.
Enjoy your hobbies.
Keep regular sleeping hours.
Write appointments on a calendar.
Find help at work when needed.
Try to get away from noise.
Spend some time alone every day.
Take lots of mini-breaks.
Do something nice for a friend.
Think about things to be grateful for.
Laugh whenever you can.
If you're overwhelmed or depressed and nothing seems to help, find a friend or a counsellor to talk to.