Since returning from vacation, I’ve been contemplating what I can do to minimize the stress in my life on a day-to-day basis. I came up with the following list of items I currently try to employ:
1. Get enough sleep; I need at least 7 hours of solid sleep to feel rested, not edgy the next day
2. Live below my means; I sleep better when I’m not worried about paying the bills
3. Exercise – I try to workout at least 3 times a week; exercise helps me sleep better
4. Spend at least a half hour each night unwinding with a good book (even DH has noticed I get cranky when I don’t have a good book to read)
5. Take a sick day when I’m sick – I’m not very good at this one
6. Cut back on caffeine; drink more water – I used to drink coffee in the morning, soda in the afternoon. Now I skip the soda and drink water, I’ve noticed I’m not nearly as jittery
7. Cook on the weekends – eat the leftovers during the week. I rarely take the time to cook during the week; if I don’t have something already made I usually end up eating junk food.
8. Keep a couple of safety pins in my purse in case of a wardrobe malfunction
9. Don’t drink coffee while driving unless I want to wear the coffee all day
10. To minimize scheduling conflicts use only one calendar
11. If a home repair job is out of my or DH’s area of expertise (plumbing comes to mind) hire a professional
12. Think thru an invitation before saying yes; especially events that occur during the work day; for me it’s stressful getting out of work on time, finding the event (directions are not my forte), and searching for a parking spot
13. I stopped using computerized photo software and bought a photo reader
14. Use mapquest; if going to a job interview, drive by the interview site the night before
15. Admit mistakes right away; I heard this one at a seminar years ago. I have since found it is much better to admit a mistake right away rather than worrying about it for days. I’ve also found many times what I think is a huge deal is either not the big deal I thought it was or is something that can easily be fixed.
I also came up with three things I could or should do in the future:
1. Take a computer trouble shooting class. Nothing gets my blood boiling faster, that when something goes wrong with my computer.
2. Cut back on sugar
3. Buy a GPS system (I really am terrible with directions)
What are your tips for maintaining a stress free life?
1. Get enough sleep; I need at least 7 hours of solid sleep to feel rested, not edgy the next day
2. Live below my means; I sleep better when I’m not worried about paying the bills
3. Exercise – I try to workout at least 3 times a week; exercise helps me sleep better
4. Spend at least a half hour each night unwinding with a good book (even DH has noticed I get cranky when I don’t have a good book to read)
5. Take a sick day when I’m sick – I’m not very good at this one
6. Cut back on caffeine; drink more water – I used to drink coffee in the morning, soda in the afternoon. Now I skip the soda and drink water, I’ve noticed I’m not nearly as jittery
7. Cook on the weekends – eat the leftovers during the week. I rarely take the time to cook during the week; if I don’t have something already made I usually end up eating junk food.
8. Keep a couple of safety pins in my purse in case of a wardrobe malfunction
9. Don’t drink coffee while driving unless I want to wear the coffee all day
10. To minimize scheduling conflicts use only one calendar
11. If a home repair job is out of my or DH’s area of expertise (plumbing comes to mind) hire a professional
12. Think thru an invitation before saying yes; especially events that occur during the work day; for me it’s stressful getting out of work on time, finding the event (directions are not my forte), and searching for a parking spot
13. I stopped using computerized photo software and bought a photo reader
14. Use mapquest; if going to a job interview, drive by the interview site the night before
15. Admit mistakes right away; I heard this one at a seminar years ago. I have since found it is much better to admit a mistake right away rather than worrying about it for days. I’ve also found many times what I think is a huge deal is either not the big deal I thought it was or is something that can easily be fixed.
I also came up with three things I could or should do in the future:
1. Take a computer trouble shooting class. Nothing gets my blood boiling faster, that when something goes wrong with my computer.
2. Cut back on sugar
3. Buy a GPS system (I really am terrible with directions)
What are your tips for maintaining a stress free life?
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