Stress
What can provoke heart disease and its potentially fatal consequence? Smoking, poor diet, excessive drinking and a lack of exercise are obvious causes. To these physical issues we can add stress.
“Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all small stuff.” This is sound advice. We need to differentiate between the “small stuff” and the “large stuff.”
How do we do this? “Will this matter in twelve months’ time?” is a good question. An even better question would be, “does this matter at all?”
Driving can make people angry. It can also be stressful. I find it so when caught in a motorway queue with no indication of how long it will last. Destress. I cannot control the situation. Does it matter what time I reach my destination – as long as I do?
I’m late. I’ve missed the alarm. I can’t retrieve the lost minutes, but I can go forward calmly and what needs to happen, will happen.
The exam didn’t go well. The past tense is the key here – nothing can be done now. Move on with confidence to the next challenge.
I’ve too much to do. I can’t cope. Time management is needed. How much time can I afford to spend on each task? Stick to the schedule. How much valuable time can I afford to waste? None.
To counter stress, relaxation is needed. Discover what helps you relax and incorporate those strategies and activities into your schedule.
