10 Tips To Reduce Stress


1. Determine your "unique ability" and capitalize on it

Delegate the tasks that detract from allowing you to shine--doing what you do best.

2. Define "urgent" vs "important"

By making this distinction, you can more effectively prioritize and accomplish your major goals list.

3. Focus on your priorities, not those of others

Don't be afraid to control your schedule. Be proactive in making plans.

4. Make written "To Do" lists & actually schedule time

Write tasks into your calendar to ensure adequate time is allotted for accomplishing them.

5. Think "bite size"

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, break tasks into small chunks, even into 15-minute increments and you'll see progress.

6. Set boundaries.

Don't be afraid to make time for you and don't let others encroach on it.

7. Ensure compatibility

Make sure you work with people (in all areas of your life ) whose values and integrity are consistent with yours.

8. Egos, be gone.

Don't let clients intimidate you or bully you. It's okay to ask why.

9. Reflect "You" in your work environment.

Decorate your space to support your creativity, energy and workflow...and avoid clutter.

10. End of Day Quarterbacking & Reward.

Take time to reflect on accomplishments at the end of each day, revise your priority list for the next day...and reward yourself with "quiet time" before going to bed.

Mary Ann Masur, president of Synergy Consultants, LLC, is a professional coach, serving organizations and individuals. She was one of Maryland's Top 100 Women in 2000. S

he can be reached at maryann@synergy-consultants.net or at 410-377-7323. The website is http://www.synergy-consultants.net

MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
5 Steps to Make Stress Your Best Friend
You probably think I'm wacko, but it's true - stress can be your best friend! Stress is actually a positive experience to be channeled to improve your life.For instance, let me tell you about a small moment of stress I faced a few minutes ago.
Manage Stress By Focusing On Solutions And By Having A Laugh
Marshal John Kruger acted by Arnold Schwarzenegger (who else) in the film "Eraser" protects a female employee in the defence industry who has exposed corruption and treason to the FBI.He rebukes one of his colleagues who calls the people he protects 'scum'.
Balancing Acts: Keeping Work and Life in Equilibrium
In the fast-paced world that we live in today, it seems as though it's hard to find enough time to do everything that needs to be done. Days at work are long, but too often don't seem to be long enough? we bring home what we can't finish and end up creating highly stressful situations for those around us.
The Cost of Stress - the Need to Monitor and Manage the Risks!
How much attention is paid to one of the biggest underlying risk factors within an organisation - the effects of stress? Not only are there a lot of potential risks arising from the spread of stress within an organisation, it costs them a great deal of money!!Let us start with looking at some hard-nosed numbers (based on the UK.).
Stress Managment: How to Beat the Get By Syndrome
I'm sure you have heard of IBS, irritable bowel syndrome, a painful and difficult-to-treat digestive disease.Well, there is another disease that is also painful and difficult to treat.
Stress Management: 7 Universal Laws for Managing Change
1. The Law of StagnationThis is also known as first order change.
Seven Steps to Reducing Stress and Reclaiming Your Life at Work
According to the StressPulse survey by ComPsych Corporation completed at the end of 2003 and is still valid today:· Employees in the category of high stress have increased by 15% · More than 29% of employees come to work five or more times a year when they are too stressed or distracted to be effective · 63% have high levels of stress with extreme fatigue or feeling out of control · 32% have constant but manageable stress levels · 43% lose one or more hours per day in productivity due to stressThe Definition of BurnoutAt some point in your career you will experience burnout. No matter how much you enjoy your job there will come a time when you just do not feel like doing it anymore.
Stress Relief Through Charity
One of the best ways to relieve yourself from the stresses in life is by giving to others. When you help others it takes the focus off of you and your problems and shifts the focus to the needs of others.
Dont Be a Worry Wort!
Everyone worries. As bothersome as it is, worry isn't all bad, and can actually work for you.
Understanding Your Stress Levels
In order to understand stress better, it is a good idea to understand that there are different stress levels. These levels vary in the form of stress they take and they can often provide an indication of how to treat the stress.
Why Stress Management Programmes Don't Work
Why Stress Management programmes don't work?It seems that every week there's yet another report telling us how serious the problem of Stress is becoming - how many working days are lost (anything between 6.5 million and 90 million days depending on whose report you read), how much it costs industry, what percentage of workers experience Stress, and so on.
Stress Management: How to Avoid the Ruts and Holes of Life
Have you ever noticed how we keep falling into the same holes and ruts in life? We know something doesn't work and yet we keep doing the same things over and over again.Have you ever wondered why we do this? And more importantly, how do we stop doing it, how do we stop "digging"? And how do we get out?As I've studied and searched over the years for ways to help people get the changes they want, quickly, gently and effectively, I've stumbled across a poem that seems to capture well the process of change.
The ABCs of Stress Management
A while back, I was in a minor fender-bender accident, and as the police officer filled out the report, I gave him my business card with my name and phone number. When he saw "stress management" listed he said, "We've got to talk!" That's most people's reaction when they find out what I do.
Chewing On Mindfulness: Gum Is Your Secret
My grandmother, a feisty and athletic woman in her younger years, was a gum-chewer. She was never without a pack or two of Wrigley's Doublemint gum.
Do You Have Your Foot On The Pedal? Are You Overwhelmed At Work?
Is your in-tray or inbox full? I don't normally check the time that emails are sent to me, but for some reason I noticed that Nadia's message had been sent at 2am. In her email she explained that she really needed some help, to deal with all the stress in her life:This morning I rushed out of the house before the kids got up.
Stressed Out? It May Be Your Job
"I'm stressed out."If you find yourself thinking--or saying--this on a regular basis, you might have a real problem on your hands.
Workaholism: 4 Universal Laws for Recovery
The Rule of BalanceThere is more to life than work. There are so many other areas of our lives than just work.
20 Ways to Shift Worry Into Attractive Energy
Worry, big or small blocks positive vibrations from entering your realm. The longer the behavior, the deeper the roots, the harder to override.
The Epidemic of the Eighties is Still Here
IntroductionTime magazine called stress the "The Epidemic of the Eighties". Stress is America's #1 health problem.
Coping with Change: Develop Your Personal Strategy
Why do we resist change? As the saying goes, the only people who like change are busy cashiers and wet babies. We find change disorienting, creating within us an anxiety similar to culture shock, the unease visitors to an alien land feel because of the absence of the familiar cues they took for granted back home.