PROVEN STRESS REDUCERS
1) Get up fifteen minutes earlier in the morning. The inevitable morning mishaps will be less stressful.
2) Don’t rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, when to pick up the laundry, when library books are due, etc.
3) Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; what-ever you want to do today, do it now.
4) Plan ahead. Don’t let the gas tank get below one quarter full, keep a well stocked “emergency shelf” of home staples,,, don’t wait until you’re down to your last bus token or postage stamp to buy more, etc.
5) Don’t put up with something that doesn’t work right. If your alarm clock, wallet, shoe laces, windshield wipers- whatever- are a constant aggravation, get them fixed or get new ones.
6) Be prepared to wait. A paperback can make a wait in a Post-Office line almost pleasant.
7) Pollyanna-Power! For every one thing that goes wrong; there are probably 10 or 50 or 100 blessings. Count ’em!
8) Turn “needs” into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food and water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don’t get attached to preferences.
9) Simplify, Simplify, Simplify
10) Make friends with non-worriers. Nothing can get you into the habit of worrying rather than associating with chronic worrywarts.
11) Create order out of chaos. Organize your home and workplace so that you always know exactly where things are. Put things away where they belong and you won’t have to go through the stress of losing things.
12) Add an ounce of love to everything you do.
13) Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are well to compromise upon.
14) Eliminate destructive self-talk: “I’m too old to…,” I’m too fat to…,” etc.
15) “Worry about the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.” That’s another way of saying: take care of the today as best as you can and the yesterdays and the tomorrows will take care of themselves.