Coping with stress and anxiety

I stole this off the Sparkpeople boards, I love it!

COPING WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY
Sheri Liegh Adams
February 29, 2008

Nobody in the world is immune to stress and anxiety. At some point or another, everyone experiences a stressful event, which in, turn causes anxiety. And because everybody is built differently, everyone will react differently to the stressful event. Below you will find some positive and useful ways to deal with stress when it comes into your life, which eventually, it will.

These ideas come from http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/commit
tees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/101way
s.htm

Courtesy of the Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii


1. Get up 15 minutes earlier
2. Prepare for the morning the night before
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes
4. Avoid relying on chemical aids
5. Set appointments ahead
6. Don't rely on your memory ... write it down
7. Practice preventive maintenance
8. Make duplicate keys
9. Say "no" more often
10. Set priorities in your life
11. Avoid negative people
12. Use time wisely
13. Simplify meal times
14. Always make copies of important papers
15. Anticipate your needs
16. Repair anything that doesn't work properly
17. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
18. Break large tasks into bite size portions
19. Look at problems as challenges
20. Look at challenges differently
21. Unclutter your life
22. Smile
23. Be prepared for rain
24. Tickle a baby
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat
26. Don't know all the answers
27. Look for a silver lining
28. Say something nice to someone
29. Teach a kid to fly a kite
30. Walk in the rain
31. Schedule play time into every day
32. Take a bubble bath
33. Be aware of the decisions you make
34. Believe in yourself
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself
36. Visualize yourself winning
37. Develop your sense of humor
38. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
39. Have goals for yourself
40. Dance a jig
41. Say "hello" to a stranger
42. Ask a friend for a hug
43. Look up at the stars
44. Practice breathing slowly
45. Learn to whistle a tune
46. Read a poem
47. Listen to a symphony
48. Watch a ballet
49. Read a story curled up in bed
50. Do a brand new thing
51. Stop a bad habit
52. Buy yourself a flower
53. Take time to small the flowers
54. Find support from others
55. Ask someone to be your "vent-partner"
56. Do it today
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic
58. Put safety first
59. Do everything in moderation
60. Pay attention to your appearance
61. Strive for Excellence NOT perfection
62. Stretch your limits a little each day
63. Look at a work of art
64. Hum a jingle
65. Maintain your weight
66. Plant a tree
67. Feed the birds
68. Practice grace under pressure
69. Stand up and stretch
70. Always have a plan "B"
71. Learn a new doodle
72. Memorize a joke
73. Be responsible for your feelings
74. Learn to meet your own needs
75. Become a better listener
76. Know your limitations and let others know them, too
77. Tell someone to have a good day in pig Latin
78. Throw a paper airplane
79. Exercise every day
80. Learn the words to a new song
81. Get to work early
82. Clean out one closet
83. Play patty cake with a toddler
84. Go on a picnic
85. Take a different route to work
86. Leave work early (with permission)
87. Put air freshener in your car
88. Watch a movie and eat popcorn
89. Write a note to a far away friend
90. Go to a ball game and scream
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional love
93. Remember that stress is an attitude
94. Keep a journal
95. Practice a monster smile
96. Remember you always have options
97. Have a support network of people, places and things
98. Quit trying to fix other people
99. Get enough sleep
100. Talk less and listen more
101. Freely praise other people
BONUS: Relax, take each day at a time...you have the rest of your life to live!



MY CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN

FULL NAME:

FULL ADDRESS:

PHONE NUMBER:

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE STEPS I WILL MAKE WHEN I FEEL I AM IN CRISIS:

5 PEOPLE/PLACES I CAN CALL IN CRISIS
1.
2
3.
4.
5.


5 THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

5 THINGS I CAN DO TO HELP MYSELF
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

THINGS WHICH ARE A DANGER TO ME THAT I SHOULD PUT AWAY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

5 THINGS THAT HAVE HELPED ME IN THE PAST
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
5 THINGS I WILL NOT DO WHEN I AM IN CRISIS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Should all the above fail, I commit to going, by whatever means I need, to the local hospital’s Emergency Department and being seen by an Emergency Physician.



I swear to uphold this plan by signing my name here and by having a sign as a witness to this Plan.




NAME:

WITNESS:

DATE:






MY GOAL SHEETS


DAILY GOALS

DAY OF THE WEEK GOAL(S) TO ACHIEVE DID I SUCCEED?
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY

THINGS THAT MUST BE DONE ON A DAILY BASIS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

WEEKLY GOALS

This week I need/want to:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.


Did I achieve my weekly goals? If not, what stopped me?

MONTHLY GOALS

This month I want/need to:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Did I achieve my weekly goals? If not, what stopped me?

THINGS I CHOOSE NOT TO WORRY ABOUT

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
TYPES OF GOALS TO CONSIDER:

NUTRITIONAL
PHYSICAL/EXERCISE
EMOTIONAL
EMPLOYMENT
CHORES
RECREATIONAL
SHORT TERM GOALS (daily, weekly)
LONG TERM GOALS (monthly, yearly)
WHERE I WANT TO BE IN 5 YEARS
WHERE I WANT TO BE IN 10 YEARS

THEN:
Write out each goal and how you could achieve. What steps would you need to take? Who would you need to speak with? How are you going to reach your goals? Write it all out and look at it everyday.

WOw! What a great resource! I might print it out and fill it out. I dont thnk id ever show anyone it though.

But thanks for posting it!

It is very important to say NO to people but I find it really hard. It is imposs to be all things to all people. Just so tiring too.