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Photo by Elijah O’Donnell<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Are you depressed?\u00a0 Is your work and life deteriorating?\u00a0 Are you always tired?\u00a0 Are you increasingly detached displaying cynicism, impatience, irritability, anger, and the like?\u00a0 These are red flags indicating that you are likely approaching a state of burnout.\u00a0 Particularly in my coaching with busy executives, this subject invariably comes up.\u00a0 It really applies to all of us.\u00a0 Here are some tips I have used to help myself and others relieve stress.<\/p>\n Get a complete physical.<\/strong> Getting an accurate picture of your health should be your first step.\u00a0 Weight, cholesterol, blood chemistry, and the like can signal problems beyond the ordinary, and it is known that many cancers were preceded by large amounts of stress.\u00a0 Get professional medical advice and then follow it.<\/p>\n Exercise and rest.<\/strong> For as many people that know they should do this, too many don\u2019t until the problems become too great.\u00a0 Start with a little program, be it just a walk, but do something now.\u00a0 And by all means, follow your doctor\u2019s orders.<\/p>\n Give up the quest for perfection.<\/strong> Excellence trumps perfection anytime as seeking perfection is guaranteed to produce stress and frustration.\u00a0 Stop beating yourself and others up when failing to attain it.<\/p>\n Learn to say \u201cNo!\u201d<\/strong> Whether you are homemaker or an executive, trying to be all things to all people turns you either into an \u201cenabler\u201d who stifles other\u2019s growth or someone who probably can\u2019t deliver on everything and thus disappoints others and creates guilt within you.<\/p>\n Take breaks during the day.<\/strong> Take a 10-minute power nap or a walk at lunch time.\u00a0 Do you think that many years of working through your breaks is going to somehow reward you some day?\u00a0 If so,\u00a0 your reward might be an early grave.<\/p>\n Eat sensibly.<\/strong> Now a majority of Americans are digging their graves with the teeth.\u00a0 Super-sizing portions, lots of bad fats, caffeine, sugars, and not eating a balanced diet are just part of the problem.\u00a0 The other part is that the \u201cgood foods\u201d no longer have their nutrients because of depleted soil.\u00a0 You likely should be taking natural supplements and consuming plenty of clean water.<\/p>\n Rid yourself of toxic relationships<\/strong>.\u00a0 Certain people will draw energy from you and may actually make you sick.\u00a0 Audit your relationships and jettison those really toxic people out of your life or at least put them at bay where you don\u2019t have to deal with them regularly.\u00a0 It is OK to do it with remorse, but not guilt.<\/p>\n Turn off the television and radio more often.<\/strong> Watch any news program and your blood pressure will likely rise.\u00a0 New organizations are scouring the world to cover news and the vast majority of it focuses upon the bad.\u00a0 It’s spiritually akin to drinking contaminated water, sooner or later you get really sick.\u00a0 Instead take a walk or talk with a friend or loved one, practice a relaxation technique such as meditation or yoga, especially when you feel stress coming on.\u00a0 Go out and dance, or listen to music you enjoy.\u00a0 Read, paint, draw or take time to help someone less fortunate that you.<\/p>\n Take a time management course<\/strong> in which you learn to prioritize and de-clutter your life.\u00a0 Getting control of your calendar can do wonders to help relieve your stress.<\/p>\n Practice balance in your life<\/strong> as you take time to make time with family, sports, spiritual activities, hobbies, exercise, learning and any other activities that take you away from the daily grind.<\/p>\n I promise you that the above ten suggestion will, indeed, reduce your stress!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"