"STOP
PUSHING YOURSELF TOO HARD"
RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS YOUR ONLY LIFE AND
YOU ARE YOUR LIFE DESIGNER. IT IS
UP TO YOU. DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO
LIVE YOUR LIFE. TAKE RESPONSBILITY
FOR HOW YOU FEEL"
Some
very effective stress management methods
include:
Education
Find out
as much as you can about brain injury and
rehabilitation. Search the many
available web sites that offer
information about brain injury.
Read. Talk to others. Attend
seminars and conferences.
Join a Support
Group
Locate a
local brain injury support group.
Take a chance. Get involved.
Go more than once. Talk to
others who may be in a similar situation.
Maintain/Improve
your Health
Eat
balanced meals. Avoid eating too
little or too much. Avoid
alcohol. Exercise. Moderate
aerobic exercise helps to decrease
stress-induced hormones and reduce
tension. Exercise is
good for us both physically and
emotionally. Choose an exercise
that you enjoy. Go for a walk or a
hike. Swim. Go to an exercise
class. Walk up and down the
stairs. If you enjoy it, you are
more likely to continue it. Get
enough sleep. Have some
fun. (Check with your doctor
first).
Relaxation/meditation
techniques
Take a
deep breath. Slow down your
mind. Close your eyes and imagine
yourself in a relaxing place. Go on
a mental vacation. Light a
candle. Listen to soothing
music. Learn porgressive muscle
relaxation. Take a yoga
class. Take breaks often.
Accept that working harder does not mean
working better or smarter. Taking
breaks can actually help you accomplish
more.
Set reasonable
goals and expectations
Recognize
what you can and cannot do. Learn
to recognize what you do best.
Avoid taking on more than you can
handle. Define your
priorities. Recognize what othrs do
best and ask for their help. Be
specific with your help requests.
Negotiate time lines and
responsibilities. Focus on one
thing at a time. Work on your
toughest responsibilities when you are at
your best.
Compose a list
of what you have accomplished
Regularly
review your list of
accomplishments. Learn and
recognize the difference between what you
would like to do and what you are
required to do.
Practice good
communication and negotiation skills
Express
yourself assertively. Learn to say
"no" to things that are not a
priority to you and "yes" to
things you enjoy.
Find the
humour
In
"The Anatomy of an Illness as
Perceived by the Patient," Norman
Cousins, a leader in research on the
power of laughter in illness and stress
reduction, describes the positive effects
of laughter on tension, pain, breathing,
and mood. Be aware of how much you
smile or laugh. Try to find other
people that help bring out the laughter
in you. As Anna Quindlen says in
her recent book, " A Short Guide to
a Happy Life", "Show up.
Listen. Try to laugh."
Build your
self-esteem
Tell
yourself things that will help.
Become aware of what messages you are
sending yourself. Avoid putting
yourself down. Stop pushing
yourself too hard. Recognize that
this is your only life and you are your
life designer. It is up to
you. Decide how you want to live
your life. Take responsibility for
how you feel.
It is
important to recognize that no single
stress management strategy is right for
everyone. You must take an honest
look at yourself and decide what will
work for you. Many of these
strategies can be effective. Choose
the techniques that are likely to be most
effective for you and then make the
commitment to put them into
practice. This requires a plan of
action. Write your plan.
Enlist others to support your plan.
Evaluate the plan's effectiveness on a
regular basis. Revise your plan,
trying new strategies when the ones you
are using are not effective. Stick
to it.
Taking care of
yourself takes effort. YOU ARE
WORTH IT!
(Source:
Premier Outlook magazine)
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