Major events in our lives can bring on stress: events like new jobs, getting married
or becoming a parent. Ongoing worries about finances or your children's future
can cause stress. So can day-to-day irritations, like car repairs or being late
for work.
Not all stress-provoking events have to be negative. How we approach these
events greatly affects our physical, mental and social well-being. We can either
welcome these events as challenges enriching our lives, or we can view them
as "stressful", taking away from our enjoyment of life.
You can enhance your life by getting stress under control. You can use some or
all of these approaches to help you cope better with stress in your life:
- Balance your work and leisure time. Arrange your life so that you're
not feeling guilty when you rest, and not "goofing off" when you should
be working.
- Set aside some time for laughter.
- Learn to delegate tasks to other people. You don't have to do it
all yourself.
- Learn to use relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation. Expand your
spiritual life.
- Get plenty of exercise. If you have to, combine it with physical tasks
that need to be done (gardening, house cleaning).
- Learn how to manage your time. Set up priority lists.
- Eat healthy foods. Alcohol, caffeine and fats make it harder to deal
well with stress. Other foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains make it
easier.
- Get the rest and sleep your body needs.
- Discuss your problems openly with friends, relatives or counsellors.
- Get away once in a while. Take a complete break. Have some fun!
- Know you don't need to 'win' every argument. Let up
on being competitive.
- Don't try to be perfect and don't expect others to be either.
For more information about stress and other related mental health issues visit
the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) online.
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