Avoiding stress is easier with these 6 habits
6 Simple habits for avoiding stress
There are a number of common ways in which stress can creep up on you. The following 6 steps are some of the most common. If you implement the 6 habits which are highlighted, you will dramatically increase your chances of avoiding stress.1. Know your values and objectives
What’s important to you in your life? What are you trying to achieve? If you do not know the answers to these questions, you have little chance of organising your time in the most effective manner. You leave yourself open to having your time controlled by other people and outside influences.
A great deal of your personal fulfilment will come from living the life you aspire to and pursuing the objectives which are most important to you. If you do not know what you want, you cannot manage your time effectively. If you cannot manage your time effectively, you have little chance of achieving the life you really want. The solution is to have a clear vision for your life. You can then base your decisions upon realising that vision.
2. Know where your time is going
Once you know your values and objectives, it is essential that you use your time in a manner which is consistent with them. If you are using your time in a manner which is contradictory to your values and goals, then you are wasting your time. To keep on top of your time management is one of the most important steps you can take in avoiding stress. A weekly time management review is one of the best habits you can implement. It will help you to stay on track or, identify the areas where you have fallen off course so that you may quickly make the necessary adjustments.
3. Implement an effective productivity system
When I say time management, I mean knowing what you need to get done. Productivity is the next step i.e. getting what needs to be done, done. When you have an effective productivity system, you record every agreement that you make and you keep all the necessary information and support material where it needs to be. If you are asked where you are with any project, you are quickly able to provide an accurate answer. Simply put; an effective productivity system allows you to stay on top of everything that you need to do. When you are on top of everything, avoiding stress becomes a whole lot easier.
4. Take time to plan
Planning upfront saves you a lot of time when you are carrying out the work. Take the time to plan each work day as much as you can. That way you can move seamlessly between tasks. Obviously, there will be times when unexpected events occur or things change a little. That is when an effective productivity system will help you to identify the most important task to complete with the time and resources available.
Planning your projects is also important. When you take the time to plan each project you see opportunities to save time via methods like delegation or outsourcing. You also provide yourself with a projected timeline which you can use to measure your progress against. Again, you are able to move seamlessly between tasks without having to exert a great deal of thought.
5. Plan your rest
Getting appropriate amounts of rest, at the appropriate times, is critical to avoiding stress. When planning your work schedule, one of the biggest mistakes which you can make is to ignore the importance of rest. Sadly, most people seem to think that they can rest when they get the work done. Then, before they get proper rest, they move onto the next task. It is important to remember that when you are working to the best of your abilities, you are putting a lot of pressure and strain on both your body and mind. If you fail to allow adequate time for recovery, your body and mind will eventually struggle to cope with the pressures placed upon them. Taking regular rest time actually enables you to recover and work more effectively, thus avoiding stress.
6. Avoid avoidance
When you are feeling tired and worn out, it is tempting to avoid tackling the problems which you are facing. However, avoidance is not an effective problem solving strategy. You will eventually have to tackle the problem whether by your own choice or not. The sooner you tackle a problem, the easier it is to resolve. If there are a number of problems which you need to tackle in your life, try creating an assertiveness action plan to help you to deal with them.
Avoiding stress is essential if you want to work effectively, maintain good health and achieve the life you desire. Stress has serious consequences but the good news is that avoiding stress is easier and more effective than dealing with the problems that it brings. When you implement the appropriate habits in your life, you eliminate stress before it really begins. Implementing the 6 habits, outlined above, helps you to understand the potential for stress in your life, and nip it in the bud. For a long time there was a stigma attached to stress but in recent times more people have begun to realise that stress is one of the most serious problems in the workplace. Make avoiding stress an important objective in your life.