Aug 8

by Albert Alexander

We all have this favorite expression when it comes to being stressed out, and I wouldn’t bother naming all of them since it may also vary in different languages. But when it comes down to it, I think that it is how we work or even relax, for that matter that triggers stress. Ever been stressed even when you’re well relaxed and bored? I know I have.

Since Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful incidents and decrease negative reactions to stress. Here are some of the things that can be done by just remembering it, since life is basically a routine to follow like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. You can do a few of them in a longer span of time, but as they say– every minute counts.

Managing time

Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends and possibly increase your performance and productivity. This will help reduce your stress.

To improve your time management:

-Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself.
-Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time.
-Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect your time to those activities that are important and meaningful to you.
-Manage your commitments by not over- or undercommitting. Don’t commit to what is not important to you.
-Deal with procrastination by using a day planner, breaking large projects into smaller ones, and setting short-term deadlines.
-Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
Build healthy coping strategies

It is important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording the stressful event, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal. With this information, you can work to change unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones-those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.

Lifestyle

Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. They may not cause stress directly, but they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:

-Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
-Have a sense of purpose in life.
-Get enough sleep, since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping.
-Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
-Get moderate exercise throughout the week.
-Limit your consumption of alcohol.
-Don’t smoke.

Social support

Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. Social support is the positive support you receive from family, friends, and the community. It is the knowledge that you are cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. More and more research indicates a strong relationship between social support and better mental and physical health.

Changing thinking

When an event triggers negative thoughts, you may experience fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness. These emotions trigger the body’s stress, just as an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.

-Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help eliminate stress.
-Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating the negative thought, anticipating the worst, and interpreting an event incorrectly.
-Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
-Changing your communication style helps you communicate in a way that makes your views known without making others feel put down, hostile, or intimidated. This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.

Even writers like me can get stressed even though we’re just using our hands to do the talking, but having to sit for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough and have our own way to relieve stress. Whether you’re the mail guy, the CEO, or probably the average working parent, stress is one unwanted visitor you would love to boot out of your homes, especially your life.

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Jul 22

by Tabatha Jones

Women, this is a must read for your spouse. Pass it on for your sake, and even more, his. Don’t let fear keep your partner from experiencing this life-changing event.

Sadly many women would prefer that dads stay out of the delivery room. In a survey taken by The Royal College of Midwives, 38% of women said they would rather have someone else in the delivery room with them. One in six mothers claimed men got in the way, while four in ten fathers admitted they felt “fairly useless” during the birth.

Many men wouldn’t dream of not being there but find that when they are actually in the room, they’re redundant. Some men are scared but consider how she feels. It isn’t much to ask for you to stand by her side. You can do that literally, just stay by her head if you get grossed out easily and are worried about fainting.

Men, prove to us women you aren’t just useless in the delivery room. Your spouse will be grateful and it will bring you closer together than anything else you have ever done. Most important is to pay attention to what she wants. Some women want to be left alone during labor. If that is the case then leave her alone. Communicate with her and let her know you are there for her if she needs anything.

What you can do to stay busy and to help her:

* For some women the most important thing is to hold her hand so she knows she’s not alone.
* Give her words of encouragement and support. Ex. “You’re amazing,” “You’re doing a great job,” and “I never knew you were so strong.”
* Show her love. Tell her “I love you,” “You’re so beautiful.”
* Remind her why she is in this pain. “We are going to be parents soon,” “You’re going to be a great mom.”
* Get her a cold rag and wipe her forehead.
* Feed her ice chips.
* Message her feet or hands.
* Bring a CD player and be her DJ. Making her a CD of her favorites would be cute.
* Be the photographer.
* Get her a gift before she goes into labor and give it to her. It will distract the pain and make her really happy. A mom necklace would be nice.

What NOT to do:

* Never, and I mean NEVER tell her “Don’t Yell”. Leave that to the nurses. Let her hate them for it.
* Absolutely no TV. If a TV is in the room don’t think about it unless she ask.
* Don’t get in the way of the nurses or doctor.
* Don’t bring food in the room. She won’t be able to eat so don’t tease her.

The decision about whether or not to attend the birth of your child is a personal one that should be made prior to labor pains. Men should discuss their feelings with their partner and both should select the option that will best suit them as a couple.

If you absolutely CANNOT see yourself being present for the delivery of the baby, consider a couple of alternatives. You can arrange to have another labor partner present so that if it all gets to be too much, you can leave the room either for a short time or until after the baby is born. You can choose to be present just for the labor or conversely just for the birth. You can also come in directly after the baby is born to celebrate the new life.

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