Stress Relief Ideas

09/12/2003

"Don't every slam a door; you might want to go back." - Don Herold

STRESS RELIEF IDEAS

Management consultant, Loretta LaRoche (www.stressed.com) offers ideas on relieving stress "the old-fashioned way":

* Appreciate what you have. When you consider going shopping for another item ask yourself how much pleasure it will give you; and how that compares with the pleasure you get from sharing a quiet moment with a friend or simply enjoying the starry night sky.

* Be eccentric. The pressure to conform creates tremendous stress. You can't be truly happy when you are always worried about other people's opinions of you.

* Cultivate community. Strike up a conversation with another person at the bus stop, bring a plate of brownies to your neighbor, volunteer a few hours a week at the local library, visit a coworkers office instead of calling on the phone.

* Savor simple pleasures: the first taste of coffee in the morning, seeing flowers bloom in your garden, a quiet meal with a spouse. Life isn't about business. It's about waking up every morning and feeling grateful that you are about to have another good day.

For exchange resources on stress relief, go to the Exchange Article Archives at https://secure.ccie.com/catalog/cciecatalog.php?cPath=50 and type in the keyword "stress".

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.