by: Lorraine Pirihi
Hi!
Did you know that 60-90% of all doctor visits are for stress-related illnesses?
Stress is costly in terms of our health, relationships and performance. When you’re affected by too much stress your body wears down and you get sick. I find that highly disorganised people seem to be more susceptible to sickness as they are always under extreme pressure, running from one disaster to another.
Gary’s Story
Gary has a business, employing 7 staff. When he contacted me he was at a point where the stress from his business was so bad, that he would constantly wake up 3 or 4 times a night worried about everything …his cash flow, staff, lack of clients and the affect all this was having on his personal well-being and family life.
By working through exactly what the key issues were, the common denominator was his lack of personal organisation. He didn’t use a diary, had no way of planning and kept everything ‘in his head’. Often his staff were idle because he hadn’t spent time training them. Being a perfectionist he felt it was easier to do things himself.
Gary didn’t exercise and was overweight. He was constantly tired and uptight causing him to be moody and also very negative. His family and his staff would avoid him. He was spiralling downhill quickly but luckily he realised before it was too late, that it was time to get help otherwise he could lose his business, his family and even his life!
Step by step and week by week Gary has got a grip on the stress by using simple ways to reduce the pressure in his life and you can do this too.
7 Practical Tips to Reduce Stress
1. Get Organised
Learn how to manage yourself and your time. This includes how to plan and prioritise. You can do it the slow way by reading books or attending seminars or you can accelerate your results by getting coached.
2. Exercise Regularly
Exercise at least three times a week. Try swimming, running or walking. Your body needs regular activity.
3. Eat Healthily
Feed yourself healthy food and drink 6-8 glasses of water a day and you’ll have heaps more energy.
4.Learn to say ‘No’
Become more discerning about what activities you are prepared to do or participate in. If you’re already overloaded, let people know.
5.Delegate or Outsource
Do what you do best and get rid of the rest. This applies to work and home.
6. Avoid Procrastination
Stop worrying about what may or may not happen if you make a decision, just take action.
The Final Word
I bet you probably knew all this, didn’t you? Well my question is, if you are continually stressed what actions do you take on a regular basis to change your situation? If you’ve got a grip on the stress in your life, …that’s great, if not changes need to be made otherwise too much stress can dramatically impact on all areas of your life.
Have a great week
Lorraine Pirihi