Tag Archive for focus

5 Behaviors You Don’t See In Highly Successful People

November 20, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

banner for being successful

Successful people aren’t always on their best behavior. Sometimes they show their less than attractive sides.

But GenuLines wants to tell you about some tendencies that won’t show up in their daily inter-actions

5 Behaviors You Don’t See In Highly Successful People

Everyone has a different interpretation of what success is, or what it means to them. But, when you break it down, most everyone can come to an agreement on it’s meaning.

Success is accomplishing a goal, or attaining a meaningful purpose.

That may be a loving relationship, or it could be a form of artistic expression. It might be career advancement.

Regardless of what the goal is, true success is never an an easy upward, or stable journey. The world’s most successful people are aware of this fact.

And they often have behavioral traits which set them apart from the rest.

picture of bad behavior

If you’re struggling to achieve what you want in life, you may want to consider starting with an inward look. This might mean a shift in your mindset to bring you in line with how successful people behave.

When you work with great leaders and executives you notice what does and doesn’t work in the long-term. It’s not so much personal habits or intrinsic characteristics that determine success.

Instead, it’s about your behavior.

What does behavior mean? It’s about how you communicate and how you react to stressful situations.

It’s also about how you interact with the people around you.

Add to that the attitude you have in dealing with clients and colleagues.

It’s how hard you work. And whether you’re disciplined, and focused.

You may know some dysfunctional people who have gained success. But these behaviors will catch up with them.

Here’s a look at 5 behaviors that you won’t see in highly successful people.

Panic

High pressure and stressful situations in the business world are a common occurrence. Things don’t always go according to plan, and they often go horrifically wrong.

It’s just part of the territory.

What highly successful people don’t do is panic. If you can’t override that adrenaline spike and stay calm during a crisis, you’re not going to last long.

Fanaticism

While passion is a massive driver in success, you can take it too far. Become a fanatic and your energy and passion starts to work against you.

The result? Flawed reasoning, poor decision making, and a skewed perception of reality.

Laziness

When you’re driven to achieve greatness, you have one fundamental truth: it’s going to be a long haul. And it’s going to be a lot of hard work.

That’s why highly successful people are so disciplined, and highly focused. A lot of people are slackers, and quite simply, it’s why they don’t go on to achieve great things.

Naivete’

Okay, so we may all start out with a wide eyed, gullible approach in the business world. However, the sooner you turn skeptical the savvier you become.

And the better your chance at succeeding. Why is this true?

Suckers don’t succeed.

Highly successful people question everything. And they tend to trust, verify, and consider the source.

Oversensitivity

Thin skinned people don’t make great leaders, nor do they tend to be highly successful. They drive themselves crazy with every little criticism.

And they don’t obsess over every comment that offends or upsets them. That’s why seriously great business leaders often have a sense of humility, and a good sense of humor.

While life may be serious, you can’t take yourself too seriously.

JohnK 11-20-2023
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about behaviorOverheard: “Behavior is the mirror in which everyone shows their image”

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Article image by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

 

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Moving On Might Be the Best Thing You Can Do

October 16, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

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Moving on is like escaping gravity. You want to but you can’t seem to do it.

It’s a big decision, and GenuLines is here with help. .

Moving On Might Be the Best Thing You Can Do

Believe it or not, there’s a lot of power in letting go and moving on. I know it doesn’t feel like it.

man moving on

 

At this point you may be focusing on what happened in the past.

You’re thinking that if you were to keep dwelling on what happened, You might be able to figure it out.

After all, things might fall into place. That way you would see the rhyme and reason for the negative things that happened in the past.

 

Repeat Offender?
It’s likely that this isn’t the first time you’ve thought this way.

Focusing on the past isn’t going to help you. Life can suck big time. You don’t need a graduate degree to understand that.

But your life isn’t a complete disaster.

Sure, you may feel frustration in certain areas of your life. Nobody’s immune to this.

You need to have a clear direction for your life. If you do you’ll realize that it’s not so bleak. Look for bright spots.

Discover them and understand that these areas of light are areas of optimism in your life.

Outta Here
Focus on these and move on. Focus on the fact that you have a measure of control. Given enough time, your area of control in your life could grow. Put your focus there.

As the old saying goes, “Where attention goes, energy flows.”

Taking ownership of your life demands a lot of your attention. Don’t let the things you can’t control drain it.

I’m talking about people in your past. And  situations in the past.

Plus those people you cannot control.

Focus on your area of competency, which is your choice to respond to things going on in your life. This is your area of control.

The more you focus on it, the more competent and self-confident you become.

This enables you to become a more responsible and powerful person. Focus on these.

Then move on from what you’ve been wasting your time, attention, and emotional energy on.

JohnK 10-16-2023
chiforyourself.com

 

stick man hears about moving onOverheard: “I can’t go on. I’ll go on”

~Samuel Beckett
 

 

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Is Brain Fog Killing Your Focus?

August 21, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

banner on focus

When you experience brain fog, you’re in a sort of prison.  You’re not sure what to do next.

The focus of this GenuLines message is that you can do a lot to free yourself from the fog and get moving again.

Is Brain Fog Killing Your Focus?

You’re at work. You feel like you’re having to fight through cobwebs to get your thoughts straight.

Or sometimes you find it very hard to concentrate or focus for long stretches.

These are signs of brain fog. This can kill your productivity and ability to focus.

So, what causes brain fog, and what can you do about it?

man lacking focus

What is Brain Fog?

It’s a feeling of being somewhat confused or disoriented. Forgetfulness is very common, too.

When your thoughts are hazy or lazy, slow to come together, or when you can’t seem to concentrate, you have brain fog. In more severe instances, it can lead to feelings of depression and unhappiness.

You lose your ability to find inspiration in life.

Brain fog is a slowing or impairment of your cognitive functions. These control your ability to plan, organize, remember, and solve problems.

Very often brain fog is the result of poor lifestyle and dietary choices. You can wind up with imbalances in hormones and nutrient levels.

Causes of Brain Fog And How to Address Them

Lack of sleep is the prime contributing factor to fogginess. Your brain can’t restore neural connectivity that regulates memory and learning.

Chronic sleep deprivation can impair motor functions. Same for the ability to reason. If you’re feeling foggy, examine your sleep habits.

Make adjustments that guarantee you at least seven hours of rest each night.

Dehydration is also a leading cause of brain fog. Your brain is about three-quarters water, and when you don’t have enough, it can have a significant effect.

Even a small amount of dehydration can cause problems.

You may experience confusion, impaired mental performance, and disorientation. Be sure to get enough liquids, especially water, throughout your day to stave off the mental fog.

Poor eating habits can also affect concentration or clear thinking. Your brain needs energy to work well, but you won’t find it in refined carbohydrates.

They’ll leave your brain feeling sluggish. Instead, try more fruits, vegetables and lean proteins and plant- based food.

There are other contributing factors to mental fog, too. They include stress, inactivity, hormone level changes, and certain types of medications.

Add to the list various medical conditions. If you suspect you have any of these, you should talk to your doctor.

One thing you can do to help clear your mind and refocus is take a brisk walk. You can try changing your environment or engaging in a stimulating conversation.

Final Thoughts

Clearing away the fog can be a simple matter. You can eat better, get more sleep, and drink plenty of water.

For a quick pick-me-up in your day, it’s good to challenge your mind to something new or different for a short period.

Then again, clearing your brain fog may be a little tougher, so find some strategies that work best for you. Work on recognizing when you start to feel foggy.

And be proactive about addressing this before it becomes a bigger problem.

JohnK  8/21/23
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about focusOverheard: “It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light”

~Aristotle Onassis
 

 

 

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5 Signs You’re Living A Meaningful Life

May 1, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

Living life is something we all do. But we don’t all live it in a meaningful way.

Life does leave clues, and GenuLines is on the case to show you if you fit the description.. 

5 Signs You’re Living A Meaningful Life

Have you been feeling restless with your place in life? Do you feel as if you’re wasting your life?
 
These are common signs that you’re feeling the need to live a more meaningful life. You may be doing this already but you have no idea that you are.
 
Today, GenuLines explores the five signs that you’re living a meaningful life. Let’s begin.
 
man living meaningfully
 

1) You’re doing what you love

Too many people ignore their passions. Your passion is your passion for a reason.
 
Follow and explore if you MUST do what you’re doing

2) You have your priorities in order

Living with purpose keeps your priorities in order; you know what’s important. You’re living in a meaningful life “sweet spot.”
 
And you’re spending less time doing unhelpful, unproductive, or unimportant things.

3) You know your purpose

This one tends to apply to far fewer people. Many don’t know or at least don’t think they know what their life’s purpose is.

4) You’re focused and driven

People who live meaningful lives and live them with purpose are in this category. They toughed out all the trials and temptations. and they’re living their lives with purpose and in a meaningful way.

5) You aspire to daily goals

This doesn’t cover everyone who lives with purpose. You may have more long-term goals in mind, but it’s a good way to start and a pretty common one at that.
 
Reaching daily goals makes you more driven to push on. Setting daily goals is a good start to training your body and brain.
 
You get used to working towards goals and achieving them.
 
This beats setting them and hoping for the best. If you want to see if you’re living a meaningful life, treat this article like a checklist.
 
Check off the things that already apply to you and see how close to living a meaningful life you are.
 
Where might you be able to improve? What new habit could you form to make you feel more confident that you’re living a meaningful life?
 
The intention today was to help you gain some perspective on your purpose and your life’s path. All the best on your journey!
 
JohnK 5-1-2023
chiforyourself.com
 
stick man hears about living meaningfullyOverheard: “If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present”
                                ~Roy T. Bennett
 
 
 
 
 

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Stress And Personal Mastery

April 3, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

Along with all the stress you face in today’s world you’re hearing about lots of ways you can deal with it. But have you ever thought of looking toward personal mastery for relief? 

Come along with us for today’s GenuLines look at personal mastery.

Stress And Personal Mastery

Stress is an emotional and physical response that we show towards different pressures. These can be from the workplace, school or other institutions.
 
The reactions would include inability to focus and concentrate, headache and fast heartbeat. Almost everybody develops stress, but how we deal with it is important.
 
Personal mastery is something that you can put to work to help you to deal with stress.
 
Your work environment can be a major stressor, but this is something you may not be able to control. Instead of trying to control the work environment, you can try to work around it.
 
hand dealing with stress
 

A Little At A Time

You can take one step at a time towards your goals. The question is, how do you work in the midst of stress?
 
You can reduce the risks by seeing things in a new perspective. An example would be learning to let go of situations you don’t control.
 
You can push back against stress by turning it into positive energy. This way you’ll focus your energy on things you can control.

Emotions

Personal mastery also helps you to be familiar with your emotions and learn how to control them. This attitude could be a great help in overcoming and managing stress.
 
There are things you can change, while there are things that are beyond your control.
 
Failing to deal with the problem during its early stages can lead to chronic stress. This can bring on headaches, ulcers, indigestion, high blood pressure and heart issues.

Deal With It

Actually there are simple steps and tips that you can do.
 
*Saying no to commitments that would require time and energy.
*Regular exercise, especially stretching and breathing exercises.
*Meditation
*Eating healthy food
*Asking for help from other people to lessen the burden.
 
To deal with stress, you can reduce the stressors in your life to avoid feeling its effects.

Prevention

Stress prevention removes the possibility of stress to occur.
 
You have to know and understand your limits. Next you’ll have to learn how to say no.
 
It’s important that you know your limitations, but still accept what other people say to you.

At Work and Then Some

Personal mastery can help you focus on your work among other things. It mitigates effects and encourages peace, tranquility and spirituality.
 
You can incorporate stress reduction and prevention in daily life.
 
Some people turn to medication to deal with the symptoms. This could be disabling, and it usually fails to address the real issue.
 
Yes medication could lessen the effects, but it’s more likely they’ll come back. With personal mastery, you change your entire outlook and perspective in life.
 
This guides you to avoid anything that could stress you and wear you out.
 
JohnK 4-3=2023
 
stick man hears about stressOverheard: “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another”
                             ~William James
 
 
Article image by nikko macaspac on Unsplash
 
 
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Why Stress is Terrible for Problem Solving

August 29, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Working on problems and dealing with the resulting stress is a delicate balance. It can derail an important project.

GenuLines looks at the problem for ways you can keep everything “on the rails,”

Why Stress is Terrible for Problem Solving

Got a challenging problem that’s causing you stress? Is it preventing you from working to the best of your abilities?
 
 
 Then take a lie down!
 
 
Lying down on the job might sound like the worst thing you could do when you have a problem. But it’s actually one of the very best options of all.
 
Let’s take a look at why…

Neurochemistry and Problem Solving

When we’re stressed, our body assumes that we are in immediate danger. And it responds by putting us in the ‘fight or flight’ mode.
 
This means that we’re flooded with norepinephrine, dopamine and cortisol – stress hormones.
 
These have some effects on the body. From contracting our muscles, to clotting our blood (so we can better survive injury).
 
Another effect is intense focus. The resulting ‘tunnel vision’ helps us escape from the threat we’re facing.
 
This is very useful if you need to keep your eye on the terrain while you run from a leopard that’s chasing you. But it’s not very helpful when facing down the kinds of problems you encounter in the office.

Creativity and Problem Solving

This is because problem solving in the modern world requires creativity. It requires us to be able to think outside the box and to make connections between disparate ideas.
 
That’s why we’re actually at our most creative when we’re relaxed – even when we’re close to sleep.
 
The ‘hypnagogic’ brain state is what we slip into right before we nod off. It’s actually considered responsible for many creative works and scientific breakthroughs.
 
Studies say this is also why sitting in a more supine position at work boosts creative thinking. Likewise, exposure to the color green is enough to increase creativity.
 
Our subconscious mind associates it with being in natural environments.
 
Next time you’re facing stress, know that your stress will only make it more difficult to find the answer. So relax, take a breather and come back to it when you feel calmer!
 
JohnK 8-29-2022
 
stick figure hears about problemsOverheard: “Problems are the price you pay for progress”
                              ~Branch Rickey
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Live Your Best Life: Focus On What Matters Most

August 22, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

You’re living a pretty good life. But there’s room for improvement.

Ratchet things up a bit with this GenuLines look at where you’re putting your focus. 

Live Your Best Life: Focus On What Matters Most

Have you ever noticed how fast our days seem to race by? We wake up, bombarded with an insane amount of things we have to get done.

Then, before you know it, the day’s done. Having the world at your fingertips doesn’t help to slow things down.
 
It only adds to the chaos.
 
Today, I want to focus on what matters most in our lives. That could mean different things for different people.
 
man living life
 
Still, each one of us has certain things we value more than others.
 
So, read ahead to find out how you can live your best life by focusing more on the things that matter.

The Most Important Things in Life

Having status and designer shoes are great and everything. But having them won’t make you any happier or healthier than the average person.
 
Another thing we tend to obsess over is what we don’t have. Sometimes, it becomes our driving force that can lead to negative habits and behavior.
 
Let me ask you this: do you want to live your best life today and every day? This is what you can do:

Identify What Matters the Most to You

First, take a step back and look at your life from a different vantage point. Next, try to dissect each aspect of your life.
 
Which areas should you pay more attention to? Which should you cut back on?
 
To lead a balanced, well-fulfilled life, consider having one, or all, of the following. You might even add a couple of our own to the list.
 
A healthy body and mind
 
Family and friends
 
Money in the bank
 
The drive to always learn new things
 
A place to call home 
 
Realistic goals and a purpose in life
 
So recognize that what matters most in life has nothing to do with material possessions. Better to appreciate what you have.
 
Reconnecting with these things can lead to a better, happier, fuller life. It can also boost creativity and lower stress.
 
It also gives you control over your happiness. This is much better than allowing external factors to affect your inner peace.

Listen and Pay Attention

While it’s important to listen to those close to you in life, it’s much more than that. It’s also about listening to yourself and paying attention to your likes and dislikes.
 
This is a measure of your true worth and how much you love yourself.
 
Self-love requires practice, but it gets easier with time. When you’re at peace with yourself, you love others in a healthy, mature way.
 
The takeaway: Show yourself the same kindness and compassion you show others. When you look in the mirror, focus on the good rather than the bad.
 
Treat yourself to nice things and be happy with who you are.
 

Be in the Present

Too often, we find ourselves regretting the past or worrying about the future. But, what matters the most is the moment we’re living right here and now.
 
Connecting with the world around you makes you appreciate what you have. The more you’re in tune with your ‘present,’ the more you’ll realize how precious life can be.
 
As Earl Nightingale said: “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Think how very precious the time is you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”
 
The takeaway: Being self-aware helps bring tranquility and happiness into your life. In turn, the happier and calmer you are, the more things you’ll find to be thankful for.

Find a Hobby

Hobbies are the things you do for fun in your free time. They can range from knitting to deep-sea diving to jumping from airplanes.
 
Your experiences in life are what make it worth living. They give it meaning and shape the way you see others around you.
 
Doing something you enjoy can be one of the very best stress reducers. You can also use it to push your boundaries a bit and step out of your comfort zone.
 
Sometimes, the idea of doing something new can be terrifying. If this happens to you, recognize your fear.
 
Then, tell yourself it’s okay to be nervous about something new.
 
The takeaway: Live your life. Be eager to try out new experiences. They’re what add fulfillment and richness to your life.

Practice Positive Habits

Identifying positive habits and carrying them out daily brings order to your life. Good habits also result in good physical and mental health.
 
Stay with routine. You can reduce distractions that stand in the way of your accomplishing things.
 
They also help steer you towards making better decisions.
 
Studies show that routines and good habits boost your life, health, and well-being. The trick is to be authentic to your values and beliefs.
 
Let’s be honest, that can be hard to do in this media-frenzy world we’re living in. Yet, having confidence in who you are can help shine the light on what matters most in your life.
 
The takeaway: Your words express your thoughts and, down the line, your actions. Those actions turn into habits, so make sure you stick to enforcing positive habits in your life.
 
Final Thoughts
These five things are some of the ways you can focus on what matters most in your life. At the end of the day, what it boils down to is that to live your best life, you have to focus on certain things over others.
 
Remember, what matters more to you may not be as important to others. So, stay true to your values and hold on to the things you treasure more in life.
 
JohnK 8-22-2022
 
stick figure hears about lifeOverheard:  “The best portion of a good man’s life is his little nameless, unencumbered acts of kindness and of love”
                                              ~Wordsworth
 
 
Article image by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash
 
 

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Focus On The Smaller Things to Find True Happiness

July 4, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Looking for happiness? Sometimes it’s found in the most unusual places. Or, as GenuLines points out today, it can be found in the small things. 

Focus On The Smaller Things to Find True Happiness

Happiness is many things to many people. It could be preparing to eat the meal you’ve waited for all day.
 
smiling faces of happinessOr sitting down on the couch and knowing you’re about to watch the new episode of your favorite TV show. Or getting a backrub from your partner.
 
These are all examples of what many of us would consider ‘little things. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t be instrumental in helping us to feel happier.
 
These are ‘creature comforts’ and pleasant asides. But they’re super powerful in raising our mood.
 
So the question is, how do you get to the point where little things make you happier? And how do you make sure you have a constant supply of such things to make you happy?
Little Things
The first thing to do is to find those little things and to make sure they keep coming. We have things that make us feel great, such as hobbies and activities that we enjoy.
 
The trick then is to identify how you can enjoy those things on a regular basis.
 
Next, you need to make plans to enjoy those things. A little ‘pleasure delay’ here can work wonders.
 
Spend your day at work looking forward to that thing that you want to do in the evening. But don’t indulge.
 
Instead build up the moment in your mind and look forward to it happening.
Great Things to Do
The problem is that many of us don’t know how to make the very most of our spare time. We spend all day watching TV shows we aren’t interested in.
 
And we call this our ‘down time’.
 
In fact though, there are countless great things you can be doing all the time. And the vast majority of them are free.
 
You could download a free computer game for instance. You could try out a new program or film on Netflix.
Head Outdoors
You could explore a local park. Or read that book you bought ages ago and forgot about.
 
You could try cooking something weird and ambitious. You could try to plant your own bonsai tree…
 
There are a million different possibilities.
 
So spend some time thinking about all the exciting things you could do at home. Make a habit of writing more ideas down as they come to you.
 
In time you’ll find your life filled with amazing little moments.
 
JohnK 7-4-2022
chiforyourself.com home
 
Stick figure hears about happinessOverheard: “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness”
                                  ~Eric Hoffer
 
 
 
 
 
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Relaxation Is An Important Part Of Mental Focus

June 13, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Tough times make tough conditions for relaxation. A calm mind helps you stay focused.

So GenuLines offers some ideas to keep you in the calm zone.   

Relaxation Is An Important Part Of Mental Focus

It sounds counterintuitive. But if you want to improve you mental focus, you need plenty of rest and relaxation.
 
In other words, it’s easy to overdo it, and work too hard, which can then lead to lapses in concentration and focus.
 
dog during relaxation
 
 
 

For Starters

Start out by doing what you can to get a good night sleep. Poor sleep makes it harder to concentrate.
 
And a couple of hours of sleep isn’t going to cut it.
 
Your brain needs long periods of rest to process information. This “makes room” for you to focus on something new the next day.

Late Nights

While burning the midnight oil may seem like a great way to get more done and stay productive, the opposite is true. Yes, you can power through a long night to finish a project every once in a while, but it isn’t sustainable for the long run.
 
Do it when you must, but get in the habit of getting good sleep the rest of the time. Your brain and your body will thank you.
 
Taking breaks throughout your work day is another good way to stay focused and get more done. Work hard in short bursts of time and then take little breaks.

Break Time

Go get a cup of coffee. Move around your work space for a few minutes.
 
Or enjoy a day dream and give your brain a short rest before diving back in.
 
This doesn’t have to be long. You can get big benefits from breaks shorter than five minutes.
 
Go chat to a coworker, or do something like filing or straightening up a few things on your desk.
 
Then get back to your most important task at hand.

Time Out

A few longer breaks throughout the day can be as important as short breaks. Every couple of hours, take a 30 minute or longer break and walk away from your desk.
 
Go to lunch, have coffee with a friend, or go for a walk outside.
 
This gives your brain time to process what you’ve done so far and gets you ready for the next couple of hours of work

Balance

Now, don’t forget to do something fun and completely work unrelated at the end of the day and on the weekends. We all need balance in our lives.
 
If you enjoy your work and you’re invested in it, it can be hard to unplug and not think about it for a while. Make a conscious effort to take time for rest and relaxation.
 
You’ll find you actually get more done in the end since you’re able to focus when it’s time to get back to work.
 
JohnK 6-13-2022
 
stick man hears about relaxationOverheard: “Every now and then, go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work, your judgment will be surer”
                                  ~Leonardo da Vinci
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Stress Management In Easy Steps

February 28, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Living in times of stress can leave you feeling as though there’s nothing you can do about it. Each stressful event seems to dish out more than the one before. 

Take some of the stress off your plate with this GenuLines look at stress management, 

Stress Management In Easy Steps

man relieves stress

 

Feeling at least occasional levels of stress in life is unavoidable, But you don’t have to feel it at all times.

We can often prevent stressful incidents and decrease our negative reactions to them.

 
In fact, many times all we have to do to reduce our stress is to acknowledge that it’s there. And in many areas of our lives, there are steps we can and should take toward effective stress management.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Managing time
Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends. And they can help your general 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.
 
· Rank 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 under committing. Don’t commit to what is not important to you.
 
· Deal with procrastination by using a day planner. Break large projects into smaller ones.
 
And set short-term deadlines.
 
· Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like.
 

Build healthy coping strategies

It’s important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording stressful events, your reaction, and how you cope in a stress journal.
 
Knowing this, you can work to turn 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 be a direct cause of stress.
 
But they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief.
 
Try to:
 
· Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
 
· Have a sense of purpose in life.
 
· Get enough sleep. 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. It’s the kind you get from family, friends, and the community.
 
It shows how they love, esteem, and care for you. Studies link this to good mental and physical health.
 

Ways of thinking

When an event triggers negative thoughts you can experience a cascade of reactions. Like fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt. and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness.
 
These emotions trigger the body’s stress, much like 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 calm you.
 
· Disproving irrational thoughts helps you to avoid exaggerating negative thoughts. Anticipating the worst.
 
And giving the event an incorrect interpretation.
 
· Problem-solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it.
 
· Change your communication style. You’ll get your views across and others won’t feel put down, hostile, or intimidated.
 
This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication.
 
Anybody can get stressed. You don’t have to have a high-powered job or any job at all.
 
In fact, unemployment is stressful in itself. Whether you’re the mail guy, the CEO, or the average parent, stress is going to affect you from time to time.
 
How you deal with it is what counts.
 
JohnK 2-28-2022
 
stick man hears about stressOverheard: “ In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers”
                                                   ~Fred Rogers
 
 
 
 
 
Article image by SHVETS production from Pexels
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for stress
 
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