| Copyright (c) 2006 Colleen Kettenhofen | | | | 6) Laughter is a serious business! Laugh to |
| | | | reduce stress. It's a well-known fact that |
| "Never complain about your troubles; they are | | | | laughter helps reduce stress and build the |
| responsible for more than half of your | | | | immune system. Laughter IS the best medicine. |
| income." Robert R. Updegraff | | | | It gets those endorphins or "feel-good" |
| | | | hormones into the brain and elevates your |
| Everyone's busy. Today many of us feel added | | | | mood. |
| pressure with fax machines, cell phones, kids | | | | |
| and co-workers. The average worker fields 52 | | | | 7) Don't overreact when dealing with |
| phone calls, 36 emails and 23 voice mails a | | | | difficult people - especially antagonists. |
| day. And, the holidays and the stress that | | | | Antagonists, otherwise known as "pot |
| sometimes comes with it are fast approaching. | | | | stirrers," often have a desire for |
| Here are 10 quick and easy tips for managing | | | | dissention. They're looking to purposely |
| stress. Please feel free to share them with | | | | rattle your cage, ruffle your feathers, and |
| your friends and colleagues. | | | | get you to say something you'll regret. As |
| | | | Zig Ziglar once said, "No one can get your |
| 1) Focus on your strengths not on your | | | | goat if they don't know where it's tied up." |
| weaknesses. Perfectionists take note: the | | | | |
| average American is 32 years old, married, | | | | 8) Reward yourself for a job well done. |
| laughs 15 times a day, and has 27 trillion | | | | Indulge in a massage, manicure or pedicure. |
| fat cells. Nobody's perfect. Beat stress by | | | | Recently I had the glorious pleasure of |
| going easy on yourself. Focus on your | | | | staying at the Phoenician hotel in |
| strengths and work on your weaknesses. Don't | | | | Scottsdale, Arizona. Splurging on an |
| obsess over your weaknesses because | | | | hour-plus massage worked wonders! Not to |
| perfectionism often leads to procrastination. | | | | mention laying out by the pool enjoying the |
| | | | beautiful desert scenery of Camelback |
| 2) Get up in the morning 30 minutes | | | | Mountain, and later, Sedona. |
| earlier.Start your day with solitude and more | | | | |
| clarity by rising a half hour earlier than | | | | 9) Check your adult at the door. Act like a |
| those in your household. Spend quiet time | | | | kid again! Play, run, engage in a favorite |
| journaling, praying or meditating. Just begin | | | | sport or hobby like golf, tennis, or hanging |
| by writing your thoughts, dreams, goals and | | | | out with your children at the park. Make sure |
| fears. Start thinking about how to organize | | | | to have a date night with your spouse or |
| your day. | | | | significant other. Take a day off and play at |
| | | | the beach doing something you haven't done in |
| 3) Break the worry habit. 95% of what you | | | | years like playing Frisbee or building sand |
| worry about never happens. Ask yourself, | | | | castles. |
| "Even if the worst happened, what could I | | | | |
| learn from this experience?" Have a plan B | | | | 10) Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. List |
| just in case. | | | | 10 things you're grateful to have in your |
| | | | life. Revisit and appreciate the simplest of |
| 4) Spend time outdoors and out in nature. | | | | pleasures. Sip your favorite cup of gourmet |
| Especially in fall and winter when the days | | | | coffee. Sit outside in the springtime in the |
| get shorter, it's important to spend time | | | | garden of a friend's house. Enjoy sunset on |
| outdoors every day in the natural daylight. | | | | the coast. Appreciate the feeling of being |
| Even if it's gray and overcast, research | | | | more energized after a workout. Be grateful |
| shows that time spent in daylight, especially | | | | for your health. |
| in the morning, helps reduce Seasonal Affect | | | | |
| Disorder or "SAD." Where I live in the | | | | Decide today to make a commitment to do one |
| Pacific Northwest, I can actually notice a | | | | activity that will reduce stress and maximize |
| positive shift in my mood and that of others | | | | success. Do it now. What you do in the |
| when late spring arrives and it's light until | | | | present determines your future. Enjoy! |
| 8:45 p.m. | | | | |
| | | | Colleen Kettenhofen is a speaker, workplace |
| 5) Remember the formula E + R = 0. Event + | | | | expert and co-author of The Masters of |
| (your) Reaction = Outcome. You can't always | | | | Success, as featured on the Today Show, along |
| controls the events or outside circumstances | | | | with Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield.For more |
| around you, but you CAN control how you | | | | free articles and e-newsletter, visit Most |
| react. This isn't a new concept, but | | | | popular topics: leadership, management |
| sometimes we need to be reminded of it. Most | | | | skills, public speaking, dealing with |
| of us spend more time worrying about the | | | | difficult people. Colleen is available for |
| things outside of our control. I conducted a | | | | keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars by |
| speaking engagement recently in Seattle on | | | | calling (971)212-2412. |
| "Dealing with Difficult People." I reminded | | | | |
| everyone of the importance that their | | | | You are free to reprint or repost this |
| response plays in determining their outcomes. | | | | article provided Colleen's name, website and |
| | | | phone are provided with the article. |