| Stress is damaging to us all physically and | | | | errands and not having enough time to do all of them? |
| psychologically; it affects our relationships, productivity | | | | Do you ever find that you beat-up on yourself |
| and creativity. It causes physical symptoms such as | | | | because you can't seem to get the simplest tasks |
| headaches and most of all it lowers our immune | | | | done or because some tasks have been on your |
| system; which makes us most susceptible to the flu's | | | | to-do list for over a year? I have a solution! |
| and viruses so prevalent this time of year. | | | | First create a completion list of those things that have |
| So how do we avoid it? I've given you some tips in | | | | been on your to-do list for a long time (examples: go to |
| previous articles that you should continue to follow. | | | | dentist, doctor, send package back, get picture framed, |
| However in this article I'd like to focus on how to | | | | hire accountant, clean out storage room or closet etc.). |
| manage your stress by redirecting your energy to | | | | Second, add a number of importance next to each |
| other productive activities that can make you happier | | | | task. Third, assign a reward to each task; if you |
| and moving forward towards prosperity. | | | | complete this task, you get this reward. Fourth, decide |
| 1. Create a Visual Road Map of your business/life | | | | when you will complete each task; put a date to it. Tell |
| career: We have less anxiety when we know where | | | | someone so you are accountable and to help you |
| we are going and can see the path to walk on. To | | | | actually do it. Fifth, if you know you will not be able to |
| reduce your stress sit down and draw out a map of | | | | do this task, hire someone else to do it. Start a |
| what your life or business looks like now, then create a | | | | delegation list and jot things down daily that you can |
| separate one with what you would like your business | | | | afford to delegate out. Remember some things you |
| or life to look like over the next year. I have my clients | | | | can't afford the time to do it yourself! |
| create this "Candyland" map (like the old game board | | | | 5. Keep Learning and Growing: Reduce stress by |
| we had as kids) as a homework assignment. They | | | | gaining more information about anything and everything. |
| can be creative with markers and pictures cut-out of | | | | Always carry a book, magazine, a copy of this |
| magazines, or do it graphically on the computer. Then I | | | | newsletter in your bag, briefcase or car, so when you |
| have them post it in a prominent place so they can | | | | are in a doctor's office, line at the bank, super-market, |
| focus positive energy on it every day, especially if they | | | | or any store you can focus on improving yourself or |
| are stressed or feeling lost. "What you focus on | | | | your business, rather than getting caught up in the |
| everyday manifests!" | | | | stress of people and lines and your wasted time. You |
| 2. Write down your personal and professional goals | | | | are spending your time wisely, improving your mind and |
| and deadlines: I read about a Harvard University | | | | protecting your health! |
| research study that tracked college graduates. This | | | | 6. Join A Mastermind, or Hire a Coach: Reduce your |
| study looked at those graduates who wrote their | | | | stress by having someone else, or other people in a |
| goals down upon leaving college and those that didn't. | | | | group help you sift through your confusing thoughts or |
| The study found that the graduates that wrote down | | | | chaotic processes. Why does it seem we can help |
| their goals- achieved them more often and were | | | | other people focus and move forward, but we |
| financially more successful than those who didn't. | | | | sometimes need someone else to help us? Just |
| I recommend that you write a list of everything they | | | | accept it, there will be times when you may need a |
| want to accomplish over the next year. I challenge you | | | | coach to help you see your blind spots or suggest |
| to discover and write down 3 major goals in each of | | | | another path. Even the best athletes and most |
| these 8 categories: Personal/psychological, physical | | | | successful people use coaches. Our own process and |
| health, Business/career, financial, Social/friends, spiritual, | | | | emotions often block us from seeing our truth and true |
| family, community/charity along with due dates. | | | | clarity for moving forward; an excellent coach can help |
| Then I have them write on a separate paper- a | | | | you gain the clarity you need. There's a saying "When |
| statement about each of these goals as if it has | | | | emotions are high, intelligence is low." |
| already happened; for example: It is Jan 30th, 2009 and | | | | 7. Express and Process your emotions in a healthy |
| I have been working out for 4 weeks, 4 times a week | | | | way: The most important way to avoid stress is to |
| and I am so happy I have lost 5 pounds. And I feel and | | | | manage and process your emotions. How do you do |
| look great! I recommend you read these 2x each day, | | | | this you ask...by first knowing that when you have |
| so you can focus on what you want (not what you | | | | negative emotions (anger, resentment, shame, guilt, |
| don't want) and manifest what you want! | | | | sadness or any shade of these emotions) you will |
| 3. Create daily to-do lists: To handle my everyday and | | | | need a process to work them through. Some people |
| work related stress, I start each day with a fresh clean | | | | use self-talk (committee meetings) to help them in the |
| yellow to-do paper. I look over the previous day's list | | | | moment. Learn to understand your own inner world to |
| and transfer any task that wasn't completed to the | | | | do this most effectively. Some people use writing to |
| new day's list. This helps me see what I've | | | | help them sort out their thoughts and feelings, some |
| accomplished (I can celebrate my win's and praise | | | | people use a combination of exercise and self talk and |
| myself for my good work done). I can also see what I | | | | some people write or talk to themselves and then |
| didn't accomplish; discuss with myself (I call these my | | | | confront the situation or person when they have |
| committee meetings) how my focus is, my time | | | | calmed down. Any of these are good to process |
| management, or my over estimation of my abilities. I | | | | feelings, what can be bad for you is avoiding or |
| can possibly refocus and plan better for these tasks | | | | stuffing or masking with substances (food, alcohol, |
| and re-enter them on the new day's list with new | | | | drugs), work, pleasure etc. Research has shown |
| clarity of the project, plan and my goals. | | | | negative emotions and energy masked or untreated |
| 4. Put together a Completion List and a Delegation list: | | | | turn into toxic energy and then to dis-ease in the body. |
| Do you ever get overwhelmed with 101 tasks and | | | | |