Meditation, reading, trying to relax, travel and maybe some Sertraline.
In dealing with STRESS...I have learned " what you cant change, accept." We have certain obstacles we reach that are unchangeable, maybe policies, maybe a co-worker, maybe a students personality. Learn to make the most of the situation, turn lemons into lemonade! and remember BE NICE or else!
I instruct 2, five hr. classes M-Th. Friday is my get everything done, leaving me with the weekends to go hiking...and I mean hiking. 36 miles is my average. Let me tell you, that really lets me release a lot of pent up stuff and I'm ready to rock and roll come Monday.
Kristina, WOW! It sounds like you are really into your hiking hobby. What a wonderful way to both unwind and get some serious exercise. Thanks very much for sharing. You are an inspiration to many others.
Dr. Melissa Read
Jennifer, I love your concept about "me-minutes." Nice! Yes, even just a few of these can go such a long way and can help us cope with the complexities of work and life.
Dr. Melissa Read
Knowing that there are methods to alleviate stress is helpful in itself.
Some things I will do is to share with other co- workers. I think talking will help me with the stress. I will try breathing and stretching exercise. Also, I like making a list idea to see what I can reduce or just eliminate.
Susan
I find that having no job related activities and/or hobbies allows my mind to focus on things that do not stress me out. this mental refocus often helps replenish me enough to reduce the feeling of being stressed out all the time.
When coping with stressors that cannot be reduced I have started meditation and it has helped me a lot. Another think that I have started doing more frequently is playing with my kids outside or just been in the pool with them.
Discuss coping strategies with a variety of friends and colleagues.
my husband lost his job, that was a great stress form me...now i relax with sleep, reading, movies
Meher, That's really tough. When we lose one source of income in the family, there's a lot that usually has to change to manage through it. Sounds like you have some nice coping mechanisms to rely on.
Dr. Melissa Read
Michael, So true. Just knowing you have a fallback plan for managing through stress is often enough to get you through your days.
Dr. Melissa Read
Vance, Yes, sometimes sharing and getting feedback from others is the best approach. It can be great to use friends or colleagues as a sounding board when exploring new solutions. They too may have some good ideas for you!
Dr. Melissa Read
Jumana, Sounds like you have developed at least two great coping mechanisms for dealing with stress. Great work! Also, it's nice that one of your ways of dealing with stress benefits your children too!
Dr. Melissa Read
I have learned a couple of ways to deal with stressors that cannot be eliminated. For starters, I am already a person who loves to exercise, so I could increase the amount of exercise I currently do, when feeling overwhelmed. Also I can call a friend or just take some quiet time to myself and breathe!
I already employ a number of healthy coping mechanisms. Life is always changing, though, and I'll tuck the technique of creating a list of current stressors away in my mind.
Rebecca, Excellent to hear. I'm glad to know you have several techniques to choose from. This variety can serve us well and keep us interested in staying stress free.
Dr. Melissa Read
I think getting proper rest is a help with coping with stress.
What seems to help is to take a step back every so often and breath. For a moment, an hour, a day, whatever it takes, to consciously detach from the particulars and micro-details, and re-evaluate the big picture. It is all too easy to become wrapped up in all of the ongoing drama and lose perspective along the way.
