Take Time to Charge Your Stress Management Batteries

Houseboating Magazine - October 1, 1999

What stresses you out….

• Constant interruptions at work?
  
• Work or other responsibilities that must take priority over your houseboating plans?
  
• Left lane drivers going 20 mph after having suddenly cut in front of you at 70 mph?
  
• Computer or other hair-pulling technology glitches?
  
• Grocery stores with only two check-out lanes during their busiest times?
  
• Persistent whining or other lousy attitudes by employees or co-workers?
  
• Yucky weather on the only day you've had off in a month?
  
• The black hole of endless voice mail choices?
  

No one is immune from stress—not even houseboaters—and it seems some folks have to bear far more than their fair share. It's ironic that many people facing truly tough times nevertheless sport upbeat attitudes while others with far fewer problems flaunt some of the nastiest attitudes around.

Besides improving our own attitudes when they need adjusting, we can reduce the stress in our lives by doing a quick stress management "health" check or self-audit from time to time. Such an exercise allows us to better focus on changing what we can and to acknowledge and accept those things that are we cannot "fix" like someone else's self-centeredness or dishonest ways.

While we should not hesitate to seek appropriate professional assistance when dealing with serious problems or issues, the list below offers you a fairly quick and easy way to at least get your stress relief ball rolling and get your thoughts back on houseboating:

Stress "Health" Check & Action Plan

1. Make a for-your-eyes-only list of every single thing or person that causes you stress.
2. Reflect on those stresses that have been around for awhile (one year, five years, etc.).
3. Cross off those things you positively have no control over changing (e.g. someone's annoying accent, 5:00 traffic jams, etc.).
4. Your list should now be reduced down to only those stresses you can do something about.
5. Now cross off those stresses that you aren't willing to do anything about even though you could if you chose to do so.
   
6. Your list should now include only those things that you can and are willing to change.
   
7. Select one or more items from your list and create a simple plan perhaps like the sample below:
   

Stress: Too many telephone interruptions

Goal: To create interruption-free work time during normal business hours

Action Plan:

• Block out at least one hour each day when I am not to be interrupted by calls or anyone else
  
• Teach employees how to appropriately handle my calls during "block-out"
  
• Ask co-workers to avoid interrupting me during the designated time
  
• Stick to the plan no matter how tempting it may be to pick up the phone or to schedule an appointment during the designated time
  
• Review your plan often for at least 30 days and hold yourself to it. When you have successfully reached your intended goal, tackle other areas of stress in your life.
  
• Create a cheat-sheet of those things you cannot change or control and review it frequently. This will help remind you to let go of those things when you start to worry, gripe or otherwise expend energy on something that won't change no matter what you do.
  
• Repeat this exercise often so as to stay in touch with the stresses in your life—the big ones, the little and everything in-between. By doing so and pro-actively working on changeable situations, your energies will be freed up for more enjoyable activities like houseboating!
  

We usually know (whether we admit it or not) when our stress management "batteries" are dangerously low and we are at or near our breaking points. We also know what works for us when it comes to stress management techniques and "tools."

Houseboating is definitely on mine and Captain Bob's top ten list of most effective stress management "tools"…make that top five! My other ones include laughter-filled moments with family and friends, long walks, quiet times to myself and sinfully-rich dark chocolate desserts.

What are your most effective stress management "tools" and are you using them? How can you be more pro-active in reducing the stresses in your life? Most of us have learned the hard way that we will be sadly disappointed if we wait on others to make things right for what we should and can do ourselves.

Pro-active stress reduction does require our time, attention and a good dose of self-discipline. However, it sure beats the heck out of unproductive griping or living with stress-induced frustration and exhaustion. And, best of all it can't help but improve the quality of our lives - especially when that means more time on board!

Nancy has written on many other topics through the years for many seminars, office retreats, workshops and publications.  If you are looking for a topic not listed on this page, please let us know what topics are of interest to you.  If Nancy has written on the subject, we will be glad to share a copy with you.  A few more articles by Nancy are listed below:

Lawyers Get Away from it All in the North Carolina Mountains

Leadership, Attorney-Staff Relations
& Simplified Action Planning

The Link Between Chronic Office Chaos, Stress, Depression & Substance Abuse

Take Time to Recharge Your Stress
Management Batteries