Is The Pressure Rising For You? Ways To Find Peace

So many of my clients lately are remarking how the pressure in their lives is increasing. With the economy the way it is, people who have jobs are not only scared to lose them, but they are also being asked to work twice as hard to sell half as much. One of my clients remarked how she was afraid to take lunch away from her desk, out of fear that she wouldn't be able to live up to the new heightened expectations in this tough economy.

Is it true for you too? Has your once-lively office turned into a pressure cooker? Has stress left you tired and worried?

if you are in this situation, I'd like to offer a few tips to help ease the pressure and make this time easier to navigate.

One of the things I've learned over the years is that the best way to get through stressful times is to take care of yourself first. If you are eating well, sleeping enough, and exercising consistently, it is easier to handle difficult situations - and come up with new solutions.

Here are some suggestions to take better care of you and make life easier:

First, be careful what and whom you allow to influence your thoughts. This includes excess television, internet reading and negative co-workers. If you are constantly watching the media report the number of layoffs and bad juju out there - it is hard to pull yourself away from that negative place. Read the news so you know what is going on - but don't watch too much of it - especially around bedtime. This also goes for people in your life that are constantly complaining or fearful about what is going to happen. Be choosy about what you are letting into your mindspace.

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. A number of my clients have had to double or triple their work hours, due to layoffs, higher company expectations, or the need for more income. In this situation, it becomes hard to find time to relax or rejuvenate. You would be surprised what ten deep breaths can do. Go ahead, try it. Breathe deeply ten times, so deep that you can see your lower belly move in and out. Feel the difference? Now make this a practice. Everytime you sit down at your desk, you'll start working after taking ten deep breaths.

Make a large crock of soup this weekend and bring it to work for lunch during the week. I know that this sounds way too simple. But the truth is that home-cooked food brings home cooked energy. Taking the time to stop and warm up a yummy soup for lunch and sip it can take you back to your more restful weekend or even memories of childhood. And the healthy soup will keep your body going, especially now when you need it. If you need recipes, go to my website.

Create a healthy structured morning routine that you don't have to think about. If you are stressed out, sometimes too many decisions can make things worse. So take the time to make a simple and healthy morning routine that you don't have to think about.

For example: Wake Up, Breathe for Five Minutes, Make a healthy smoothie, Take Supplements, Shower and Go. Or Wake Up, Create a Positive Intention for the Day, Do Five Minutes of Stretching, Warm Up Some Oatmeal (see below), Take Some Omega-3 Fish Oil, Shower and Go. Write down your routine and get used to doing it. That way, you'll still be taking care of yourself, but you'll have one less thing to think about.

* For the oatmeal - Make an entire box of old fashioned, long cooking, steel cut oatmeal at once on a Sunday. Then season the whole pot with the nuts and spices you like. Then put 3/4 - 1 cup of cooked oatmeal in a square of plastic wrap and put all the packages in the fridge or freezer. Now you have HEALTHY instant oatmeal.


Copyright (c) 2010 Monica Shah