Enterprise Nation

We all need a certain amount of pressure in our lives to give us the challenges and excitement which make life enjoyable.  Saying that, we don’t want too much stress. Accredited counsellor, Sue Doherty offers some stress busting tips to get your week off to a great start.

One step at a time

This is what Sue recommends for a happy and healthy working day...

1. Talk about how you’re feeling  - to someone close to you, to a counsellor, or anyone who will listen. 
2. Exercise - to use up all the excess “fight or flight” hormones which stress produces.  It will also allow your body to create its own endorphins, which make you feel more positive and motivated.
3. Keep an eye on  your alcohol/caffeine/cigarette use - cut down if you’re using them as a way of switching off. 
4. Learn to say “No” - saying “Yes” all the time can overburden you and may cause resentment and frustration to build up. 
5. Relax - simple breathing exercises can be very effective in calming you down.
6. Write lists daily - these can help you to focus and provide motivation as well as a sense of achievement once they’re completed.
7. Make time for yourself and have some fun.  Remember: “You don’t stop playing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop playing!”
8. Have a laugh.  “Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they will never cease to be amused.”  So, try not to take yourself too seriously.  Laughter helps you relax and increases the body’s natural endorphins which make you feel good.
9. Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Winston Churchill said “If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly”, so don’t be put off from having a go at new things for fear of not being good enough.  You never know, you might surprise yourself by unearthing a hidden talent or a spark of enthusiasm for something you’d never dared to try!
10. Finally, if it all gets too much, run away!  Yes, running is one of the best ways of calming and focusing the mind!

Sue Doherty is a BACP accredited counsellor and UKRCP registered independent counsellor, with a practice in Chester. She can be contacted on 07985 11967.