Stress awareness month has been held in April since 1992. The idea is to create an awareness about both the causes and cures for stress.
When I think of stress, I see myself with my blood pressure rising, maybe a deer in the headlight look in my eyes, and everything in overdrive.
I was surprised to read that stress is a neutral word that refers to our reaction to any type of change – good or bad. If we have too little stress, we hardly react at all which means we are lethargic and passive. We need stress and we do need to respond to it to remain healthy. Of course, too much stress can cause us physical and mental health problems.
So, what we need in our lives is balanced stress. And one of the keys to balancing your stress is to know what is important to you and spend time with it.
AARP has some good solutions for lowering your stress through diet and habits. The big four are eat right, be mindful, stay active, and develop good sleep habits.
There are many causes of stress.
Stress can come from outside forces at work or major life events like a new baby, a death, a wedding, or a move.
Stress can also come from the inside like worrying about things like the pandemic, the war, unrealistic expectations, or changes that are happening.
Analyzing what is causing you stress and then managing it can help keep stress from ruining your life.
When I look at what causes too much stress in my life I come up with:
· Visual clutter
· Mental clutter
· Time crunches
· Physical neglect
When I feel my body tense up way too much, or feel sick to my stomach, or can tell my blood pressure has elevated, I try to take a deep breath and walk away for a while. Then I come back to the situation and make some changes.
I clear my desk and any other surfaces in my office.
I talk to a friend.
I read for pleasure.
I revisit my calendar and make some adjustments.
I drink more water and mind my diet.
I take a mental health day.
It’s important to me to control what I can in my life and to let go of what I cannot control. Keeping my home and schedule decluttered and regulated go a long way to keep me from becoming stressed or overwhelmed.
If you want help or just some accountability with decluttering your space or managing your time join Diane Quintana and me on our Clear Space For You clutter support group.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing and virtual organizing. For more of Jonda’s tips connect with her on Facebook.