Maybe it’s the challenging economy. Maybe it’s anticipation for the holiday season. Or maybe it’s just your natural state of being. Whatever the cause, stress can feel overwhelming. And it may seem like you have no power over it.

You’ll always have bills, obligations, and people to please. You can’t change those things. But you can change the way you think and act to create a more balanced, peaceful life and environment. These tips are a good start:  

1. Put it in writing

Write in a journal, or pen a letter to someone explaining your feelings–even if you burn it instead of sending it. Research shows expressive writing is an effective method for reducing depression in people who tend to brood.

2. Change your thinking

The way you think about an event dictates how you feel about it. If you see your meeting as an opportunity to screw something up, you’ll naturally feel overwhelmed. If you see it as a challenge you can meet, you’ll feel more at ease with the experience.

3. Practice deep breathing

People often hold their breath when they’re anxious. This limits your oxygen intake, stressing your body further.

4. Meditate

Pull your body completely into the present moment, and perceive everything around you with all your senses. Meditation increases serotonin production, which influences mood and behavior.

5. Sweat it out

Studies show that people who go to a sauna at least twice a week for 10-30 minutes are less stressed after work than others with similar jobs who don’t.

6. Laugh it out

Research shows that laughter soothes tension, improves your immune system, and even eases pain. Give yourself a break to reminisce with a friend about a memory that made you smile. Don’t worry–you’ll have plenty of time to think about everything else when you’re done.

7. Complete a small task

According to Georgia Witkin, assistant director of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, completing a small task increases your sense of control and decreases your stress level.

8. Get mindful

Mindfulness means focusing your full attention on the present moment, instead of thinking about past or future events. When practiced regularly, mindfulness actually strengthens the areas of the brain associated with joy and relaxation.

9. Minimize stress triggers

Avoid conversations about topics that stress you out. Limit your time with people who continually get you going.

10. Reassess how you manage your time

Your jam-packed to-do list may contain unnecessary items. Your morning routine may be too full to allow prompt arrival at work. If you don’t overextend yourself, you will likely feel less stressed.

Article Source – Tinybuddha.com

Everyone wants to have a great work day.     You want to go to work, get the job done and head for the horizon with a smile on your face.   It’s easy to have a good day at work if you prepare in advance and keep a good running list of how to get through with the most happy day.

Here are the top 10 ways to have a happier workday -

1. Eat breakfast

If you skip breakfast, you won’t be at your best during the morning.   You will more likely gorge yourself at lunch and have a sleepy afternoon.   So eat something, anything (within reason) so you can ensure a smooth start.

2. Get plenty of sunshine

Sun in the morning signals the body and mind to wake up.   So instead of reaching for a big cup of Joe, put on your shoes and go outside.

3. Get Aerobic Exercise

while you are getting your sunlight, use it as an excuse to get a good walk or jog in.   Exercise lowers stress, gets your blood moving and wakes you up.

4. Avoid RSS, EMAIL or phone before 10 am

RSS, email and phone demand immediate attention.   Whereas your goals and work for the day can easily be brushed to the side.   If you can avoid the urgent and unimportant until 10 or 10:30, you’ve got a fighting chance at getting all of the important tasks done.

5. Think positive thoughts not negative

Seems simple, but many people never do it.   Instead of looking on the worst side, try to see the bright side.   Ask yourself “what is the advantage of this situation?”   “how am I benefiting from this?   What am I learning?”   These are all good questions that you can ask in all negative situations to turn them to the positive.

If you push on one task for too long you your work starts to suffer.   It’s easy to become tired and frustrated.   So every 30 – 45 minutes, take 5.   Get up from your desk, stop what you are doing and get your mind off your work for awhile.   You’ll find you’ll return with more ideas and renewed energy.

7. Go for a mid-day walk

again, I’m harping on the exercise.   Getting a brisk walk in over lunch (even if for only 10 minutes) will get you to feeling better about your afternoon.   Where most others are sitting around digesting, you can be energizing.

8. Avoid gossip

One drain on your day is gossip.   It may seem fun and exciting to learn some juicy tidbit about your officemate or boss.   But good gossip is always negative talk.   Negative talk starts the pendulum swinging toward negativity.

9. List your top 5-7 objectives for the day and break the list down to 3

It’s good to get in the habit of making lists, it’s bad to make long lists.   If you’ve got more than 5 items on your list, break it down to the top 3 things (you can always go back and edit in another task or two).   But with a list of 20 things, how can you not be overwhelmed? 3 is a manageable, magical number.   Break your list down to 3.   Anybody can do just three things right?

10. Be slow to react to other people’s “urgent” requests

When someone else asks you for help, to do a project or to meet some other urgent need, practice saying “what’s your deadline on this?   or when do you need this done?” Then schedule that day.   Most people when asked one of those questions realize it’s not as urgent and will set a future date.   That way, you can go back to working on one of your top 3 activities.

Have you ever had one of those days where you could barely squeeze in 5 minutes to use the bathroom? At one time I had my 3 little ones in diapers, it’s a wonder my bladder didn’t explode! Or I could’ve used a diaper myself.  As a busy parent, we hardly have a moment to ourselves. While parenting our children is undoubtedly the most rewarding job in the world, the joy can be robbed if we are overworked.

We cannot be at our best as a parent if we are short on energy and short on our temper.

Here are three signs that you need a break –

• You want to scream, cry, and throw something across the room all at the same time.
• You want to gorge 10 pounds of chocolate at one sitting.
• You want to curl up in a fetal position.

Don’t let yourself get to that breaking point!

The ideal situation would be to get a babysitter for 2 hours and have that time to yourself. However, we all know it is unrealistic to have that luxury everyday. However, we can be creative in carving out some moments where we can give ourselves a quick lift. It will make all the difference.

I’ve found these 10 ways to rejuvenate my energy in the midst of a busy day. These work even with the kids around:

1. Get some fresh air

I know it can be an effort to get out of the house, but believe me, it is worth the effort. Pack the kids up in a stroller, take a snack and juice for them, and go outside for a short walk. Breathe deeply! Look up at the sky, enjoy the beauty of the day. Take a camera with you and take pictures of flowers or a butterfly. Have your children collect pebbles, leaves and flowers. That keeps them well-occupied. I love looking at the houses in my neighborhood while getting landscape ideas and criticizing weird choice of paint colors! Occasionally I’d find a neighbor to chat with. Going outside gives you a freshness in your day.

2. Make yourself a hot cup of spice tea

Sit down and drink it slowly. Sometimes I put a warm towel over your eyes for one minute.

3. Start making plans to do something for yourself

Call the babysitter, make a hair appointment, schedule a lunch with a friend. Having something to look forward to will lift your spirits.

4. Do jumping jacks or jump rope with the kids

A little exercise to get the blood flowing will actually give you more energy than sitting down. I have a very old Jane Fonda aerobics tape that I follow once in a while with my children jumping around along with me.

5. If you can’t get away to take a shower, the next best thing is wash your face

I like to splash my face with nice warm water for several minutes and scrub with a moisturizing cleaner. Once in a while, I’ll apply a mask. The laughter of the children at the way you look with a mask on is an added benefit! After that, put on fresh make-up, even if you’re not going anywhere. You’ll feel more alive when you look good in the mirror.

6. Call a friend

Call a friend to chat.

7. Turn on the radio to your favorite station

I like listening to talk shows to engage myself in the outside world. Music that promotes a calm atmosphere is good too.

8. Read a joke book or read jokes from a joke website

there are so many good clean jokes on the internet. Make sure you laugh out loud

9. Get food delivered

I generally prefer my own home-cooked meals, but some days, I don’t need the stress of having to cook. It’s also relaxing to eat out of the box so there are no dishes to wash.

10. Give time to yourself

This is the most important one – when your children take a nap, make sure you use that time to clean the house do something for yourself – take a shower, read a book, take a nap!

Life is chaotic, at best. We rush, we multi-task, and we try to be all things to all people, often failing to save anything for ourselves. We crave peace – but usually aren’t willing to do what it takes to achieve peace, or we take the alternative route and look for ways to find peace that generally only bring more chaos. Here are ten simple ways that you can bring peace to your life…no matter how chaotic your life may be.

1. Realize that you cannot control anything other than yourself in this world

You are the only thing that you have complete control over. When we realize this, and adjust our outlook and our actions accordingly, life becomes much more peaceful. Trying to control other people, or situations that really are beyond our control, only serves to suck away our time and adds to the chaos and frustration of life.

2. Cut some ties – and make new ones

This one isn’t easy, but if you want a peaceful life, it must be done. For most of us, there are one or two people – possibly more – that are in our lives, but bring very little to our lives on an emotional or support level. This isn’t a question of ditching friends who haven’t done anything for you.

3. Reduce the clutter in your life

Clutter does not represent peace. This doesn’t mean that you have to give away all of your worldly goods. It means that you need to clean and organize the closets, drawers, shelves, and other nooks and crannies in your home and office. As you organize, get rid of anything that you don’t use, don’t need, and can easily live without. Donate items to charity, hold a yard sale, throw it in the trash…just get rid of the junk that you don’t need.

4. Clear the air

If you’ve had any disagreements in any of your personal relationships, and you are still smarting from them, clear the air. Go talk to that person. Let them know how you feel. Apologize and ask for forgiveness if this is needed. Request an apology and forgive if that is what is needed. Lay your cards – and feelings – on the table. If the relationship is worth saving, you will work it out. Otherwise, it is causing discord in your life – even if that discord is only in your mind – and you might need to cut ties.

5. Re-evaluate your budget and finances

Money makes everything very complicated, and does little to garner peace. It has been said that money cannot buy happiness, but that isn’t necessarily true. Are you going to be happy if you can’t pay the mortgage, and you have to live on the street? No. Are you going to be happy if you can’t afford a college education for your kids? No. Are you going to be happy if you can’t pay the power bill, retire, take your annual vacation, or purchase new clothing for your kids? No, no, no and no.

6. Forgive yourself

Think about past mistakes that you have made. Reflect on them for a bit. Be clear about where you went wrong. Forgive yourself, and promptly remove it from your mind. We do learn from our mistakes, and we take those lessons into the future. It doesn’t mean that we have to dwell on those mistakes and constantly beat ourselves up for them. We are all human, and even the smartest and brightest have made their fair share of mistakes. You are not alone. Forgive yourself and move forward.

7. Turn off the news

Obviously, you do need to keep up with what is going on in the world. Most of us don’t have to do it on an hourly basis, or even a daily basis. Use the Internet and services such as Google to have news delivered to your email inbox. Make it a point to only read those news stories once or twice a week – and never in the evening hours, when you are trying to unwind from your day. The world is a scary place, and the news reminds us of that each minute of each day. This doesn’t contribute to a peaceful life.

8. Take the time to make a schedule for your week, each week

Stick to that schedule as closely as possible, but also understand that plans sometimes must change. Make a note of free time and instantly schedule in some ‘you time’ or something fun, instead of waiting for other people to fill that time for you. Set priorities to the items on your schedule. Make detailed notes that you will understand. Plan, but don’t over plan. When something new comes up, put it on the following week’s schedule, instead of rearranging this week’s schedule. Learn to say ‘no’ and ‘I can’t do that this week, sorry.’

9. Limit the technology in your life

Technology does not bring peace. The computer looks innocent enough – but you have the entire world at your fingertips right inside of that little box. This is overwhelming when you actually think about it. Learn to turn the box off, turn the television off, turn the cell phone off, and simply get out and enjoy the world up close and personal.

10. Take time out for yourself

Most people really fail to see the importance of this. When we take time to simply be by ourselves, without doing anything else to occupy our minds, we are able to reflect, dream, and simply relax. This brings the ultimate peace.

About the author – Kelly Lowe offers more tips and information on Simplifying Your Life On her site, Let Me Tell You What, you can learn more about simplifying your life, bringing peace into your life, dealing with day to day problems, and learning to be happy and healthy in general.

If there’s one thing all people have in common, it’s that we want things–and we often feel disappointed and dissatisfied when we don’t get them.

You can’t always get what you want, but you can get where you’re headed if you just keep going.
In the meantime, these suggestions may help you feel more content with the reality you have right now:  

1. Acknowledge where you’d like to see improvements

If you’re unhappy, there’s a reason. Identifying what you’d like to change is the first step toward becoming more satisfied.

2. Take one step every day toward changing what makes you unhappy

The most important part of creating change is maintaining forward momentum. Spend a little time every day creating the life you want, and it will eventually become a habit that transforms your life.

3. Set small, attainable goals

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t set large goals. If you set small ones, as well, you’ll allow yourself abundant opportunities to feel proud of what you’ve accomplished.

4. Do something you always wanted to do, even if on a much smaller scale

If you’ve always dreamed of playing piano, book your first lesson. When you go after your passions, you generally feel more fulfilled, whether you impress other people or not.

5. Make a list of your accomplishments and add to it daily

You may not realize just how many of your goals you’ve already reached.

6. Identify ways you’ve improved people’s lives for the better

We’ve all had our It’s a Wonderful Life George Bailey moments. You have made a huge difference in at least one person’s life. If you can’t see that yourself ask the people closest to you.

7. Practice mindfulness–focusing fully on whatever is in front of you

When you root yourself in the present moment, contentment is more attainable. It’s far easier to be happy in one moment than it is to feel satisfied about decades of events.

8. Shift your focus from things you do to who you are

Even if you’re not pleased with your professional advancement, you can still feel proud of how far you’ve come as a person–the way you make people laugh, how you’re always patient and understanding.

9. Redefine satisfaction

You may think everything needs to be perfect for you to feel fulfilled. Since you likely will always strive for more in life–no matter how far you go–why not learn to feel satisfied within the process of becoming?

10. Try one new thing every day

One of the most common ways to feel stagnant is to fall into a routine. Trying something new gives you a sense of excitement and adventure. When you feel truly alive in a moment, you’re less likely to dwell on things you think are missing.

If you work from home then you know that sometimes it can be difficult  to focus. Here are 10 Top Ways to Focus at Home.

1. Use a Daily Planner

Use a Daily Planner of some sort, whether it is on your computer or in a book. This will help you remember what you need to do daily.

2. Plan your day the night before

Look at your planner and know ahead of time what the next day has in store for you.

3. Organize your time

If you are doing calls, writing, doing entries, etc, plan exactly how much time you need for each. This will help organize and fill your day.

4. Keep the TV Off

Cancel your cable even. If you work from home you need to treat it like a real business. Would or could you watch TV at the work place? I think not.

5. Get out of bed at a decent time

Yes it is great to work from your house because of the freedom , but sleeping in all the time makes for a groggy brain.

6. Avoid answering personal calls during work time

This could put a hiccup in your day. If you are anything like me one call from my mother and my head is spinning. Don’t get me wrong, I love her to bits)

7. Leave the cleaning or other chores for others

Get your family involved, hire a maid, do whatever you can to make the most of your time.

8. Have a list of Daily

and weekly goals and have them posted where they are visible. This will keep you on track and enable you to celebrate attaining these goals.

9. Get outside

If you are like most people we rarely get enough exercise and fresh air. Even though this maybe taking us away from our beloved computers it is essential in staying healthy. This way we can come back and have a fresh perspective on our work.

10. Keep your space organized

Every night quickly take 5 minutes to re organize your work space. This way you can come back in the morning and it is already and waiting for you to start being productive. I love clean spaces. A clean space is an un cluttered mind (hopefully)

I will add this one in because it has to do with having fun, which that is what Life is all about. If you are feeling frustrated at all during your day…Stop! Take a deep breath, put on a feel good song and get moving. Sometimes sitting in front of a computer hour after hour can cause bad posture, weak muscles and something I like referring to as "muffin top". I have been known to dance around my house, even if it is only for 5 minutes. This will lift your spirits and get your body moving.

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