What We Prescribe For Stress

• Get plenty of exercise whenever you can. The optimum is to get at least 30 minutes of exercise in everyday. For some in stressful jobs that's not an option for now. However, you can perform some simple exercises at work that will get your circulation going. Take a walk around the block on your ten minute break. While on the phone, try standing up and moving while speaking.
• Avoid foods that are going to add to your stress. Anything that contains blood-sugar enhancing refined carbohydrates such as doughnuts, muffins and bread. Stay away from junk food like candy bars and sodas loaded with sugar. When you're at work try to go for the food or drinks that will boost your energy - blueberries, green tea, milk, soy products and whole grain breads. Try taking down your coffee drinking a few notches as well.
• Plan your day out. Start your day with a plan and do not allow the day to plan for you. The president of Executive Health & Wealth Institute suggests dividing your tasks into "must do," "may do" and "want to do." You want to feel a sense of control over your day and not always feel you're overloaded and can't get out from beneath the pile of tasks you're facing at work.
• Finish your tasks one at a time. Give yourself a sense of accomplishment by doing tasks that might be easy, but you know you can get done. Then move on to your next task. Once you finish one task, you are motivated to start another and experience a greater sense of accomplishment instead of having a desk filled with unfinished business.
• Keep things in their proper place. If you are always feeling frazzled, then you need to slow down and check your stress level on a scale from one to ten. This allows you to put your stress level in perspective and helps you from over-reacting. Take a break once in awhile where you can sense gratitude for your job, the friendships you acquired at work and your health. Start looking at what's right about your job and workplace instead of keeping the focus on what's wrong.
• Do a good deed. A great way to reduce stress is to do something unexpected for someone else. Offer your help whenever you see a co-worker who seems to be stressing out. When you're giving to other people, your life is filled with greater confidence and enthusiasm.
• See a counselor weekly. Nothing takes the place of a safe place to vent.