Stress Control

Contents:

Chapter 1: What's going on • The stress of change • Daydreaming time is important • Limited adaptation energy • Life events table • Your attitude can help • Don•t bankrupt your energy bank • Mitigating the effects of change • Coping with key stressful life events • A new baby • Starting school • Leaving for university

 Chapter 2: Wisdom and truth: vital resources • Hold on to what is valuable to you • Allow yourself moments of stillness • Love changes everything • The power of the right word • Your personal truth • Recipes for life • Inspirational wisdom and eternal truths • Do it your way • Be in the here and now • Control your use of technology •And/and• not •either/or• Find the •Third Point•  

Chapter 3: Who is in control • Strategy No 1: Acceptance • Strategy No 2: Walk away • It's all too big! • Strategy No 3: Make a positive decision • The stress of capitalism and the consumer society • The consumer myth • Who controls your mind• We are being dumped on • Counter measures • Be patient with yourself • Cut down on your screen time • Our insecurities are triggered by commercial propaganda • Strengthen your power • Live lightly in the world • Identify with the eternal and lasting rather than with the transient

Chapter 4: Technology and stress • Mobile (or cell) phones and smartphones • Steps that can be taken to reduce the risk from radiation from technology • Possible consequences of radiation exposure • Cordless phones • Personal computers and laptops • Use of laptops • The real danger in technology

Chapter 5: Take control of your agenda • Too much on your agenda• Clearing to move forwards • Reviewing your agenda • Contemplating a career move • Overcoming feelings of obligation • Determining your motivation • Prioritising your agenda • Give yourself what you •want• Offload unnecessary baggage • What to offload • Make space for your mind • Switch to the creative side of the brain • Meditation • Resting the mind • Imitate successful behaviour • Don•t criticise yourself • Create clear boundaries

Chapter 6: The positive No • Establishing boundaries • Say •No• with a •Yes• voice • Visualising boundaries • Physical boundaries • Establishing •safe space•

Chapter 7: Stress at work • A too heavy workload • Unclear instructions or insufficient information • Boundaries in the workplace • Intimate space • Personal space • Social space • Public space • Other people's stress! • Constant interruptions • Bullying and intimidation • Symptoms of too much stress • Stress-inducing environmental problems • Poor lighting, fluorescent lighting or insufficient daylight • Lack of air flow, poor ventilation, air quality too hot, too dry or too cold • Stress on your body due to static postures • Working from home • Isolation • Lack of energy due to lack of input from others • Set your own schedule • Increased number of tasks • Undefined boundaries • Self-discipline

Chapter 8: Let's talk about your body • The stress response • Physiological changes that occur in the stress response • Raised blood pressure and the pounding heart • Blood clots more readily • Hormonal and chemical changes • The supply of sugar increases • Excessive sweating • Skin turns ghostly white • Heightened senses • Reduction in libido • Digestive system shuts down • Breathing becomes rapid and shallow • Muscles tense for action

Chapter 9: Just relax ... • Pace yourself balance doing and non-doing • Tension overdraws your energy account • Tension is tiring • Caught in a vicious circle • How to release tension at regular intervals • Loosening and stretching routine • Head and neck movements • Shoulders • S • T • R • E • T • C • H • Legs and feet • Arms and hands • Y • A • W • N • Breathing • Massage • Deep relaxation routine • Calm breathing

Chapter 10: Food to empower you • Your healthy diet plan • Protect your body from free radicals • Reduce the sugar • Reduce the fat • How much salt• Eat more fresh vegetables • Salad foods • Fresh fruit • Fibre • Alcohol • Eat minimally for maximum alertness • Are you drinking enough water• Hints for controlling panic attacks and pre-menstrual syndrome • One final power boost • Emphasise the alkaline foods • So what needs changing•

Chapter 11: What we can learn from successful people • Control, challenge and commitment • Control • Challenge • Commitment • Approaches to life • Attitude • Be yourself !

• Afterword • Your helplist • Useful addresses • Suggested further reading

Figures • The ideal positions for your body at a workstation or desk • The ideal desk arrangement • Balancing point of relaxation and tension • The human function curve • Neck stretch • Head tip • Neck tilt • Shoulder release • Shoulder shrug • Stretch! • Arm swing • Body twist • Arm circle • Starting position for deep relaxation routine

Exercises • Determine your core values • Change the perspective • Harnessing the power of repetition • Serving up your own recipe for life • Maintaining the equilibrium within • Exactly why do you need that pair of shoes• Switch off from the outside world for a while • Wonder in the glories of nature • Visualising a different world • The here and now • Spring-clean your life! • Rethinking your agenda • Offloading stress • Clearing the mind • Finding a sense of peace through visualisation • Reaffirming your right to a clear mind • Imitation is the highest form of flattery • Changing your intonation • Visualise your boundaries • Erecting physical boundaries • Building your safe space • Creating a comfortable work environment • Dodging extraneous stress • Get the blood flowing • The importance of the spoken word • Energising your working day • Are you a lark or an owl• Reinvigorating your home work environment • Holiday at home • Escaping the vicious circle

Case studies • The effects of change • Reorganising priorities • Sifting the clutter from the treasure • Establishing personal space

About the Author:
Susan Balfour is a psychotherapist who has made a special study of the stress syndrome: what causes it, how it affects our health and how to manage it in daily living. Susan has been featured on a number of television programmes about stress and anxiety management and has worked with leading medical specialist on the management of Repetitive Strain Injury.