am_alive

1. Make it a point to verbalize all your pent up feelings to colleagues. There is no substitute for communication when it comes to relieving stress. Feeling of isolation is common in cases of prolonged stress and talking about your feelings to a colleague can help you vie things in another perspective – thus act as a cushion in times of stress.

2. Take one day at a time. Do some effective time management. Do not spend your tea and coffee breaks to catch up with pending work. Instead, take time off to do something completely different which is in no way related to work. Taking a break from your normal schedule does wonders in refreshing your mind and outlook towards your job.

3. Try to realize your own energy schedules. We don't feel the same way during the entire day. So schedule your work accordingly. Find out which are your high energy hours – and keep the more stressful work during that time. This will ease out stress and stop unnecessary loss of vital energy.

4. Never try to work all the stressful jobs at the same time. It will require some amount of advance planning no doubt but if you can plan out your work and take one stressful work at a time – you will soon find out that you can really put in your best in that particular work. It will also leave you less drained.

5. Keep some outdoor activity in your daily work schedule. A refreshed body stores a refreshed mind. Out brain needs vital oxygen to keep our body and mind in optimal performing condition. Physical exercise makes us look better and feel better. It increases self-esteem. When you are hibernating, the emotional distresses increase and you feel more low.

6. When you have a big and intensive job in hand – do not get overwhelmed by its magnitude. Instead, break it up in small components. It will then seem easier to handle and manage. At the end you will not even realize that you have actually completed the big job so successfully.

7. Remember you can not handle everything. Learn to delegate, if you have the opportunity to do so. If you know your own limitations, it makes the task easier. This way you can involve many others in the problem solving and decision making process.

8. You do not have to say yes to everyone and every job that comes your way. Learn to decline. If you go on saying yes to every project, you will soon be full of anger and resentment. Saying no at the right time gives us a sense of control and happiness. That does not mean that you decline from getting involved or committed. Life is all about choices. So take as much as you can give but never over commit and under deliver.

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You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others.