WEBVTT 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:07.339 Welcome back everybody to another podcast food 00:00:07.339 --> 00:00:10.119 for thought thoughts if it were you buying neogen 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.900 tricks now In the last episode I covered what 00:00:13.900 --> 00:00:17.320 stress is Today, I'm gonna go ahead and cover 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:20.160 with how on how to deal with stress And like 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:22.660 I said before I have ten simple tips here to 00:00:22.660 --> 00:00:24.239 help you manage and reduce your stress levels 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.519 now Keep in mind these won't get rid of it a 00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:29.000 hundred percent You still have to put in the 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.299 effort to actually try this and do it. All this 00:00:32.299 --> 00:00:35.049 will help you do is reduce it handle it better 00:00:35.049 --> 00:00:38.729 okay stress is not all bad it's just what you 00:00:38.729 --> 00:00:41.530 do with it how much of it is there I mean it 00:00:41.530 --> 00:00:44.450 can be as I covered before as dangerous and as 00:00:44.450 --> 00:00:47.429 poisonous as alcohol poisoning drug overdose 00:00:47.429 --> 00:00:50.729 you know things of that nature because it does 00:00:50.729 --> 00:00:53.689 cause physical problems both with your body and 00:00:53.689 --> 00:00:57.170 your mental state okay simple issues as your 00:00:57.170 --> 00:00:59.390 muscles tightening up for no reason is one of 00:00:59.390 --> 00:01:03.310 the basic um effects that it can have other effects 00:01:03.310 --> 00:01:05.750 are you know like i mentioned before urination 00:01:05.750 --> 00:01:09.890 issues bathroom problems uh stomach indigestion 00:01:09.890 --> 00:01:14.750 uh and so on and so forth so beginning our topic 00:01:14.750 --> 00:01:18.969 off here with number one one the first thing 00:01:18.969 --> 00:01:21.930 that you need to do to help control the level 00:01:21.930 --> 00:01:24.709 of stress you have is avoid caffeine alcohol 00:01:24.709 --> 00:01:28.569 and nicotine especially nicotine Avoid or at 00:01:28.569 --> 00:01:30.790 least reduce your consumption of nicotine in 00:01:30.790 --> 00:01:33.310 any of the drinks containing caffeine or alcohol. 00:01:33.530 --> 00:01:36.670 Now, caffeine and nicotine are stimulants, for 00:01:36.670 --> 00:01:39.090 those who don't already know this, so it will 00:01:39.090 --> 00:01:41.010 increase your levels of stress rather than reduce 00:01:41.010 --> 00:01:44.310 it, if not make it worse. Alcohol is a depressant 00:01:44.310 --> 00:01:46.989 when taken in large quantities, but it still 00:01:46.989 --> 00:01:49.329 acts as a stimulant in smaller quantities, so 00:01:49.329 --> 00:01:52.569 therefore using alcohol as a way to alleviate 00:01:52.569 --> 00:01:57.269 stress is ultimately not very helpful. If not 00:01:57.269 --> 00:02:01.209 worse, swap caffeinated and alcoholic drinks 00:02:01.209 --> 00:02:04.310 for water. Herbal teas, diluted natural fruit 00:02:04.310 --> 00:02:07.109 juices. Aim to keep yourself hydrated as this 00:02:07.109 --> 00:02:09.210 will enable your body to cope better with stress. 00:02:10.710 --> 00:02:13.530 And for those who don't like herbal teas, well 00:02:13.530 --> 00:02:16.949 then just stick to water or flavored water. You 00:02:16.949 --> 00:02:19.289 should also aim to avoid or reduce your intake 00:02:19.289 --> 00:02:22.460 of refined sugars. They are contained in many 00:02:22.460 --> 00:02:25.180 manufactured foods, even in savory foods such 00:02:25.180 --> 00:02:28.099 as salad, dressings, and bread. Yes, I said bread. 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:32.879 For all those people out there who don't like 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:37.020 eating food or is very self -conscientious, especially 00:02:37.020 --> 00:02:40.060 on carbohydrates and sugars that they eat, this 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:44.330 is probably a bonus for you. Like I said before, 00:02:44.569 --> 00:02:46.789 these things can cause energy crashes, which 00:02:46.789 --> 00:02:49.069 may lead you up to feeling tired or irritable. 00:02:49.430 --> 00:02:52.849 Okay. In general, just try to eat a healthy, 00:02:52.889 --> 00:02:56.949 well -balanced and nutritious diet for life's 00:02:56.949 --> 00:03:00.949 sake. Try. I'm not telling you to do it overnight. 00:03:01.009 --> 00:03:03.370 It doesn't happen that way. Nothing happens overnight. 00:03:03.830 --> 00:03:14.650 All right. Alright, let's pick up number two. 00:03:16.590 --> 00:03:19.629 Indulge in physical activities. Okay, stressful 00:03:19.629 --> 00:03:21.789 situations increase the level of stress hormones 00:03:21.789 --> 00:03:24.569 such as adrenaline and cortisol in your body, 00:03:24.610 --> 00:03:27.930 as I mentioned before. Now, these are the fight 00:03:27.930 --> 00:03:30.449 or flight hormones that evolution has hardwired 00:03:30.449 --> 00:03:33.349 into our brains and which are designed to protect 00:03:33.349 --> 00:03:35.909 us from immediate bodily harm when we are under 00:03:35.909 --> 00:03:41.280 threat. So, but... However, stress in the modern 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:43.560 age is rarely remedied by a fight -or -flight 00:03:43.560 --> 00:03:46.919 response, and so physical exercise can be used 00:03:46.919 --> 00:03:49.819 as a surrogate to metabolize the excess of stress 00:03:49.819 --> 00:03:51.960 hormones and restore your body and mind to a 00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:55.120 calmer, more relaxed state. Let's just put it 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.780 simple. When you feel stressed or tense, go for 00:03:57.780 --> 00:04:01.060 a brisk walk in fresh air. Try to incorporate 00:04:01.060 --> 00:04:02.939 some physical activities into your daily routine 00:04:02.939 --> 00:04:05.620 on a regular basis, either before, after work, 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:08.870 or at lunchtime. Basically, regular physical 00:04:08.870 --> 00:04:11.129 activities will also improve the quality of your 00:04:11.129 --> 00:04:13.990 sleep. Now, I know I still haven't covered sleep, 00:04:14.169 --> 00:04:18.629 but I will cover it after I finish this. Which 00:04:18.629 --> 00:04:23.829 brings us to number three. Ironically, get more 00:04:23.829 --> 00:04:28.569 sleep. Yeah, I know. Ironic. A lack of sleep 00:04:28.569 --> 00:04:30.709 is a significant cause of stress. Unfortunately, 00:04:30.930 --> 00:04:33.430 though, stress also interrupts our sleep as thoughts 00:04:33.430 --> 00:04:35.569 keep whirling through our head, stopping us from 00:04:35.569 --> 00:04:38.550 relaxing even enough to fall asleep. Rather than 00:04:38.550 --> 00:04:40.290 relying on medication, your aim should be to 00:04:40.290 --> 00:04:42.449 maximize your relaxation before going to sleep. 00:04:42.569 --> 00:04:45.009 Make sure that your bedroom is a tranquil oasis 00:04:45.009 --> 00:04:47.350 with no reminders of things that cause you stress. 00:04:48.029 --> 00:04:51.490 And with that, I am referring to those who have 00:04:51.490 --> 00:04:54.149 cell phones and or tablets or computers. If you 00:04:54.149 --> 00:04:56.129 can't sleep with them in the room, get rid of 00:04:56.129 --> 00:04:58.800 them. Leave them in the living room. Do not put 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:02.240 them in the bathroom Avoid caffeine during the 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:04.579 evenings as well as excessive alcohol if you 00:05:04.579 --> 00:05:07.459 know that this will lead to disturbed sleep Stop 00:05:07.459 --> 00:05:09.800 doing any mentally demanding work several hours 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:12.019 before going to bed so that you give your brain 00:05:12.019 --> 00:05:15.790 a time to calm down Try taking a warm bath or 00:05:15.790 --> 00:05:18.610 reading a calm, undemanding book for a few minutes 00:05:18.610 --> 00:05:21.930 to relax your body, your mind, tire your eyes, 00:05:22.029 --> 00:05:23.910 and help you forget about the things that worry 00:05:23.910 --> 00:05:26.629 you. You should aim to go to bed at roughly the 00:05:26.629 --> 00:05:29.509 same time each day so that your mind and body 00:05:29.509 --> 00:05:31.589 get used to the predictable bedtime routine. 00:05:32.670 --> 00:05:36.449 Okay? And again, like I said before, and I promise 00:05:36.449 --> 00:05:41.009 I will, cover sleep in another podcast. Next. 00:05:41.550 --> 00:05:46.040 Four. Try some relaxation techniques, okay? Each 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:48.639 day, try to relax with a stressful reduction 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:51.680 technique. I'm sorry, a stress reduction technique, 00:05:51.819 --> 00:05:57.339 not a stressful one. There are many tried and 00:05:57.339 --> 00:06:00.279 tested ways to reduce stress, so try a few and 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:02.879 see which ones work for you. Keep in mind, not 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:05.720 everything works with everyone. It may not even 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:07.420 work with you, even if it works for your friend. 00:06:07.579 --> 00:06:12.540 For example, try self -hypnosis. Which is very 00:06:12.540 --> 00:06:15.439 easy and can be done anywhere, even at your desk 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:17.399 or in the car. Now, granted, I don't recommend 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:21.139 this if you have a very busy day. One very simple 00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:23.180 technique is to focus on a word or phrase that 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:25.759 has a positive meaning to you. Words such as 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:31.000 calm, love, and peace. Actually, love is not 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.800 a calming word for me, but you get the idea. 00:06:41.230 --> 00:06:44.970 in my life or grant me serenity something that 00:06:44.970 --> 00:06:48.290 brings you a peace of mind okay or read the bible 00:06:48.290 --> 00:06:53.329 for those who um know what i mean focus on your 00:06:53.329 --> 00:06:56.110 chosen words or phrase and if uh if you find 00:06:56.110 --> 00:06:58.769 your mind has wandered or you find become aware 00:06:58.769 --> 00:07:01.730 of intrusive thoughts entering your mind simply 00:07:01.730 --> 00:07:04.290 disregard them and return your focus to the chosen 00:07:04.290 --> 00:07:06.790 word or phrase if you find yourself becoming 00:07:06.790 --> 00:07:10.579 tense again later simply silently repeat your 00:07:10.579 --> 00:07:13.300 word or phrase okay don't worry if you find it 00:07:13.300 --> 00:07:16.319 difficult to relax at first relaxation is a skill 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:18.379 that needs to be learned and will improve with 00:07:18.379 --> 00:07:46.980 practice okay Number five, talk to someone. Just 00:07:46.980 --> 00:07:48.800 talking to someone about how you feel can be 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:51.720 helpful. Talking can work by either distracting 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:53.459 you from your stressful thoughts or releasing 00:07:53.459 --> 00:07:55.720 some of the built -up tension by discussing it. 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:58.360 Stress can cloud your judgment and prevent you 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:00.899 from seeing things clearly. Talking things through 00:08:00.899 --> 00:08:02.959 with a friend, work colleague, or even a trained 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:04.879 professional can help you find solutions to your 00:08:04.879 --> 00:08:07.379 stress and put your problems into perspective. 00:08:07.839 --> 00:08:09.959 And with that being said, number six is fairly 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:13.279 simple. Just keep a stress diary. Keeping a stress 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.540 diary for a few weeks is an effective stress 00:08:15.540 --> 00:08:18.759 management tool as it will help you become more 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:23.339 aware of the situation which caused you to be 00:08:23.339 --> 00:08:31.480 stressed. Note down the date, time, and place 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.299 of each stressful episode and note what you were 00:08:34.299 --> 00:08:37.820 doing, who you were with, and how you felt both 00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:40.789 physically and emotionally. Give each stressful 00:08:40.789 --> 00:08:47.450 episode a stress rating and use the diary to 00:08:47.450 --> 00:08:49.110 understand what triggers your stress and how 00:08:49.110 --> 00:08:52.830 effective you are in stressful situations. This 00:08:52.830 --> 00:08:55.409 will enable you to avoid stressful situations 00:08:55.409 --> 00:09:00.250 and develop better coping mechanisms. 7. Take 00:09:00.250 --> 00:09:03.340 Control Stress can be triggered by a problem 00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:05.679 that may on the surface seem impossible to solve. 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.299 However, learning how to find solutions to your 00:09:08.299 --> 00:09:10.440 problems will help you feel more in control, 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:14.440 thereby lowering your level of stress. One problem 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:16.480 solving technique involves writing down the problems 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:18.360 and coming up with as many possible solutions 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.779 as you can. Decide on the good and bad points 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:24.480 of each one and select the best solution. Writing 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:28.120 down each step that you need to take as part 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.580 of the solution. what will be done, how it will 00:09:31.580 --> 00:09:34.360 be done, and when it will be done. Also, who 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:36.500 is involved and where it will take place will 00:09:36.500 --> 00:09:42.820 help you greatly manage this as well. 8. I can't 00:09:42.820 --> 00:09:45.220 believe I have to bring this up, but manage your 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:49.759 time. At times, we all feel overburdened by our 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:52.440 to -do list, and this is a common cause of stress. 00:09:52.820 --> 00:09:56.000 Accept that you cannot do everything at once 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:02.120 and start to prioritize Diarize your tasks is 00:10:02.120 --> 00:10:04.919 one way to put that. Make a list of all the things 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:07.100 you need to do and list them in order of genuine 00:10:07.100 --> 00:10:10.620 priority. Note what tasks you need to do personally 00:10:10.620 --> 00:10:14.279 and what can be delegated to others to do. Record 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:16.580 which tasks need to be done immediately in the 00:10:16.580 --> 00:10:19.820 next week, in the next month, next day or whenever 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:23.259 time allows. by editing what might have started 00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:25.480 out as an overwhelming and unmanageable task 00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:27.960 list you can break it down into a series of smaller 00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:30.860 more manageable tasks spread out over a longer 00:10:30.860 --> 00:10:34.480 time frame with some tasks removed from the list 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:38.139 entirely through delegation remember as well 00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:40.539 to create buffer times to deal with unexpected 00:10:40.539 --> 00:10:43.600 and emergency tasks and to include time for your 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:45.990 own relaxation and well -being This is a very 00:10:45.990 --> 00:10:49.549 key thing to keep in mind as the more stuff you're 00:10:49.549 --> 00:10:51.610 doing and without relaxing, the more tense you 00:10:51.610 --> 00:10:53.990 become, which can cause stress to have an even 00:10:53.990 --> 00:11:06.169 greater effect on you in the future. Okay, now 00:11:06.169 --> 00:11:09.370 to the last two items in this list of tips to 00:11:09.370 --> 00:11:12.149 help you. Okay, number nine, learn to just say 00:11:12.149 --> 00:11:16.440 no. A common cause of stress is having too much 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:18.679 to do and too little time in which to do it. 00:11:18.740 --> 00:11:20.759 And yet, in this situation, many people will 00:11:20.759 --> 00:11:22.679 still agree to take on additional responsibilities. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.679 Learning to say no to additional or unimportant 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:29.759 requests will help to reduce your level of stress 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:32.639 and may also help you develop more self -confidence. 00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:36.539 To learn to say no, you need to understand why 00:11:36.539 --> 00:11:39.159 you find it difficult. Many people find it hard 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:43.519 to say no because they want to help and are trying 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:47.299 to be nice and to be liked. For others, it's 00:11:47.299 --> 00:11:50.480 a fear of conflict, rejection, or missed opportunities. 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:53.799 Remember that these barriers to saying no are 00:11:53.799 --> 00:11:57.519 all self -created. You might feel reluctant to 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:00.259 respond to a request with a straight no, at least 00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:05.240 at first. Instead, think of some prepared phrases 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:08.579 to let other people down more gently. Prepared 00:12:08.579 --> 00:12:12.419 practicing phrases such as the following. I have 00:12:12.419 --> 00:12:14.879 three of them here as an example. No worries. 00:12:14.899 --> 00:12:19.259 No long list here. Here's one. I'm sorry, but 00:12:19.259 --> 00:12:21.960 I can't commit to this as I have other priorities 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:26.659 at the moment. This is the one I use a lot because 00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:31.600 it's actually true. The second one is. Now it's 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:33.340 not a good time as I'm in the middle of something 00:12:33.340 --> 00:12:36.320 Why don't you ask me again at and then you know 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:40.559 you give a time or a place, okay? The last one 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:44.100 is I'd love to do this But and then you can fill 00:12:44.100 --> 00:12:45.659 in the blank with just about anything you could 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:48.120 think of as long as it makes sense And it's not 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:51.299 a complete lie going back to the morals that 00:12:51.299 --> 00:12:57.940 I covered before and finally number 10 Rest if 00:12:57.940 --> 00:13:02.559 you are ill, okay It's just that simple. If you 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:04.500 are feeling unwell, do not feel that you have 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:07.700 to carry on regardless, okay? A short spell of 00:13:07.700 --> 00:13:09.879 rest will enable the body to recover faster. 00:13:10.179 --> 00:13:11.759 Again, that kind of goes back to the whole sleep 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:15.279 thing, but you need to keep this in mind. If 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.860 you're starting to feel tired for whatever reason, 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:25.279 just stop, okay? Pushing yourself too hard too 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.779 long can cause detrimental effects worse than 00:13:27.779 --> 00:13:34.649 stress, okay? And with that, it brings tips of 00:13:34.649 --> 00:13:36.649 dealing with stress to an end. Now, granted, 00:13:36.710 --> 00:13:38.590 there are some more stuff I can cover on stress, 00:13:38.710 --> 00:13:41.730 but we'll cover those tomorrow. Thank you guys 00:13:41.730 --> 00:13:43.710 for listening. Thank you for always being there. 00:13:44.350 --> 00:13:48.230 If you have any more comments or you want to 00:13:48.230 --> 00:13:50.669 leave me a topic or something to cover, you can 00:13:50.669 --> 00:13:53.830 hit me up on my Twitter at F -I -G -H -T -T -O 00:13:53.830 --> 00:13:59.299 -B -Y, my Facebook, or on the Anchor app. With 00:13:59.299 --> 00:14:01.580 any more suggestions that you have, thank you 00:14:01.580 --> 00:14:02.679 and have a great rest of your day.