County offers stress relief tips
December 21, 2011
By Staff
Feeling stressed by the holidays?
King County has some helpful suggestions for managing stress.
Stress is a natural part of daily living, but when it is not addressed, it can affect many parts of a person’s life, including productivity and performance on the job.
Workplace stress causes about 1 million U.S. employees to miss work each day, according to the county’s Mental Health, Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division’s website.
More importantly, stress impacts a person’s health. Chronic stress weakens the immune system, which can cause fatigue and leave a person more vulnerable to colds and flu, according to the agency.
How to handle stress
- Treat your body right. There is a connection between health of the mind and the body. Eating right and exercising will increase a person’s tolerance for stress.
-Take things one at a time. Pick one task and work on it. When that’s done, move on to the next. Focus, get one thing done and feel good about it, and then move on.
- Be realistic. Set reasonable goals. Setting expectations too high is setting yourself up for failure.
-Cut yourself some slack. No one is perfect.
-Just say no. If you are overwhelmed at home or at work, learn to say, “No.”
-qExercise. Thirty minutes of physical activity per day helps both body and mind. Use part of your lunch break to take a walk.
-Share your feelings. Don’t try to cope with big things alone. Let friends and family help.
-Be flexible. Whether at home or at work, arguing only increases stress. Be prepared to make allowances for other people’s opinions and to compromise.
-Don’t be overly critical. You may expect too much from yourself or from others.
When to seek help
If you experience some or all of these markers, and they persist, it may be time to seek help:
- Feeling constantly overwhelmed
- Strained relationships
- Poor work performance
-Overly emotional
- Little things set you off
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
-Headaches and backaches
- Rise in blood pressure
Talk with your doctor, spiritual or religious leader, or employee assistance program about what the problem is.
They may suggest that you see a mental health professional to help you manage your stress or suggest other resources.
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[...] County offers stress relief tipsSnoValley StarBy Staff Stress is a natural part of daily living, but when it is not addressed, it can affect many parts of a person's life, including productivity and performance on the job. Workplace stress causes about 1 million US employees to miss work each day, … [...]
[...] County offers stress relief tipsSnoValley StarBy Staff Stress is a natural part of daily living, but when it is not addressed, it can affect many parts of a person's life, including productivity and performance on the job. Workplace stress causes about 1 million US employees to miss work each day, … [...]
[...] the original post: County offers stress relief tips : Snoqualmie, WA – SnoValley Star … December 22nd, 2011 | Tags: archives, business, calendar, classifieds, election, engagement, [...]