Feeling overwhelmed? Stop it!

Here's a 5-minute exercise to help you deal well with pressure as we move into the swing of 2010.

Step one:

Think of times when you have felt really stressed and haven't handled it well.

Step two:

When you're really under pressure, what does your typical response look like?

Do you cry, scream, run away, flap around, get angry, depressed, sick or fearful? Do you head for the refrigerator? Do you not eat? Do you panic, freeze, stick your head in the sand, or blow your stack?

Take a few seconds to create a list of words that describe your existing 'stress antics'.

Step three:

Look at the words you've written down and be honest. How is this strategy working for you?

Is it successfully reducing your stress levels? Is it putting you in the best frame of mind to overcome your challenges? Or is it making problems worse?

Step four:

What can you choose to do in the future that will serve you better? Think of a time when you handled pressure well. What did you do differently then?

For each of your 'stress antics', come up with a 'stress fix'. Head straight for food? Go for a walk. Run away? Chunk the problem into baby steps. Flap? Breathe!

Start today

We all have a choice in how we respond to the challenges in our lives.

Next time something happens, stop for a few seconds and ask yourself: 'what simple next step can I take, right now, that is going to move me away from this stress?'

What's happening this week at WorkLifeBliss?

• We're putting together a series of brand new courses for 2010
• We're providing 18-page reports in response to our Life Balance Survey (see what the reports include here).