Stress management is a common issue that I see my patients and many others struggling with regularly. Stress is a natural part of life that can impact us in a positive or negative way. To help develop a stress-resilient attitude try to concentrate on the following six tips for stress management:
- Promote optimistic thinking.
- View change as a normal part of life.
- Realizing that "people need people" OR pets! (Our family has a dog named Ted! He brings so much joy to us and having him around helps us relax at the end of the day.)
- Don't expect perfection.
- Practice empathy and forgiveness.
- Put things into perspective.
Giving back and showing kindness towards others is another way to improve mood and reduce stress. I've included a "Pay it Forward" label. I encourage you to print out a few and practice some random acts of kindness. (If you don’t have a printer available, you can make your own.) Just a few examples include; taping a dollar to the vending machine with a note saying to ‘enjoy a drink on me’ or write an encouraging note on the back of the label and put it on someone's desk. Just a little random act of kindness can really brighten someone's day, especially if they receive it when they're feeling down.
I hope you all have a great week.
Allison Collins, RD
Major Health Partners
Wellness Coordinator/Registered Dietitian
e-mail: acollins@majorhospital.org
phone: (317) 398-5315