Stress-less

"You are your choices."

Seneca

One topic of the workshops I am currently giving is "Control and Relieve Stress". I just had one last Friday and thought it would be good to share a little insight about how to control stress in your life.

Each one of us knows the toll our fast-paced and ever demanding modern life, peppered with deadlines, takes on us.

Stress related mental and physical problems are increasingly prevalent in the western world. Researchers and scientists estimated that 75 to 90 percent of all visits to doctors are for stress-related complaints.

Symptoms of stress can be increased testiness and aggressiveness, lack of concentration and focus, drug abuse (including alcohol and smoking!), insomnia and fatigue, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, heart attack - only to mention a few of the seemingly never ending list of signs and symptoms of stress.

Scientist discovered two worries in particular putting us under stress:

1. The feeling of having no control over a situation we know needs change, e.g. most of us are not happy with what we do the whole day long.

2. Not having enough time or the feeling of not having enough time.

The following exercise is adapted from "the wheel of life". It is easy to do and can help you to sort out both worries mentioned above. It gives you a chance to regain control over your life, simply by figuring out what is important for you and by helping you to set goals. In helping you to prioritise and to concentrate on the most important things in your life it helps you to use your time more effectively.

1. Make sure you have got some time on your own and ask your family not to disturb you. Choose three of the following areas of your life you would like to work on:
• Partnership, relationship, love, marriage
• Family, children
• Social life and vitality
• Body and health
• Mind and soul
• Personal development
• Finances and economical independence and security
• Professional qualifications
• Career
• Values and beliefs
• Philosophy of life, spirituality
• Or anything else you would like to work on.

2. Once you have decided on the three areas you want to work on, take three pieces of paper and label them according to your choice e.g. "relationship", "body and health" and "career".

3. Take each piece of paper labelled with one of your topics and divide it into three columns:
• Aims for the next six months.
• Goals in 5 years time.
• What do you want to have achieved by the end of your life.

4. Clear your mind by writing down everything that emerges. There is no right or wrong just write down whatever comes into your mind. Take one topic after the other and fill each of the columns with all your ideas, aims, goals, wishes and dreams.

5. Once you have finished writing, highlight only one objective from each of the 9 columns (3 columns per topic). Choose the one you would like to start working with.

6. For the beginning reduce those 9 topics further down to the 3 most important ones for you right now in this moment of your life.

7. Take a new piece of paper and divide it again in three columns. On top of those three columns write the 3 goals which are left after your choice.

8. Now, under each of your goals write as many possible steps to reach them as possible.

9. Again read through them and choose 3 steps of each column to start with and start acting on them now.

10. From today onwards take 1 step towards each of your goals first thing every morning before doing anything else.

Go back to your 9 columns as often as possible and work on them as your goals and priorities may change over time.

Once you have started you will experience more clarity and productivity, success and fun in your life and you might want to take up additional areas of your life and work on them as well.

The more often and regularly you work on your goals, aims, wishes, etc. you will see how you take back control over your life and how efficiently and effectively you manage your time.

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to family, friends and colleagues. This is a monthly newsletter.

Until next month I wish you well,

Sibylle Chaudhuri

sibylle chaudhuri
coaching & training

Systemic and NLP Coach

info@sibylle-chaudhuri.co.uk

www.sibylle-chaudhuri.co.uk

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The given content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical, psychological and/or legal advice, diagnosis, treatment or consulting. Please consult your physician, therapist, lawyer regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your concerns, symptoms and/or medical condition.

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© sibylle chaudhuri | coaching & training