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April 29, 2008 Volume 1, Issue #002-Stress

Feature Article: Curb Stress During Difficult Times By Nancy Foster A Note From Jim

Free Teleseminar(You Don't Want To Miss Out!)

We are experiencing very difficult times with our current economy. With the increasing number of foreclosures, the fluctuating DOW, advancing gas/oil prices and escalating food prices it is no wonder that people are experiencing more stress personally and within the family.

Although we may not be able to control these stressors in our lives we can take steps in a positive direction and keep what is working in place. When our lives are falling apart financially or emotionally we can make the best of the situation by maintaining a sense of personal and family structure. It is best to keep a routine to keep normalcy both personally and within the family. The following suggestions will help to build that structure:

Wake up and go to bed at approximately the same time every day.

When individuals are stressed about money, work, school or relationships there is a tendency to worry and perhaps become obbsessive about our problem keeping us away from our normal nightly schedule. Keep that routine in place. It is important that our worrying doesn't disrupt our own or other schedules in the home. This disruption will create more chaos and stress. Keep the focus on the nightly routine. If necessary, make a quick "things to do" list that you can attend to the next day or at a more appropriate time. It is also essential to have that good nights sleep so when you wake in the morning your mind is fresh to tackle the "things to do" list and the new day.

Plan a consistent time for dinners and use this time to connect with loved ones.

Dinner time with loved ones can bring grounding to our day. Some suggestions to help things run smoothly are to plan meals and grocery shop ahead of time. Plan a time for dinner that will work for everyone. Get people involved with cooking, setting the table, clean up etc. Use this time together to support and talk with each other and to stay in the know for how things are going, schedules and upcoming events. This coming together will provide a grounding for each person involved and will become a time everyone can enjoy.

Chores and exercise routines should remain in place.

How can someone tell if we are under stress? Probably the first and biggest indicator is our home or how we look. Usually the first areas of our life to go during a stressful time is the housework and the exercise routines. The dishes pile up, junk mail and other clutter begins to take over, the treadmill begins to collect dust. You know what I'm talking about. Things are becoming overwhelming and stressful. The key is to keep up on the chores and exercise routines even if we have to cut down the time. It is much more difficult to begin routines after stopping. Give yourself that focused time to spend on your home and your body. It may provide a mental break from the stress of the day that may help you to feel better. Even if it is a 15 minute power clean or power workout. You have done something and you will feel positive that you stuck to it.

Rules for household, homework, and work should be kept in place.

We all know what it is like to have a bad day. We are tired, drained and perhaps overwhelmed. We may want to talk to our spouse about the day, take a nap or watch T.V. The mere thought of holding kids to task is exhausting. This however,is exactly when kids will tend to slip with chores, homework and other responsibilities. When they see that they can play the video game or watch their favorite show longer than usual, they likely will do just that. It is easier to get up and stick to the routine today than to let go of the structure only to have double trouble tomorrow. The key to minimizing stress is to keep as many areas in your life as simple, consistent and predictable as possible.

So many times when things begin to fall apart we begin to let go of the structure in our homes. We can become irritated and frustrated very easily when we are under a great deal of stress. In the midst of a crisis or a difficult time these positive areas of structure can help individuals to see the light at the end of the tunnel. He/She may see that even with these current stressors we can still be experiencing and acting in many positive ways. For example, we may be exercising and keeping our bodies healthy. Our home may be kept as a peaceful environment where family and friends enjoy coming to. Our kids may be happy and doing great in school or we may have finished a work project etc. Keeping the structure in our lives will eliminate more chaos. These are some of the areas that we can control and may help us to keep our sanity. _________________________________________________________________ A Note From Jim:

As a way of thanking you for your subscription I will be giving a free teleseminar on how to manage stress. See below for registration details and sign up information. I hope to see you on the call. _________________________________________________________________ TELESEMINAR

5 Ways to Manage Stress- You don't want to miss out on this FREE teleseminar! Register for the Stress Teleseminar After signing up you will receive all necessary information (date, time, phone number and code) to get you on the call. If this is your first experience with a teleseminar, you will be amazed at how simple it is. Dial in on the number, put in the code and just listen in. It is that simple. Hope to see you on the call. _________________________________________________________________ WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, so long as you include this complete blurb with it: Entrepreneur and 30 year expert James Foster publishes the bi-weekly CounselingNH Ezine in the areas of family, marriage, relationships and parenting. If you are interested in quality information, tips and resources of ways to enhance your family, marriage, relationships and parenting visit this content rich site at http://www.counselingnh.com

All the Best,

Jim Foster