College For Women library issue 4 2013-2013 | Page 9

PSCW LIBRARY MAGAZINE 4th

Stress Management:

6 Ways to Maintain a Positive Attitude in Stressful Times
It’s very easy to be dragged down by the
stress and pressure of everyday life and
once you’re down it’s even easier to stay
there, beaten and tired, muddling from
day to day. The choice to live your life
with a more positive attitude is always the
right choice. But it is a choice that will
take work and time. Everyone is different
and one of the hardest things in life can be
figuring out what in the world will make
us happy. It’s an experiment that lasts a
lifetime, but there are a few things that
have been proven to help keep a positive
attitude, especially in times of stress.
1. Make Lists.
A great way to put your problems into
perspective is to sit down in a quiet place,
away from the sources of your stress, and
make a list of everything that is causing
you anxiety. Laying everything out on
paper can make your problems seem
smaller and easier to manage. The next
step it so make a second list of one thing
that you can do to fix each problem. Use
the second list as a to-do list!
2. Meditate.
What comes to mind when many people
think of meditation is an old, bald monk
sitting with his legs crossed on a pillow on
the top of a mountain, chanting a mantra.
But that’s not all meditation is. Meditation
is about being in control of your mind and
that is often the first step to creating a
positive attitude for yourself despite stress
from the world around you.
3. Exercise.
The choice to get up in the morning and
go for a jog can be a difficult one when
stress and exhaustion have already taken
over. But just doing fifteen minutes of
yoga in the morning can release an extra
boost of endorphin that can give you a
more positive outlook to face the day
with. A quick workout in the morning can
wake you and get your blood pumping
faster than any cup of coffee and won’t
have the negative side effects of a crash
later in the day. If you’re absolutely not
a morning person, walking on a treadmill
while watching TV or choosing to take the
stairs instead of the elevator can help you

feel better too!
4. Cut Out Unhealthy Foods.
It doesn’t have to be a dramatic diet
change but small changes to what you put
in your body can make a big difference.
Although it is tempting in stressful times
to take solace with a few drinks after work,
alcohol is a depressant and can ultimately
make you feel worse. Foods that are
clearly unhealthy for you and have little
nutritional value can make your body feel
lethargic and sluggish. By cutting out just
the occasional junk food for a healthier
option, it can not only make your body feel
better but you’ll feel better on the inside
knowing that you resisted temptation. For
those willing to go to the extreme, there’s
always cutting out caffeinated drinks. It’s
guaranteed to make you feel better after
the withdrawal ends, but it can be difficult
until then!

Books available in
PSCW Library about
Stress Management

5. Live In the Now.
By focusing on what you do have rather
than what you could have, you can decrease
the amount of time you spend wishing and
increase the time you spend appreciating.
It really comes down to choosing to live
your life in a “half full” mentality. You
could say that your life doesn’t have a high
paying job that gets you lots of respect and
the newest smartphone, or you could look
at it as, ‘In my life, I have a loving family,
a roof over my head and an income that
allows me to travel from time to time.’
6. Try Something New.
Sometimes, you start to feel like you’re in
a rut. You may find yourself going to work,
driving home, eating dinner, watching TV
and doing it all over again day after day.
This monotony can lead to the things in
life becoming mundane and harder to
appreciate. Shaking up this pattern should
help you to break up the routine and see
your life in a new light. Trying something
new could be as complicated as taking
a trip somewhere, as local as joining a
bowling team or as simple as buying a
new set of pens with wacky monsters on
the ends to use at work..
Reviewed article from:
www.emotional-detachment.com
By: Dr. Manal Khalil

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