Regardless of the current level of stress in your life or how effective your coping mechanisms have been in the past, everyone could benefit from improving their stress management practices.

• a nutritious diet
• a regular exercise routine
• an adequate amount of sleep on a consistent basis
• activities which you consider relaxing. Relaxation is defined by the individual, but in general, these activities should be enjoyable, voluntary, and non-competitive. Common examples include reading, spending time with friends/family, meditations or breathing exercises, and various hobbies.
• A healthy mind may be enhanced by relying on supportive friends and family and rewarding yourself with "free time" when you accomplish your goals.

2. Setting "realistic expectations" for your self. This is true in both the workplace and personal relationships. As our lives become busier, we have less and less time to devote to ourselves and our well-being. This doesn't make our "well-being" any less important. In order to take care of ourselves, we must set realistic expectations. Setting realistic expectations involves knowing your limits and feeling comfortable saying "no" to demands you cannot meet. You may pride yourself on always being able "to get the job done" however over-extending yourself may eventually lead to exhaustion and/or resentment. To accomplish this you may need to prioritize your responsibilities. Make a list of activities you routinely engage in and separate them into "I should" and "I want to." Perhaps you need to include more activities in the "I want to" category. If you feel little control in shifting these activities, consider renegotiating your responsibilities with a spouse or a supervisor. You may benefit from reviewing our time management or balancing work and family segments.

3. The final strategy for stress management is "maximizing your resources." You have a limited supply of time and energy. These limits may vary depending on your lifestyle and your ability to set limits. As you work to maximize your time, remember that no one is going to give you more. Build in relaxation time to your schedule. Scheduling in free-time first will help you in ….You may want to begin here to ensure that you do not put yourself on the back burner. In setting short-term and long-term goals, make a list so that your accomplishments are evident. Your goals should be as objective as possible. For example, if you would like to rest more, set a goal for yourself such as "I will go to bed a half hour earlier each night this week." This may prove easier to accomplish and to identify your success than "I'm going to get more sleep."

In order for these skills to be effective in managing your stress, they need to be utilized continuously as your level of stress fluctuates. Many of the mechanisms are most effective when put to use early. Be proactive, as opposed to reactive in your steps.

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