New way to look at stress

What is stress?? Stress is any factor (emotional, physical, social, economic, and so on that requires a mental or physical adaptive response.

These factors can be real or imagined. They can come at us from all directions or spring from within ourselves. However, our time isn't managed for us. Using your time the way you want to use it requires self- discipline and goals. But first, you need to see where to put your focus.

Try this two-part exercise. It may very well change your life; it did mine. For part one, write down the seven greatest sources of stress in your life.

List 1 : The seven greatest sources of stress in your life .
1. ......................... 2........................... 3. ........................... 4. .........................
5. ......................... 6. .......................... 7. ...........................

Stress - and what's causing it for you - is an important aspect of your life that you need to understand, because it is a risk factor for heart disease and cancer. Not only does stress harm our health, but so do many of the ways people choose to cope with it. Some of us respond to stress with isolation, anger or impulsive behaviours.

Now for part two of the exercise. Please list the seven most important things in your life, in order.

List 2 : The seven most important things in your life.
1. ........................... 2. .......................... 3. ........................... 4. ............................
5. ........................... 6. ........................... 7. ..........................
Now compare the two lists you have made, notice anything interesting?? For most people, the 2 lists are very similar. (If yours are not similar, your path is easy. It means you have a lot of unimportant things bothering you. Just get rid of them)

When the 2 lists are similar, it means that the most important things in your life are aslo causing you the most stress. Therefore, when people tell you that the way to handle stress is to just let go of it, they are really telling you to run away from the most important things in your life : your family, job, finances and so on.

If someone were to observe you for a week - as if you were the star of a reality show- would they be able to accurately determine the 7 most important things in your life?? If not, then you are living in conflict with your won goals and values. This is what I man by time management. You are not managing your time- which is in essence, your life - so as to do what is most important.

I urge you to take a look at your own life. As you start to actually manage your time so it aligned with the people and things that are most important to you, you will start to feel calmer, happier and more serene. Once you achieve a low level of stress in your life, you are more likely to be healthy.

This articles taking from the Sunday Star.