Kathleen, Interesting approach! I don't meet a lot of instructors who use poetry as an outlet but I love it. I bet you come up with some creative material this way. Some instructors are able to draw on what's bad in their lives and turn it into something good.
Dr. Melissa Read
Carole, So true. When you share the challenges you experience in life with others, they will sometimes also share their challenges with you. This can really put things into perspective. It also helps because you feel like you are not alone.
Dr. Melissa Read
Share with others, begin a light exercise routine, get enough rest at night, stretching exercises at my desk.
I exercised before my surgery and have had a hard time getting back into it. I always found it so helpful, I just need to make the time to do it again.
Lisa, Sometimes it's hard to get back into exercise after taking too long a break. I recommend easing your way into it, especially after surgery. Just take it slow, you don't have to jump back in at the same pace as before.
Dr. Melissa Read
I find if I go fishing play golf our just take my dog for a walk I relive stress from work but if it gets so bad when I cannot deal with it I will retire
Any cardio exercise will help relieve stress like kickboxing, jogging, walking, elliptical,and etc. Also utilizing time management skills more effectively and finding someone you can openly communicate with.
Nip it in the bud. Notice immediately when something starts to stress me out. Take a deep breath and practice the "energy tools" I learned in a stress management class
Unfortunately, most of my stressors cannot be eliminated but I am going to take the advice learned here and take at least a 30 minute walk everyday. Now that the weather is cooling down, I can walk my two schnauzers to get me out there and relax. I am not one for "exercise" but hopefully the amount of stress I physcially feel will be lessened.
Since I cannot change the way the syllabus is structured, I will not be able to reduce or elliminate the stress it causes. I am going to discuss this with some of the other instructors and get some feedback
Exercise and having to someone to talk to are great stress relievers. Often times we bring more stress on ourselves by not opening up. So i say get out go to the gym go for a stroll in the park. Find someone you feel comfortable talking to and watch the relief you get.
Treva, These are all great suggestions. I like how you mention using a range of exercise methods. It's important for many of us to have variety of methods to choose from - so we keep with it. When we get board, it's easy to loose focus and break our exercise routines.
Dr. Melissa Read
Kenneth, These are wonderful outlets. Thank you for sharing. Yes, when we keep things to ourselves, life can be very stressful. Opening up and sharing with others is a great way to gain new perspective and get challenging things out of our heads too!
Dr. Melissa Read
Pearl, This absolutely counts as exercise. Walking is one of the best ways to bring up your metabolism. It's low impact too, so you reduce your chances of sustaining a sports-related injury. I'm sure your two dogs appreciate it too!
Dr. Melissa Read
I can trick myself into exercising by committing to only ten minutes on the treadmill. Sometimes I will run for only ten minutes, but most of the time I run longer. I like this method because it gets me to do it.
I can talk to someone about the stress I am experiencing. I can also try to develop the habit of exercising at least three times a week. I have taken on projects (or hobbies) in the past that I enjoy to get my mind off of the stress. When I do this, I make sure that I do not give myself a deadline and thereby create another source of stress.
I need to excercise reguarly and talk to a co-worker about any stressors in an attempt to reduce or eliminate them
I do have stressors that cannot be eliminated at this time, to cope with them I have chosen to look at the positives within the current situation(s) and truly be thankful for their goodness. Furthermore, I am currently making use of several coping mechanisms and am noticing a big difference in my over-all well being.
Maria, So happy to hear that coping mechanisms are helping with your well being. I think you have the right approach in focusing on the positives too. The negatives can really drag you down and it's easy to get too wrapped up in them.
Dr. Melissa Read
Torria, Sounds like a great plan. Now it's time to get started. For many of us, that's the hard part. It's ok to start small and work your way up, particularly with the exercise.
Dr. Melissa Read
