From a seminar for psychiatrists in Limerick
This found its way to me recently. It’s a list of 31 ways to de-stress yourself. It’s come from a seminar for psychiatrists.
I don’t know whether
(1) it was distributed to the psychiatrists at the workshop, or
(2) it’s the result of some sort of ‘brain-storming’ by the psychiatrists who were there, or
(3) it’s come from another source.
I’m not even sure whether this was meant for psychiatrists, or for psychiatrists ("service providers" to pass on to others ("service users" and/or "carers").
But I treasure it as evidence on what Irish psychiatrists are doing to preserve, maintain or rescue someone’s sanity.
31 Ways to de-stress…
1. Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning.
2. Prepare for the morning the evening before. Set the breakfast table, make lunches, etc.
3. Don’t rely on your memory. Write down appointment times, etc.
4. Do nothing which, after being done, leads you to tell a lie.
5. Make duplicates of all keys.
6. Practise preventive maintenance.
7. Be prepared to wait. A paperback can make a wait in a post office line almost pleasant.
8. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.
9. Plan ahead. Don’t let the petrol tank get below one-quarter full…
10. Don’t put up with things that don’t work right… get them fixed or get new ones.
11. Allow 15 minutes of extra time to get to appointments.
12. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.
13. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this weekend.
14. Ask questions… "the hurrieder I go, the behinder I get". [This doesn’t seem quite right: maybe there’s something missing in my copy.]
15. Switch off your phone… or use the answering machine.
16. Turn ‘needs’ into preferences. Our basic physical needs translate into food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference. Don’t get attached to preferences.
17. Simplify, simplify, simplify…
18. Get up and stretch periodically, if your job requires that you sit for extended periods.
19. Get enough sleep. If necessary, use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed.
20. When feeling stressed, most people tend to breathe short, shallow breaths… relax all our muscles and take several deep, slow breaths.
21. Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion.
22. Learn to live one day at a time.
23. Every day, do something you really enjoy.
24. Do something for somebody else.
25. Use your weekend time for a change of pace.
26. Tackle a job on the weekend which you can finish to your satisfaction.
27. Allow yourself time - every day - for privacy, quiet and introspection.
28. If an especially unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with.
29. Learn to delegate responsibility to others.
30. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.
31. Have a forgiving view of events and peole. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world.
Wonder stuff isn’t it?
I’ve picked out five that seem particularly apt for me now. They are……..
[I thought I’d leave that blank until you’ve had a chance to send in your five. I promise to reveal mine on Wednesday.]
PS: I’d love to credit the author, so if there’s anyone out there reading this, who knows the source, please let us know.
