Читать книгу Time Management - Martin Manser - Страница 11

If we had no stress in our lives, maybe nothing would get done. But most of us have too much stress – enough to make us read a book about time management! We find ourselves unable to make decisions and we lose a sense of proportion about life as we become more and more burdened.

We become frustrated at how little progress is being made on the project we’ve been working hard at, despite all our efforts. We think we’re too busy even to take a holiday. If such feelings are familiar to you, it is vital that you find ways that work for you to manage and reduce the stress in your life. Here are some guidelines (see also 4.8):

case study In Ron’s first eight years of working independently, he put in extremely long hours. He was often so exhausted that he couldn’t relax even when away from work, and his relationship with his wife and children suffered. His stress built up and took an emotional and physical toll. He eventually realized that he needed to learn how to build a more balanced lifestyle. So Ron scheduled in more family time. He also developed regular habits of walking around the block (5, 10, 20, 40 minutes depending on the time available) and developed a support group of friends who met regularly. He became more resilient and had ‘coping mechanisms’ in place to help him in times of stress.

 Schedule in regular times of rest. If you know you’ve got a very busy week, try to make the weekend or the next week less busy.

 Learn to say no. Don’t try to control everything in the universe: set yourself realistic goals (see also 5.5).

 Plan holidays in advance. A colleague plans a weekend away every six weeks, to have something to look forward to.

 Allow time to be with your partner and family. Schedule family time into the diary if need be!

 Take up a new hobby. Or volunteer to help a local charity. Working with others will take you out of yourself.

 Spend time with friends. Old friends and new friends.

 Develop a sense of humour. It’s one of the best antidotes for stress.

 Engage in physical exercise. For example, jogging, cycling, swimming, walking or dancing.

 Absorb yourself with the arts or music. Make time to go to an art gallery, the theatre or a concert.

 Attend to your spiritual side. Spend time in a form of prayer or meditation to help connect you with more than the physical world.

Think of practical ways to reduce the stress in your life.