Whether you are a senior level executive or a professional just embarking on a new career, there is no question that stress will at some point play a major role in your life.  According to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, stress is linked negatively to physical and mental health, which is resulting in widespread job burnout and depression levels never before seen in the workforce.  We all know that getting enough exercise and eating well goes a long way toward managing stress; however, there are a handful of other things I have found invaluable throughout my career that you might think of trying:    

1. Meditation – when I say “meditation”, people often conjure up strange images of men in a sweat lodge, women chanting, or some bizarre religious ritual.  That is not the kind of meditation to which I’m referring (NOT that there’s anything wrong with that kind - ).  I’m talking about the sort of meditation where you spend a few minutes each day reconfirming your intentions for success, and allowing your mind to be still.  I find that I am not great with focus on my own and so I enjoy “guided meditation” – that is, someone gently talking you through how to focus your thoughts with soothing music in the background.  I have done some guided meditations that were so corny they made me laugh out loud (which really defeats the purpose, let me tell you).  I prefer not to think of meditation as a religious experience or expression but rather the opportunity to “be still” for a few minutes each day and see where the stillness takes you.  OK – if the thought of meditating embarrasses you, just download one meditation to your iPod, and go sit quietly somewhere while you listen to it.  No one will even know what you’re doing, and you can see for yourself if meditation might be right for you.  Don’t worry – you don’t have to make any noises to correctly meditate!  Here are two meditation CD’s that I go back to time and time again - you can even download them onto your iPod from iTunes:

2. Yoga – the thing I like so much about yoga is that unlike racquetball, softball or basketball, yoga is a non-competitive event.  In fact – if you are competing against the guy/girl in the row in front of you in a yoga class, you’re doing it wrong.  Yoga emphasizes measuring yourself against yourself, and stresses doing the best you can and feeling good about it.  I believe literally anyone can do yoga and get benefit from it – whether you’re overweight, inactive, non-flexible, elderly, and so on.  And like meditation, I do not think of yoga as a religious experience, but rather a period of time where I’m focused on myself, my muscles, my thoughts, and stretching. I personally prefer to practice yoga in an actual yoga studio, but there is value in the practice whether you are in a class at the gym, or you've bought a DVD for home.

3. “Me” time – this sounds like a cliché, doesn’t it?  “I need ME time”.  You hear this all the time.  However, “me time” doesn’t have to be an hour-long pedicure, or a long soak in a bathtub (again, not that there’s anything wrong with that!)“Me time” can be 15 minutes of indulging in something that genuinely brings you joy.  I learned recently that I actually really enjoy playing games and subsequently bought a Nintendo DS (my favorite game is “Lost In Blue 3”, if you must know).  Even if this means sitting on the sofa playing a video game for 15 minutes after you’ve put the kids to bed, if that 15 minutes brings you joy, then you’ve gotten the desired benefit.

Hopefully other stress relievers will pop into mind for you (which was my intention for listing my own personal top three).  The point is, there are times where you will need to make a conscious effort to engage in activities that relieve your stress – and the best time to figure out what YOUR favorites are is hopefully before you are stressed to begin with!  Make a commitment today to decide three things that give you peace of mind or bring you joy, and that way, you’ll have ammunition in your back pocket for when the next surge of stress threatens to derail your life.

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