| |
les Stress
-> Questions & Answers
<< return
to previous page
SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
Dear Les,
I find myself getting upset and stressed over little things like losing my keys and dropping things. I then hear a voice in my head saying “don’t cry over spilled milk” or “don’t sweat the small stuff.” But I just go on getting bent out of shape over the stupid and small annoyances of life sometimes to the point of putting me in a really bad mood. What can I do about this?
Piglet
Dear Piglet,
You can start by giving these “little things” the respect they deserve. Spilled milk, lost keys, missing remotes, long lines and other daily hassles can easily trigger bad moods, confusion, angry outbursts, panic episodes, and other stress-driven reactions. No, these annoyances aren’t as life-altering and lengthy in duration as job loss, jail time and other “big boys,” but their high numbers and occurrence potential make them major contributors to bad days, sleepless nights and ill health down the road. This is why I say, “Sweat the small stuff,” and take steps to prevent it.
Start by listing your highest ranking hassles--the happenings that most often mess you up, slow you down and set you off. Then, come up with a few simple actions you might take to tame these little buggers. Here are a few examples including the ones that you mentioned:
Losing keys
- pick a hook, drawer, tray or other spot where your keys will live whenever they’re not on you
- get one of those audio key locaters
- keep a spare set of keys in one location
Techno-tension (from gadget-related ignorance)
- ask the salesperson how to switch to vibrate
- take ten minutes to set up your junk mail filter
- memorize the copier code
- get to know your remotes in private so you can work them with ease in public
Customer disservice
- shop at stores where “hello” and “thank you” trump socializing and personal grooming
- Learn support line bypass numbers
- shop less
Spilling milk
- assign bottles and cartons secure spots in the fridge
- remove and carry one item at a time
- make a no-running rule in the kitchen
- buy more spill-proof containers
Duh, these potential solutions seem simple when we take some time to ponder them. Now it’s your turn to list other daily hassles that trigger your stress response, along with strategies to prevent them from occurring in the first place. When you’re done, pick just one or two a week to put into practice so that your stress reduction efforts don’t become burdensome sources of stress. This process can be a great brainstorming exercise for families, roommates and workgroups, especially since more perspectives produce more problem-solving options.
We can also defuse the stress of small things by thinking about why they stress us out. Does dropping stuff make us feel out of control, uncoordinated or embarrassed? Or, are you so stressed and tired all the time that every bump in the road feels like a mountain to climb?
Les
6/07
|
|
|
