Ohio State University Extension

Family Life Month Packet 2001

Family and Consumer Sciences

Human Development and Family Science

Fact Sheet

FLM-FS-19-01

Sixty-Second Stress Busters

Martha F. Boggs, M.S., Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Clermont County, Ohio State University Extension, The Ohio State University.

Stress is a part of life for everyone. You need stress to give life some excitement. When stress is positive, it is known as eustress. Eustress is important because it can be a great motivator. Think of eustress as excitement or anticipation. Other times, stress can feel overwhelming and affects how well you do in other areas of your life. This negative stress is referred to as distress. Distress can also be a motivator and is not bad in itself, but accumulated over time it can cause physical ailments and personal problems. Something that is distressful for one person may be relaxing, or eustressful, for another. Keep in mind your own stressors and relaxers.

Are You Stressed?

Below is a list of symptoms commonly associated with stress. Check which of the following symptoms you are experiencing. If you check very many of these items, you may be experiencing stress.

_____ Headaches

_____ Stomach aches

_____ Back pain

_____ Tight neck and shoulders

_____ Fever blisters

_____ Ringing ears

_____ Sleep difficulties

_____ Grinding of teeth at night

_____ Easily upset

_____ Nervousness

_____ Bored

_____ Forgetfulness

_____ Indecisive

_____ Easily upset

_____ Lonely

_____ Crying often

_____ Apathetic

_____ Resentful

_____ Distrustful

_____ Loss of sense of humor

How Do You Handle Stress?

It is not the stress that causes problems; it is what you do when you are stressed that is important. For example, research done with recovery workers from an airline crash crew suggests that optimism helps people better cope with stress. Another important part of coping with stress involves having good support from family and/or friends.

Taking sixty seconds to bust stress is well worth the effort in the long run. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, author Steven Covey says that it is critical to have "personal renewal." Covey divides the arenas of personal renewal into the physical, spiritual, social/emotional, and mental. It is important to take care of each of these areas to decrease stress. Below are some examples of helpful stress busters.

• Do something physical. For example, you can run, jump, scream, swing, punch a pillow, do jumping jacks, swim, or play. Twisting a towel as if you were wringing the water out is good for hand wringers. A good rule of thumb is to remember what you did at age five for fun and do it again. Sometimes, when you are just too stressed to talk or think, releasing the endorphins that come from physical activity will relax the body enough to think and discuss more calmly.
• Do something nice for yourself. It is hard for many of us to take the time to take care of ourselves. But, in the long run, you will have much more to give back to others if you nurture yourself. In sixty seconds, you can read a joke, listen to part of a favorite or uplifting song, look at pictures of loved ones, color with crayons, savor a taste of a favorite food without guilt, tell a joke or just close your eyes for a sixty-second break.
• Make a list of things you could do before you blow up next time. Keep your list in a visible place because when you are angry you certainly can't think about what calms you. Different stressors may require different busters, so try different things on your list to see what works for you.
• Breathe! Just taking a few deep, cleansing breaths may do wonders for keeping your cool. Relax a few seconds, then breathe deeply and fully through your nose and exhale through your mouth slowly, while visualizing blowing a candle out gently. Picture your lungs as balloons that need to be filled and emptied completely with each breath. With each breath, repeat numbers or words that are calming to help you relax.
• Tense and relax your whole body. Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Starting at your forehead, tense the muscles there and hold tightly, then concentrate on relaxing them completely. Repeat this as you slowly move from your shoulders, and on to the chest, back, arms, legs, hands, and feet. Move through your entire body then go back over any spots that still feel tense. Open your eyes and feel the relaxation.
• Make a worry box. Each time you feel worried, write your worry down and put it into a box. At the end of the week, read your worries and divide them into two piles: (1) worries that came true and (2) worries that did not come true. Which pile was larger? An old saying is, "Don't borrow worry from tomorrow, you have enough today and don't worry about yesterday, it's already gone."
• Take control. If your stress seems overwhelming, sometimes just a little control can get you started in the right direction. Choose one simple task such as organizing one drawer and do it. Often it is the starting part that is difficult in busting stress and solving problems.
• Talk to someone who makes you feel good. A quick message or e-mail can make you feel more in touch with yourself.

Handling stress is an ongoing process that requires practice. Continue busting stress in sixty-second increments for a calmer and more controlled life. Your local county Extension office has other helpful fact sheets and resources to help you bust your stress. If stress persists and is causing problems or dominating your life, seek the help of a professional. Talk to your insurance carrier or family physician for referral to appropriate professional help.

References

Covey, S. (1997). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. NY: Golden Books Publishing.

Dougall, A., Hyman, K., Hayward, M., McFeeley, S., & Baum, A. (2001). Optimism and Traumatic Stress: The importance of social support and coping. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 31(2), 223-245.

Harvey, J. (1994). The Big Book of Relaxation. New York: The Relaxation Company.

Maslow, A. (1998). Maslow on Management. NY: John Wiley & Son, Inc.

Mendler, A. (1990). Smiling At Yourself. CA: Network Publications.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1991). Plain Talk About . . . Handling Stress (Publication No. ADM90-1679). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

For more information, visit the Human Development and Family Life website at: http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/famlife/

Click here for the PDF version of this fact sheet.