Ultimate Stress Buster
Module 6: Banish the Build-up of Stress Forever!

A strategy for change

In week 1 we looked at identifying your stressors, because once you can identify what is causing your stress, you then have a choice about how you deal with this stressor / situation.

In order to banish the build-up of stress forever though, you need a strategy that you can apply to ensure that your stress levels are kept to a manageable level. What is “manageable” is for you to decide. However, whatever you decide, the following strategy can be applied to your stressors, making sure that you deal with them before they become a problem.

So, the first step is to identify your source(s) of stress and for each stressor and decide which one of these three categories it falls into:

1. Easy to change
2. Possible to change (with considerable effort and planning)
3. Impossible to change

1. Easy to Change

For the easy to change stressors, take immediate action to remove unnecessary stressors where possible, and for those left, write down:

• The Description of the Stressor
• What action you can take to remove / reduce this stressor
• When are you going to take this action
• Who can help – list all the people, including yourself who can help you to get rid of this stressor)

2. Possible to Change

If your stressor comes under “possible to change”, use the above points and decide what steps you would need to take in order for a positive change to take place.

• What would be the very first step you would need to take?
• Would taking this step move you forward towards reducing your stress or do you need to take other steps?
• Decide on the order that these need to be taken and write them down.

Follow through in the same way as for the easy to change stressors deciding when you’ll take these actions and listing who can help you in this.

3. Impossible to Change

Now comes the more difficult task of looking at the “Impossible” to change stressors.

If you have a stressor that you feel is impossible to change, write down all the contributory factors that make this stressor seem impossible to change and try and give the reasons why these factors cause you stress.

• Contributory Factors – list all the factors that make up this stressor and write down why they cause you stress
• Action, Behaviour or Attitude – what could help you to view the situation more positively?
• Timescale – give a time scale for making changes if this is appropriate

Which of these is the most important factor? Start with this one and suggest for yourself a course of action.

This could be an actual action you could take or it may entail a behaviour or attitude change that may help you to view the situation more positively.

Creating Daily Habits

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got! In other words, if you’re really serious about banishing the build-up of stress forever, then you’ll have to be prepared to make some changes!

Nothing will change unless you make it change. So, decide for yourself what changes you will need to make or what you will need to do in order to:

• Monitor your stress levels
• Control your stress levels
• Manage your stress levels

What daily habits will you need to create in order for you to achieve the above?

For each of the above categories, make a list of the things you’ll need to do differently or introduce into your daily routine so that they become a habit. Examples of these might include: daily affirmations, meditation, visualisation, playing a relaxation tape, drinking plenty of water etc.

Creating Weekly and Monthly Habits

It’s often not practical to include many stress-busting techniques on a daily basis. Only you will know what is possible for you to do and how often you can do it.

Make a list below of the ideas and techniques which can help towards controlling and managing your stress that you could apply on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis.

Examples might include:

• A monthly massage
• Going to the gym
• Running
• Playing classical music (the type that produces alpha rhythm’s) on the way to and from work
• Reading this course once a month to maintain awareness!

Make Stress Management a Work in Progress

To effectively control and manage your stress then it has to be a work in progress, something you work towards on a regular basis.

However, just like any other goal, give yourself rewards for achieving certain steps. After you’ve spent a week successfully putting into practice slow breathing techniques then you might for example decide to treat yourself to a CD.

Rewards are an important part of achieving goals in your life so take the time to make a list of what would be a worthwhile reward for you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a reward that involves spending any money. It might be the feeling of satisfaction you get from making someone else or yourself feel good.

The Ultimate Benefits of Stress Control and Stress Management

Successfully learning to manage and control your stress must be important to you otherwise you would not have chosen to take this course. So, take a few moments and write down why it is important to you?

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What benefits will you gain from reducing your stress?
• What will you be able to do more of as a result?
• What will you need to do less of when you can control your stress?
• What effect will this have on your relationships?

Keep the answers to these questions to hand and remind yourself of them frequently. It’s easy to let new habits die and to slip into our old ways of behaving. The key to change is to maintain your awareness and review the benefits.

Keep notes in a journal or diary to remind you of your progress. It may be a favourable comment a colleague, friend or partner has made about your relaxed manner, cheerful mood or increased tolerance. Or it may simply be that you notice positive changes in your ability to cope with situations.

Whatever it is, acknowledge yourself for having achieved it!

Actions of the Week for Life

Over the last few sessions I have been setting you tasks and action steps to raise and expand your awareness in what is currently happening, what is causing you to feel stressed. Now, is where the serious work begins – deciding what exactly you need to do and then taking action!

Make a list of all the ideas and techniques which could help you towards controlling and managing your stress. Beside each idea jot down when it could be applied e.g on a daily, weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis.

Write down what changes you will need to make or actions you’ll need to take in order to:

1. Monitor your stress levels
2. Control your stress levels
3. Manage your stress levels

So, what actions are you prepared to take this week? Write them down and decide upon the very first step for each one e.g. if it’s to drink more water then your first step may be to put water on your shopping list or buy a bottle on the way into work.

Finally, plan to review your stress management strategies once per month. Remember it’s important to find what works for you and maintain your awareness of how to manage stress.

Happy stress busting!