Reduce Stress with This Simple Strategy

You have a lot going on. And all those countless tasks are bouncing around inside your head. Maybe you have a demanding job, and you’re a full-time student. Maybe you have three kids who have all kinds of activities and appointments. Maybe you’re just starting your business. Maybe you’re also caring for your ailing parents. And you’re officially stressed out. You’re overwhelmed and exasperated. There’s too much to do, and you feel like it all rests on your shoulders. Of course, one invaluable strategy is to delegate. But sometimes you’re so stressed out that you don’t even know where to start and what tasks to hand over. So, what can you do? Start a checklist. This might seem like an odd (or obvious) suggestion. But checklists can be incredibly helpful. As author Alexandra Franzen writes in her encouraging, practical, wonderful book aptly titled The Checklist Book, “checklists are like an extra storage tank for your overwhelmed brain.” Because most of us can only hold four things in our brains at a time, making a checklist brings us relief, Franzen writes. We stop fearing that we’ve forgotten something. We stop fearing that all these important tasks will remain undone. According to Franzen, making a checklist “can help reduce the levels of cortisol (a hormone associated with panic, threat, and stress) throughout your body. When your cortisol levels drop, this leads to a relaxed and creative mind, deeper sleep, optimal digestion and metabolism, a strong...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Books General Habits Happiness Industrial and Workplace Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Stress Success & Achievement Source Type: blogs