Why are people so stressed out and busy these days? And is there anything we can do to gain control of time?

People are so stressed! So many of us don’t feel that we have time to eat properly, sleep, exercise, take holidays, spend time with family or even have healthy sex lives with our partners. One thing I’ve noticed we do have plenty of time for though is talking about how stressed we are!

For me managing stress is multifaceted- here are a few tips I offer my clients to help them get on top of it:

• Keep a ‘thought and feelings diary’ so you are able to identify exactly what causes you stress and how you react to it. The key to gaining control over stress is to first know yourself.
• Work out how best to relax and recover. Everyone is different, so find the methods which work best for you.
• Prioritise your tasks at work. Order them by level of importance and deadline so that the criticial tasks recieve your immediate attention.
• Keep an eye on the big picture. Some things just don’t matter in the scheme of things, even if at the time they get us worked up.
• Consume foods and drinks which don’t increase stress hormones in your body. Start taking note of which foods you react well to.Take regular breaks, from a five minute break from your desk to the occasional long weekend away, and definitely take annual leave.
• Set SMART goals- goals that are specific, measureable, achievable, relevant and timed.