stokpic I know that stress can be caused by a lot of things. Your job, finances, family situation, commute or a combination of all of these things. You may feel that you never have time to do the things you need or want to, that there aren't enough hours in the day.
Although I don't have the answers as to how you can resolve all the areas in your life that put you under pressure, there is something that I have learnt (and am still learning!) that makes a difference to how stressed I feel, and it's very simple indeed.
It involves resolving to ban two words from thoughts and my actions. They are..
'I'll just...'
Although I don't have the answers as to how you can resolve all the areas in your life that put you under pressure, there is something that I have learnt (and am still learning!) that makes a difference to how stressed I feel, and it's very simple indeed.
It involves resolving to ban two words from thoughts and my actions. They are..
'I'll just...'
those two words
Let me share a scenario with you to help to explain.
I have 25 minutes before I need to leave the house before work. I have eaten lunch and am changed and ready. I could make a cup of tea and read my client notes calmly, but I don't do that. I think 'I'll just quickly make a soup for dinner tonight so that I don't need to do it later.' Seems like a great idea at the time. I will be tired later and it will be nice to come home to a healthy meal. So I set to, chopping onions ( and then scrubbing my hands so my clients don't have to smell it on me), peeling other vegetables, getting stock out of the freezer and choosing herbs. So far so good. I still have time. It's all in the pan and bubbling away nicely, so I start to clear away putting the peelings in the compost bin and the utensils in the dishwasher. Then I notice that I have managed to splash dirt off the carrots onto my top, so I need to change. Time is catching up with me now and at that moment, I realise that I don't have anything for my late afternoon snack, so I will have to stop at the shop on the way. I also have no cash in my purse, so I need to go to a cashpoint too. I'm half way out of the door and I remember that I haven't turned the soup off.
Sound familiar?
Suddenly, my calm and prepared state of mind is totally frazzled. And it's purely down to me and those two quite innocuous little words.
I have 25 minutes before I need to leave the house before work. I have eaten lunch and am changed and ready. I could make a cup of tea and read my client notes calmly, but I don't do that. I think 'I'll just quickly make a soup for dinner tonight so that I don't need to do it later.' Seems like a great idea at the time. I will be tired later and it will be nice to come home to a healthy meal. So I set to, chopping onions ( and then scrubbing my hands so my clients don't have to smell it on me), peeling other vegetables, getting stock out of the freezer and choosing herbs. So far so good. I still have time. It's all in the pan and bubbling away nicely, so I start to clear away putting the peelings in the compost bin and the utensils in the dishwasher. Then I notice that I have managed to splash dirt off the carrots onto my top, so I need to change. Time is catching up with me now and at that moment, I realise that I don't have anything for my late afternoon snack, so I will have to stop at the shop on the way. I also have no cash in my purse, so I need to go to a cashpoint too. I'm half way out of the door and I remember that I haven't turned the soup off.
Sound familiar?
Suddenly, my calm and prepared state of mind is totally frazzled. And it's purely down to me and those two quite innocuous little words.
fitting more in
It feels as though all of us are plagued by the need to make every moment count. We check our phone whenever there is a lull in activity or make a call to a loved one while doing something else at the same time.
I worked with a coaching client a while ago who was finding it hard to sleep. We discovered that even when lying in bed, she felt the need to 'use the time' to review her day and to plan the next one - not very conducive to sleep!
I worked with a coaching client a while ago who was finding it hard to sleep. We discovered that even when lying in bed, she felt the need to 'use the time' to review her day and to plan the next one - not very conducive to sleep!
it's a habit
.This increasing frenetic activity is not easy to stop as we get addicted to it and find ourselves on a hamster wheel of 'doing' and feeling guilty if we step off. Although there is a buzz to be had from it, this ceaseless need to achieve doesn't make us feel that good in the long term. It makes us stressed.
I'm not saying that you have to make radical shifts or that stress won't be part of your life, but by hearing and acknowledging those little words in your head that tell you that you are trying to fit something in, where no time allows, you are starting a valuable process.
When I hear myself think 'I'll just..', I know there isn't enough time to do the job justice.
I know that it isn't something urgent or a priority
I know that I will be calmer and more peaceful if I don't do it even if it feels like I 'should'
I'm not saying that you have to make radical shifts or that stress won't be part of your life, but by hearing and acknowledging those little words in your head that tell you that you are trying to fit something in, where no time allows, you are starting a valuable process.
When I hear myself think 'I'll just..', I know there isn't enough time to do the job justice.
I know that it isn't something urgent or a priority
I know that I will be calmer and more peaceful if I don't do it even if it feels like I 'should'
over to you
Do you feel this stress from yourself to get things done? Would you benefit from banning 'I'll just...' from your mindset?
I would love to know if other people can identify with this, and if so - does it help?
Amatsu has helped me to learn that my body and mind are inextricably linked - and if I want to feel good, I have to look after both.
I would love to know if other people can identify with this, and if so - does it help?
Amatsu has helped me to learn that my body and mind are inextricably linked - and if I want to feel good, I have to look after both.
p.s. pass it on
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