Tag Archives: Stress

Overwhelmed?

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You Can Conquer Your Overwhelm!

Feeling like this lately?

You aren’t alone. Overwhelm seems to be a natural state for many these days. We live in an information-rich society. A lot of it is not useful or correct. It’s misleading, or just nonsense. Now we have to add to our workload by researching and sifting through the nonsense to find the truth.

The result? We procrastinate. If something looks like too much work, we put it off. We feel dread at the thought of tackling it. Then comes discouragement or disillusion. As one comedian has said, “There are just too many tabs open in my brain!”

I can relate. I’m an information junkie. I am easily distracted by new information or an interesting story. My dad’s mantra was always, “Look it up!” So I do. That leads to another story, another vignette, another interesting picture. I want to know it all! I love to read and know that when I retire, I’ll spend entire days doing just that.

But that doesn’t get the work done today!

These aren’t the only causes of Overwhelm, but they’re the ones that resonate with me. Other causes include Mongoose Management, or Chaos Management; Manager’s Myopia (shortsightedness); and the need to be a Superhero!! We know that person. They always swoop in to save the day. We let them because we’re in overwhelm and they seem to know what they’re doing…

There are other causes, but what matters are the SOLUTIONS! Here are a few I cover in my programs on this topic:

  • FOCUS ~ Pay attention to where you are focused and control that. If you’re like me and easily – SQUIRREL! – distracted, try setting a timer and committing to stay focused on one thing for 12 minutes. Then reset the timer and go for another 12. The words I use are, “I will read that while I’m eating dinner and not before…”
  • FIND SOLUTIONS ~ Too many times we focus on blame. Unless lawyers are going to get involved, is this really important? Recognizing the source of a problem is a good idea. But let it go! Instead, narrow your focus and ask, “What can I do RIGHT NOW to address this? What can I do in an hour? In a week?”
  • DETACH! If you’ve known me for very long you know this is a biggie. Here’s what I wrote this last New Years Day: “Remember to Detach. Step back from social media, step away from big crowds for a bit. Let go of relatives who make you crazy (love them from afar!) Forget trying to control other people. BREATHE.”
  •  MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES ~ How long do you think you have? Really. How long do you think you’ll get away with making bad choices? Choices have consequences. You’ll never get today back. Choose Wisely. Remember this:

You are the only person who is 100% affected by 100% of the choices you make!

  • CREATE GOOD HABITS ~ What do you want your life to look like in a year? What habits can you create to get you there? One step at a time. One tiny exercise at a time. One walk with the dog. One change in bedtime. One elimination of another bad habit and replacement with a good one.

You got this.

Tell you what. I can schedule a live Zoom conversation with you and your team called Conquering Overwhelm and Becoming Productive. I’ve kept the price low so you can do this. Everyone who joins us will get access not only to the personalized recording, but also to a gift basket of downloads that will help you as you lower your stress and improve your life. Contact me and let’s get this new Post-Covid life going! This will be great fun, funny, and stress relieving.

See you there!

Contact me here – https://everybodyslost.com/contact-beth/

To your health!

Beth

 

 

© 2021 Beth Terry Events • All Rights Reserved

How to Stay Sane this Holiday

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Are you a Holiday Elf? Or is it tough this time of year?

Stay Sane This Holiday Season

Ho ho ho Holiday … Harumph?

Happy Holidays turning into Harried Holidays?

Holidays are historically more stressful than other times. Not only do we miss loved ones that passed away, our expectations create anxiety.

In childhood most were taught this is a “magical time” – so we should be happier. Most kids love it. Adults often resist Holiday Magic. Some work at inoculating themselves against wonder, joy, magical feelings, amazement, delight…

Instead, we worry. A lot. We worry about buying the right gift, credit card bills in January, will the storm windows hold another season, will my car start tomorrow, are my thighs too fat, is my hair thinning and will my cowboy hat cover the bald spot?

Then there’s the added burden of the “perkiness factor.” We’re supposed to suspend all our usual grumpiness and just be happy. Happy Happy Happy Holidays – bleah.

Many people just don’t want to be happy. It’s too hard. They wish the holidays would go by quickly. Some have old memories and wounds that get in the way. Some have had a tough year so it’s not easy to be perky.

Here are 7 tips to enjoy the Holidays. Hey, it could be your last, you never know. Celebrate ANYWAY.

  1. You don’t need to do it all yourself. There are people who clean house, wrap gifts, cook, file, walk the dog, and all that good stuff. They need employment during the holidays and we need you to be sane. Hire them.
  1. Not everyone needs a gift from you. Write a note, an e-mail or call them. The joy of the holidays is in connecting with those you love. Connection = Priceless. Or if a gift is in order, the perfect gift may be a gift certificate for a book, spa, beauty parlor, or golf course. (Or, of course, one of my books!) Find things that are easy to wrap, easy to mail, easy to transport.
  1. People move. Find them online. Snail mail will come back. Start a basket for returned correspondence. Follow up at your leisure. Set aside time to handle correspondence and be done with it a little at a time. Keep track of new addresses (and while you are at it, I no longer live in Hawaii…)
  1. Create a holiday budget and stick to it. Carry only enough cash for holiday shopping & a few unexpected surprises along the way. Selectively leave high interest credit cards home. If you shop online, keep a log of purchases to track your spending.
  1. Be conscious of what you eat, but don’t try and diet right now. Try eating healthy food before you leave for parties. Apples are great because they have a chemical that stems hunger. Drinking water before, during and after parties will also keep you from over eating and over-imbibing. If you drink, remember Prevent DWI with DD.W.T.S. – Designated Driver, Walk, Taxi (or Lyft/Uber), Sleep it off
  1. Be Aware – Be safe. Situational Awareness is your friend. Pay attention to others in parking lots and stores. Watch your purses and wallets. Don’t carry more than you have to. Don’t flash money in front of other people. If your intuition sounds a warning, pay attention. Get into the habit of locking your door the moment you get in your car. Have packages delivered to friends if you won’t be home when the UPS guy shows up.

TIPS: Ladies, when you put on your seat belt, slip the belt through your purse handle first. If someone tries a smash & grab (breaking the window to get your purse) it will be secured. If you load your trunk, toss your purse into the trunk or over the back seat first while holding your keys in your hand, then lock the car while the trunk is open. That locks all the other doors, protects your car and contents, and removes temptation to grab your purse off your shoulder or out of your cart while you are distracted. If you load gifts into your trunk, don’t leave the car and walk away. That invites auto theft or theft from your vehicle if the bad guys are watching.

  1. Be kind to each other this season. Even if you aren’t stressed, remember that other people may be. Not everyone finds this a jolly time of year. Ramp up the consideration and tolerance a little. Take lots of deep breaths, and don’t take it all so seriously. We are in this world together. Consideration, kindness, generosity and patience go a long way to reducing the collective stress on the planet.

Take care of yourself this Holiday Season! We need you!

Be safe,

Beth Terry

© 1998-2016 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved

How to Stay Sane this Holiday

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

Are you a Holiday Elf? Or is it tough this time of year?

Stay Sane This Holiday Season

Ho ho ho Holiday … Harumph?

Happy Holidays turning into Harried Holidays?

Holidays are historically more stressful than other times. Not only do we miss loved ones that passed away, our expectations create anxiety.

In childhood most were taught this is a “magical time” – so we should be happier. Most kids love it. Adults often resist Holiday Magic. Some work at inoculating themselves against wonder, joy, magical feelings, amazement, delight…

Instead, we worry. A lot. We worry about buying the right gift, credit card bills in January, will the storm windows hold another season, will my car start tomorrow, are my thighs too fat, is my hair thinning and will my cowboy hat cover the bald spot?

Then there’s the added burden of the “perkiness factor.” We’re supposed to suspend all our usual grumpiness and just be happy. Happy Happy Happy Holidays – bleah.

Many people just don’t want to be happy. It’s too hard. They wish the holidays would go by quickly. Some have old memories and wounds that get in the way. Some have had a tough year so it’s not easy to be perky.

Here are 7 tips to enjoy the Holidays. Hey, it could be your last, you never know. Celebrate ANYWAY.

  1. You don’t need to do it all yourself. There are people who clean house, wrap gifts, cook, file, walk the dog, and all that good stuff. They need employment during the holidays and we need you to be sane. Hire them.
  1. Not everyone needs a gift from you. Write a note, an e-mail or call them. The joy of the holidays is in connecting with those you love. Connection = Priceless. Or if a gift is in order, the perfect gift may be a gift certificate for a book, spa, beauty parlor, or golf course. (Or, of course, one of my books!) Find things that are easy to wrap, easy to mail, easy to transport.
  1. People move. Find them online. Snail mail will come back. Start a basket for returned correspondence. Follow up at your leisure. Set aside time to handle correspondence and be done with it a little at a time. Keep track of new addresses (and while you are at it, I no longer live in Hawaii…)
  1. Create a holiday budget and stick to it. Carry only enough cash for holiday shopping & a few unexpected surprises along the way. Selectively leave high interest credit cards home. If you shop online, keep a log of purchases to track your spending.
  1. Be conscious of what you eat, but don’t try and diet right now. Try eating healthy food before you leave for parties. Apples are great because they have a chemical that stems hunger. Drinking water before, during and after parties will also keep you from over eating and over-imbibing. If you drink, remember Prevent DWI with DD.W.T.S. – Designated Driver, Walk, Taxi (or Lyft/Uber), Sleep it off
  1. Be Aware – Be safe. Situational Awareness is your friend. Pay attention to others in parking lots and stores. Watch your purses and wallets. Don’t carry more than you have to. Don’t flash money in front of other people. If your intuition sounds a warning, pay attention. Get into the habit of locking your door the moment you get in your car. Have packages delivered to friends if you won’t be home when the UPS guy shows up.

TIPS: Ladies, when you put on your seat belt, slip the belt through your purse handle first. If someone tries a smash & grab (breaking the window to get your purse) it will be secured. If you load your trunk, toss your purse into the trunk or over the back seat first while holding your keys in your hand, then lock the car while the trunk is open. That locks all the other doors, protects your car and contents, and removes temptation to grab your purse off your shoulder or out of your cart while you are distracted. If you load gifts into your trunk, don’t leave the car and walk away. That invites auto theft or theft from your vehicle if the bad guys are watching.

  1. Be kind to each other this season. Even if you aren’t stressed, remember that other people may be. Not everyone finds this a jolly time of year. Ramp up the consideration and tolerance a little. Take lots of deep breaths, and don’t take it all so seriously. We are in this world together. Consideration, kindness, generosity and patience go a long way to reducing the collective stress on the planet.

Take care of yourself this Holiday Season! We need you!

Be safe,

Beth Terry

© 1998-2016 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved

Can You Afford NOT to De-Stress?

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Psssst… you’re no fun when you are stressed out!

Stress
Practice Daily De-Stressing to stay healthy

Face it, we’re all kind of a PITA (pain :-)) when we are stressed. We push people around; we aren’t ourselves; the more stressed we are the more frazzled we become. It’s not good for us and it really messes with our friendships and relationships at work and at home. Not to mention that our productivity takes a dive.

And for what? Sure, it’s great to have a mission and purpose. Not so great if you leave us prematurely due to stress!

So – here are Six Life Hacks to help you De-Stress

  1. Stretch… a LOT:
    • Before you get out of bed in the morning, do a few quick stretches. Legs straight in the air and cross over from side to side; the bicycle routine; knees to chest; knees together then rock from side to side. This gets the blood flowing, works out kinks and is a shot of energy for the day.
    • At your desk, clasp your hands together in the old “here’s the church and here’s the steeple” style. Press them straight out in front of you and then straight up over your head. Roll your shoulders to the front and back. Hold your arms out straight with your palms straight up then rotate them with palms towards the floor. Clap your hands behind you with arms as straight as possible.
    • While seated, lift each leg up off the chair, first with knees bent and then with legs as straight as possible. If you do these two little rituals daily, you will feel less stressed, more energized and better able to tackle the day. (Hah! you just did all those! I know you did! See?!)
  1. Happy Feet Keep You Stable:  When I worked at a Personnel Recruitment office in Hawaii, a very staid and proper man (or so I thought) was one of the Recruiters. One day I spotted bare, wet feet resting on a towel peeking out from under his desk. He was one of those lunch-time surfers. But on the days he couldn’t get to the beach, he’d pull a small pan of saltwater from the corner under his desk and quietly slip off his socks and shoes to soak his feet for half an hour. When I finally got up the nerve to ask him, he said it was a great stress reliever and felt like he was in the ocean. I started trying that during the day and it really works! If not at work, do it once you get home.
© BethTerry.com EverybodysLost.com
Watching Hummingbirds is very relaxing
  1. Nature breaks the Stress:
    • Take a walk outside… but if you can’t go outside, do a quick search on nature cams and watch it or play it in the background for a short break. I like the Eagle Cams, Owl cams and hummingbird cams. Ustream.tv is a great resource.
    • Hummingbirds visit my patio in Arizona year round. So far I’ve had three nests and watched six babies fledge. The picture above was taken from my dining room window. They chose a tiny windchime for the base of the nest. That nest is smaller than a ping-pong ball cut in half!
    • Get out of the office during your break or lunch. Bring a sandwich and sit in the park away from the noise and mayhem.
    • Or bring nature to you – have a live plant, a fishbowl, or headphones with soothing sounds of the surf or a babbling brook.
    • Whatever floats your boat – find something to do with nature that will soothe you.
  1. Rituals are soothing: Rituals and traditions can be very grounding.
    • As teens and twenty-somethings, many of us rejected the traditions of our parents.
    • As we age, we realize that traditions can anchor us and keep us stable
    • Create healthy exercise and pre-sleep rituals
    • Try a safety ritual before bed – checking all the doors, looking in on the kids, making sure the garage door is closed
    • Short meditation rituals remind you to slow down and breathe, look around, be present
    • Reminder Rituals: Each time the clock reads either 11:11 or 1:11, I stop for a full minute and remember all the things I’m grateful for.
    • I do my Gratitudes: “10 things I’m grateful for”  each morning before getting out of bed.

Each morning before getting out of bed, I list my Gratitudes

  1. Sleep Better: Turn off bright lights, video games, emails, news programs, TV… at least 90 minutes before bed. What you put in your brain before sleep impacts your dream state, even if you don’t remember. I watched an episode of Twinning on Hulu just before bed one night and woke up stressed and upset that my twin (I don’t have a twin) was living apart from me.
  1. Stop-Drop-Breathe:  Right now consciously lower your shoulders, get that head directly over your spine, tuck in your butt so your spine is aligned. Even if you do this only occasionally, you’ll notice your back and legs don’t hurt so much, your stress levels drop almost immediately, and it’s easier to breathe.

Take care of yourself! We need you healthy!

Relax! Thanks for listening!

Beth Terry

© 2015 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved

Can You Afford NOT to De-Stress?

Posted on by — No Comments ↓

Psssst… you’re no fun when you are stressed out!

Stress
Practice Daily De-Stressing to stay healthy

Face it, we’re all kind of a PITA (pain :-)) when we are stressed. We push people around; we aren’t ourselves; the more stressed we are the more frazzled we become. It’s not good for us and it really messes with our friendships and relationships at work and at home. Not to mention that our productivity takes a dive.

And for what? Sure, it’s great to have a mission and purpose. Not so great if you leave us prematurely due to stress!

So – here are Six Life Hacks to help you De-Stress

  1. Stretch… a LOT:
    • Before you get out of bed in the morning, do a few quick stretches. Legs straight in the air and cross over from side to side; the bicycle routine; knees to chest; knees together then rock from side to side. This gets the blood flowing, works out kinks and is a shot of energy for the day.
    • At your desk, clasp your hands together in the old “here’s the church and here’s the steeple” style. Press them straight out in front of you and then straight up over your head. Roll your shoulders to the front and back. Hold your arms out straight with your palms straight up then rotate them with palms towards the floor. Clap your hands behind you with arms as straight as possible.
    • While seated, lift each leg up off the chair, first with knees bent and then with legs as straight as possible. If you do these two little rituals daily, you will feel less stressed, more energized and better able to tackle the day. (Hah! you just did all those! I know you did! See?!)
  1. Happy Feet Keep You Stable:  When I worked at a Personnel Recruitment office in Hawaii, a very staid and proper man (or so I thought) was one of the Recruiters. One day I spotted bare, wet feet resting on a towel peeking out from under his desk. He was one of those lunch-time surfers. But on the days he couldn’t get to the beach, he’d pull a small pan of saltwater from the corner under his desk and quietly slip off his socks and shoes to soak his feet for half an hour. When I finally got up the nerve to ask him, he said it was a great stress reliever and felt like he was in the ocean. I started trying that during the day and it really works! If not at work, do it once you get home.
© BethTerry.com EverybodysLost.com
Watching Hummingbirds is very relaxing
  1. Nature breaks the Stress:
    • Take a walk outside… but if you can’t go outside, do a quick search on nature cams and watch it or play it in the background for a short break. I like the Eagle Cams, Owl cams and hummingbird cams. Ustream.tv is a great resource.
    • Hummingbirds visit my patio in Arizona year round. So far I’ve had three nests and watched six babies fledge. The picture above was taken from my dining room window. They chose a tiny windchime for the base of the nest. That nest is smaller than a ping-pong ball cut in half!
    • Get out of the office during your break or lunch. Bring a sandwich and sit in the park away from the noise and mayhem.
    • Or bring nature to you – have a live plant, a fishbowl, or headphones with soothing sounds of the surf or a babbling brook.
    • Whatever floats your boat – find something to do with nature that will soothe you.
  1. Rituals are soothing: Rituals and traditions can be very grounding.
    • As teens and twenty-somethings, many of us rejected the traditions of our parents.
    • As we age, we realize that traditions can anchor us and keep us stable
    • Create healthy exercise and pre-sleep rituals
    • Try a safety ritual before bed – checking all the doors, looking in on the kids, making sure the garage door is closed
    • Short meditation rituals remind you to slow down and breathe, look around, be present
    • Reminder Rituals: Each time the clock reads either 11:11 or 1:11, I stop for a full minute and remember all the things I’m grateful for.
    • I do my Gratitudes: “10 things I’m grateful for”  each morning before getting out of bed.

Each morning before getting out of bed, I list my Gratitudes

  1. Sleep Better: Turn off bright lights, video games, emails, news programs, TV… at least 90 minutes before bed. What you put in your brain before sleep impacts your dream state, even if you don’t remember. I watched an episode of Twinning on Hulu just before bed one night and woke up stressed and upset that my twin (I don’t have a twin) was living apart from me.
  1. Stop-Drop-Breathe:  Right now consciously lower your shoulders, get that head directly over your spine, tuck in your butt so your spine is aligned. Even if you do this only occasionally, you’ll notice your back and legs don’t hurt so much, your stress levels drop almost immediately, and it’s easier to breathe.

Take care of yourself! We need you healthy!

Relax! Thanks for listening!

Beth Terry

© 2015 Beth Terry • All Rights Reserved