Job-related stress is unavoidable in any line of work. The effects of too much stress buildup, however, can be detrimental to you and your career. The average workweek has increased to about 75 hours a week or more including work that needs to be done at your home and in your family and in your ministry, church or business, and with that comes increased stress. Workplace stress can have a significant impact on your work performance, your quality of work, and your relationships with coworkers, family members, business associates and friends. Stress expert Kathleen Hall, founder and CEO of The Stress Institute and Mindful living institute helps people manage their physical and mental stress. She offers science-backed tips on creating balance and reducing stress.

Hall says “people are so overbooked, overworked, and overwhelmed that they can only remember simple, quick tips.” To make it easy, she says to remember the abbreviation – ACE, which means: Awareness. Choice. Experience. Let’s talk about how Awareness, Choice, and Experience can become your helpers and assist you to defeat and overcome your stress levels.

Awareness
“Become aware of your stress triggers,” Hall says. “Each person is different, and we respond to different stress triggers.” It’s important to complete this first step and acknowledge the roots of your stress. Hall suggests writing down three situations that bring you the most stress, like deadlines, a relationship, or a job task.

Choice
The next step is “choosing one stress of the above stressors that you would like to alleviate,” Hall says.
This will help you segue into the final phase and can provide you with an in-depth look at one of your stress triggers.

Experience
Once you have figured out what your stress triggers are, you need a plan to defeat them..Below are four tips (and another acronym) to help you get through it.

You should “experience SELF-care,” she says.

1. Serenity: There are multiple ways to create self-serenity, starting with your breathing.
“Clear your mind by focusing on your breath,” Hall says. “Inhale to the count of 1-2-3-4, and exhale to 1-2-3-4. This reduces the production of stress hormones.”

A short-term option is downloading an app to help you, perhaps one that plays nature or ocean sounds, Hall says. A long-term solution can be meditation or yoga.

2. Exercise: “Any form of exercise reduces your stress right away,” Hall says. “Go for a short walk or stand up at your desk and do some stretches.”

3. Love: “Connecting with other people reduces your stress,” Hall says. She suggests you go to lunch or spend other time with your coworkers, friends, or neighbors.

4. Food: Food choice can play a major role in your stress levels. Consuming things like sugar, salt, and alcohol can increase your stress levels, she says.

Hall advises eating foods rich in vitamin B6, such as bananas, nuts, turkey, or tuna. She also recommends opting for whole grains, blueberries, and oatmeal.

In addition, praying daily at appointed times to God will help you greatly reduce your stress levels. As you begin to become more aware of Jesus’s work in your life, He will continue to lead you and remind you of God’s desire to meet with you daily in prayer. Connect with Jesus daily through prayer. Connect with God daily in prayer. Your prayers matter to God, He is working. Answers such as this answer regarding stress are often revealed to you as a direct result of your prayers and any time you’ve spent seeking Jesus or God for help. Do yourself and those you love a favor daily, Make time to pray and allow Jesus to break the chains of any stress that may have tried to become the Lord of Your life!
Steven Benna & “The WIN International Ministries Team”

http://peacewithgod.net/