Are You an Addict?
Are You an Addict?
Are You an Addict?
I’ve been doing quite a bit of productivity training lately, and I’ve heard so many people talk about their struggle with stress management. In The Power of Full Engagement, authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz make an interesting point: Stress is addictive.
The hormone adrenaline is really powerful. For people who operate at high levels of intensity for long periods of time, they can actually get addicted to the “high” you get from adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol.
Are you secretly addicted to stress? Are you enabling behavior that creates more stress in your life?
Here are 7 strategies to help you on your road to recovery:
#1 – Breathe
While the alternative isn’t a great option, most of us don’t breathe correctly. Take time each day to breathe deeply. When you start to feel stressed, breathe in through your nose, hold it, breathe out through your mouth. Do each for 3-5 seconds.
#2 – Brain Dump
Get EVERYTHING out of your head and onto a piece of paper at least once a day. We can only store a limited amount in our short-term memory. When we feel overwhelmed, it is often because we’re trying to remember everything, and it’s impossible. Write things down as you think of them, and devote 5-10 minutes a day to getting it out of your head and onto paper.
#3 – Set Goals
If we’re not careful, we’ll end up where we’re headed. What do you want to accomplish? Regularly take time to set goals and transfer daily action steps to your calendar.
#4 – Exercise
Holy cross-fit batman. My lack of exercise and physical activity were taking a toll on me, and I decided I needed to step it up. I started cross-fit twice a week, and aside
from being so sore I can’t walk, I can absolutely tell a difference in my energy level and state of mind. Whether it’s walking, swimming, dancing, or any other type of physical activity, it is
critical to our health and well-being.
#5 – Think
How much time do you spend just thinking? Most of us are so busy “doing” that we don’t take time to stop and think. Whether you call it creative thinking or introspection, take 15-30 minutes a day and just let your mind wander. I keep my phone near me so I can use the voice memo function to capture ideas.
#6 – Take a Break
Your body is going to take a break whether you choose to or not, so it might as well be on your terms. Our mind and body must have time to rest. This is not a luxury, it is a physical requirement.
#7 – Eat Your Frog
In his book, Eat That Frog, Brian Tracey suggests that if you eat a frog first thing in the morning, nothing else will be that awful for the rest of the day. Our tendency is to procrastinate doing the things we don’t want to do, but we waste a ton of energy dreading doing it. Instead, before you ever turn on your computer, check your Facebook page, or read your emails, pick your most difficult task of the day, your frog, and get it done.
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Having friendships and a sense of belonging is considered a core psychological need and has a big impact on our physical and mental health.
In fact, it has been proven that social connection is one of the best predictors of longevity, which is why I`ve dedicated an entire module in the Resilience Reset Deep Dive to the importance of social connection to build resilience. Learn more 👉👉👉 https://www.annegradygroup.com/deepdive/
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Let’s face it - life is stressful. The lines between our personal and professional lives have blurred, we are overwhelmed by increased workloads and decreased resources, and there is an unprecedented amount of change and uncertainty.
Uncertainty often leads to anxiety because the brain tends to fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios. You can help your brain cope with anxiety by practicing these skills 👇
1️⃣ Cultivate a Growth Mindset
2️⃣ Practice Mindfulness
3️⃣ Control the controllables
4️⃣ Break it down
5️⃣ Maintain Healthy Habits
More tips and strategies are in this month’s blog post. The link is in my bio!
Did you know that resilient teams have:
⭐️ 74% less stress AND 75% greater productivity
⭐️ Higher engagement and performance
⭐️ Improved Innovation and creativity
⭐️ Stronger relationships & Greater well-being
Using the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, the Resilience Reset Deep Dive provides a road map to developing resilient leaders, teams, and organizations. Interested in learning more? Here`s a sneak preview of one of the modules. 🎥👀
#ThrowbackThursday to a Tiger King Halloween 🐯
Realistic optimism is a mindset that combines a positive outlook with a grounded understanding of reality. It involves maintaining hope and confidence while acknowledging and accepting the challenges and uncertainties of life.
Rather than denying or minimizing difficulties, approach situations with resilience, flexibility, and a belief in your ability to navigate obstacles effectively. You’ve got this. #mindfulmonday
We’ve all had those days where everything seems to go wrong. You wake up late, your coffee spills and your car won’t start. It’s easy to let a lousy morning spiral out of control and ruin your entire day.
Wherever we direct our attention becomes our reality. In other words, we find what we look for. Here are 3 things you can do to create a bad moment boundary:
1️⃣ Accept It: The sooner you can give it a quick “It is what it is” label, the better.
2️⃣ Put It in a Box: You can revisit the box later, but for now, the box holds this experience, and you don’t need to carry it.
3️⃣ Reset: Rather than jump into the next task or activity, take three deep breaths, extending the exhale.
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Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 3 books. Her newest, Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience, is available on Amazon now.
Hi Anne, lately when I feel overwhelmed, usually the end of the day, listening to my ipod’s mixed playlist makes me sing and dance for a while that time passes so fast that I forget about any stressing tasks. By the next morning my mind feels more clear and new ideas to solve the problems comes to me. Thank you for these extra tips.
Hi Juanita,
Great suggestion! I love to listen to music, but I should definitely spend more time dancing 🙂
Hi Anne!
I always look forward to your posts, and Monday mornings are the perfect time to start my week out on the right track. I know all too well the long-term effects of the “stress high”-after awhile, your body will eventually “crash and burn”. It physically can’t keep producing those high levels of cortisol day after day indefinitely without wreaking havok on your body. Your tips today are words to live by-finding and keeping a sense of balance is what it’s all about. Thank you.
HI Amy,
Great to hear from you! How are you???? Your family? Unfortunately, I know the affects stress has all too well myself. I’m working hard to follow my own advice every day 🙂
Eat your frog! That is the greatest piece of advice for breaking procrastination habits that I’ve ever heard! If I can actually “swallow” that advice, I can see how it could change my work-life! I always start the day with the easiest tasks, and spend lots of time staring at the “frogs.” And day after day, the tasks I don’t want to do continue to be left undone which just creates more stress. This is the answer! I’m hanging this up on the wall next to my desk.
I wish I could take credit for it 😉 I can’t wait to hear how your week goes! Great to hear from you.
These are great help to combat stress. I am sure many can relate, you are spot on with number 7. Nice blog Anne! Looking forward to more insightful and helpful posts from you.
Thanks Hannah!