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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Anne breaks down the daily habits and skills needed to grow and cultivate RESILIENCE.
I had an incredible time chatting with @dr.cindyspeaks on Positively Altered about one of my favorite topics >> resilience!
💪 We covered everything from how stress affects the brain to actionable strategies for resetting your resilience and reclaiming balance. Plus… we even talked donkeys!
🎧 Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-23-the-resilience-reset-transforming-stress/id1773804535?i=1000699134975
In this episode, we dive into:
🧠 How to train your brain for resilience
😩 The power of sitting in the “suck”
💡 Simple strategies to reset stress and find balance
If you’re ready to transform stress into strength, this one’s for you!
What is on your to-do list for the week? ✅
I’m sure it includes meetings, tasks, personal chores, and follow-ups, but does it include things that bring you joy?
Instead of waiting for happiness, create it.. You can even focus on enjoyable things while doing the have-to do things.
Slogging through paperwork? Light a candle and listen to your favorite tunes.
Going for a drive? Listen to a stand-up comic or a great book.
Don’t neglect what brings you joy and happiness—make it a ritual and part of your resilience-building routine.
You know that heart-stopping moment when you try to change lanes, only to realize that someone is in your blind spot?
Blind spots aren’t just for driving. In life and leadership, we all have blind spots—things others see clearly that we don’t.
The tricky part? Blind spots aren’t always glaring flaws. Often, they’re our good intentions getting lost in translation. So, how do you uncover them?
Here’s a simple twist that will make a big difference: Ask for advice instead of feedback. 🗣
This slight shift makes people more likely to offer constructive, actionable insights—without triggering defensiveness. Plus, it builds trust and strengthens relationships.
Rather than trying to make drastic changes, pick one behavior and integrate it into your day.
Want to start a gratitude practice? Do it while you brush your teeth. Want to take deep breaths? Practice while you make coffee. Adding a new habit to an existing one makes it easier to stick with it.
#mindfulmonday #habitstacking #atomichabits #jamesclear
Humor changes your biochemistry, emotions, thoughts, and behavior. 😆
A positive mood boosts your immune system! Whether you find your laughter through being around friends, going to a comedy show, watching funny movies, or just being goofy, don’t underestimate the power of a belly laugh and a sense of humor.
When something stressful happens, there are really 2 different things taking place.
There’s the thing that is happening, and then there is the story that you tell yourself about the thing that’s happening.
The story is where criticism, judgment, self-doubt, and shame come in.
Whatever you have going on in your life right now, take a step back and try to view it from a third-person perspective. See if you can separate the facts from the story you tell yourself about it.
If we can start to separate the situation from the story, the story becomes much less scary because we realize it is one we’re telling.
This makes it easier to accept where you are without judgment, self-doubt, and shame. What we practice grows stronger. 📕
Read Up on Resilience!
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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!