StressBuster List

1 Make a list of non-work activities that you love to do and insist on doing at least one thing from the list every weekend.
2 Accept the reality that there will be stress and don’t let it derail you.
3 Take “real” PTO – stay off your BlackBerry during your official time off.
4 Listen to what your body is telling you and take care of your health first and foremost.
5 Take a clean break after you get home even if you re-engage later. Give yourself a “no-work zone” for at least part of the evening.
6 Don’t let yourself stay at “worst-case scenario.” Recast it so you have realistic options to deal with it.
7 Take pride in being part of a historical event. This size merger may never happen again.
8 Don’t work past a prescribed bedtime.
9 Work from home when possible.
10 Give yourself permission to just “let go” without guilt.
11 Make a list of what you worry about so it gets out of your head (and then throw away the list!)
12 Really let yourself laugh out loud as much as possible.
13 When feeling overwhelmed, break-up the future into smaller, manageable pieces.
14 Reach out to others and recast together – talk it through.
15 Schedule quiet time for creative thinking and problem solving.
16 Accept your own limitations and don’t beat yourself up.
17 When there’s a problem, communicate with those that need to know as quickly as possible and then jointly discuss. Don’t let it fester.
18 When there’s a gap, create a process, follow the process, and then measure success.
19 Exercise – get up and walk during the day.
20 Define your success in small increments.
21 Drop everything and take action on the most stressful issue right away.
22 Have a buddy.
23 Adopt the “24 hour rule” – don’t take any action until the next day.
24 Hit the problem head-on rather than letting it eat you up.
25 To relieve calendar pressures/conflicts, schedule team meetings within your group all at the same time or create drop-in sessions with subject matter experts so they’re not constantly interrupted.
26 Take time to celebrate a success.
27 Volunteer your talents to a worthy cause – it helps give perspective.
28 At the end of a bad day, reach out and express appreciation to someone.
29 When things aren’t going well, look for someone who could benefit from your help and then give to them. This creates a supportive community.
30 Don’t transfer your stress to others, but re-channel the energy.
31 Find perspective by taking a walk around the block or by using some other technique for removing yourself temporarily from the stress or issue.
32 Delegate whenever possible. Make sure you’re not doing someone else’s job.
33 Understand what’s causing the stress. Identify what’s the real feeling (anger, fear, sadness, or even excitement) under the stress so you can deal with the real stuff.
34 Use the energy of the stress to solve the cause of the stress.
35 Don’t let “perfect” get in the way of “good.”
36 Ask for help. It’s encouraged in this team.
37 Find creative ways to get through issues. Open up new options when you feel stuck or it feels hopeless.
38 Do some non-work things with work friends.
39 Find ways to reduce stress and the time spend on chores at home – such as hiring someone to mow the lawn.
40 Hug your children, pets, and loved ones a lot.
41 Create a daily intention for how you want to be that day, how you want to react, and what you want to focus on. You get what you focus on.
42 Think about your legacy or “personal brand.” Ask yourself, “How do I want to be seen by others and therefore how do I want to treat others and respond to their requests?”