Managing Stress

Physiological or biological stress is an organism's response to a stressor such as an environmental

condition or a stimulus. Stress is a body's method of reacting to a challenge. According to the stressful

event, the body's way to respond to stress is by sympathetic nervous system activation which results in the

fight-or-flight response. In humans, stress typically describes a negative condition or a positive condition

that can have an impact on a person's mental and physical well-being.

Some Helpful Tips For Reducing Stress

1. Before going to bed, set out breakfast items and lay out everything you'll need for

work or school so you simply pick-up-'n-go in the morning.

2. Get up 20 minutes earlier so you can have a non-rushed breakfast. (if you need an

alarm clock to wake you up in the morning, you aren't going to bed on time, say sleep

experts).

3. Walk whenever possible (take the stairs instead of the elevator, hand-deliver work

papers, etc.)

4. Plan grocery shopping, banking, and post office visits so you hit the non-chaotic times

(e.g. don't grocery shop on Saturday afternoon, don't go to the bank on Friday afternoon,

and don't try to mail a package on Monday morning).

5. Go to the bathroom before leaving home or work (simple, but amazing stress

reducer.)

6. Look for the humor in every situation. Humor allows you to jump out of the picture so

you can get a grip on things.

7. Get an answering machine so you can accept phone calls on your schedule, not other

people's.

What are some other ways you can think of to reduce or manage stress? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so leave a comment below!  Have a relaxing and stress free day!

Community Service: Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer

Thinking of becoming a volunteer? See a list of reasons that will help you make up your mind.

#10: It's good for you.
Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It:
Reduces stress: Experts report that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
Makes you healthier: Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one's fate, strengthen the immune system.

#9: It saves resources.
Volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be spent on local improvements.
The estimated value of a volunteer's time is $15.39 per hour.

#8: Volunteers gain professional experience.
You can test out a career.

#7: It brings people together.
As a volunteer you assist in:
Uniting people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal
Building camaraderie and teamwork

#6: It promotes personal growth and self esteem.
Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.

#5: Volunteering strengthens your community.
As a volunteer you help:
Support families (daycare and eldercare)
Improve schools (tutoring, literacy)
Support youth (mentoring and after-school programs)
Beautify the community (beach and park cleanups)

#4: You learn a lot.
Volunteers learn things like these:
Self: Volunteers discover hidden talents that may change your view on your self worth.
Government: Through working with local non-profit agencies, volunteers learn about the functions and operation of our government.
Community: Volunteers gain knowledge of local resources available to solve community needs.

#3: You get a chance to give back.
People like to support community resources that they use themselves or that benefit people they care about.

#2: Volunteering encourages civic responsibility.
Community service and volunteerism are an investment in our community and the people who live in it.

#1: You make a difference.
Every person counts!