Tips to reduce your stress

1. Don’t rush your life. Slow down your pace of eating, driving, etc.


2. Prioritize the things to be done, and then do them one at a time.


3. Give yourself extra time to complete tasks; don’t schedule appointments too close together.


4. Learn to say no to reduce deadlines/tasks; you can’t do everything.


5. Avoid taking your work home; it will be there tomorrow.


6. Keep fresh; don’t do things the same way all the time.


7. Become more flexible and less of a perfectionist.


8. Increase listening time and decrease talking time; talking can increase your blood pressure!


9. Get up 30 minutes early so you don’t have to rush in the morning. Set time with family to give yourself quality time to visit with them.


10. Set aside time every day for relaxing alone, reading, or otherwise doing something for yourself.


11. Love and respect yourself; limit negative self-talk.


12. Be sensitive about what you put into your body. Eat healthy food and limit the consumption of alcohol.


13. Exercise regularly. Your body will be able to handle stressful situations more smoothly.


14. Remember: Nobody can better do for you what you can do for yourself.

For support, talk to your partner, family, friends, an advocate at a sexual assault crisis center, or call the Virginia Family Violence & Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-838-8238(v/tty).

M-ED9H03, August 1993