"You don 't have to be sick to get better." FALL EDI I ION 1992
Time Management
Equals
Less Stress
By Irish Herhrr
As the alarm clock rang, Tracy
rolled over, hardly feeling as though
she had even slept In fact, lately she
never felt rested and had problems
eating and getting organized. In the
shower, Tracy began to plan out her
day in her head. She suddenly felt
panicked and overwhelmed. How
think the opportunity a gre.it way to
meet new people. The difference in
in how a person perceives Ins or her
feelings and how that person deals
with these feelings.
According to Alan Lakicr. author
of How to Get Control of Your
Time and Your Life, making a list
and checking it twice will really pay
Stress is a matter of perception...how a per
son perceives his or her feelings and how
that person deals with these feelings.
could she possibly accomplish all
that she needed to in one day—
twenty-four hours? Throughout her
classes Tracy’s mind wandered and
when her friends were telling her
personal stories, she wouldn’t
remember what they had said. Tracy
felt stressed out!
Have you ever felt this way?
When stress takes over a person’s life
he or she often feels powerless, anx
ious and trapped. Ultimately, this
may lead a person to feel very
unhappy.
Many times a person feels stressed
because of inner feelings, not exter
nal factors. Thus, stress is a matter of
perception, so people differ in their
abilities to deal with stress. I may
find that having two interviews for
jobs in one day to be stressful,
whereas my friend may actually
off. Put “To Do" at the top of your
list and write down the tilings you
would like to accomplish for the day
or week. Next, prioritize them by
assigning As, B’s and C s to focus
attention on the really important
things that must get done. You will
feel a sense of accomplishment as
you cross things off your list.
More importantly, however, by
writing these things down on a piece
of paper it will take these worries off
your mind Instead of mulling over
what needs to be done, you may
refer to your list when you have a
few minutes before class starts or
during a couple of free hours in the
afternoon.
How does this relate to stress?
Okay—it’s a valid question. Since
stress is a matter of perception, by
writing down and organizing your
Coping With
Stress
Looking for
Adventure
Play and Fitness
thoughts, your lile may seem lew
hectic, out of control or overwhelm
iiij;. Even big projects can be broken
down into the As, B’s and ( s and
finished over a matter ol sseeks. It a
big interview is coming up, research
some interview tips and questions
and write them down on a piece ol
paper. Whenever you Icel yourself
thinking about it, pull out the piece
ol paper. When the piece ol paper
gets put away, so do your anxieties
and lears about the interview.
Tension and stress can be partly
accredited to a feeling of lack of con
trol in one’s life It's important to cut
out the things in your life that do
not make you happy.
A busy schedule seems much
lighter when you’re doing things that
you enjoy. If there’s something that
American College Health Associa
mm explains, "The extra burst of
adrenaline that helps you finish your
final paper, win at sjmuis or meet any
other challenge is positive stress. It’s a
short term physiological tensing that
subsides when the challenge has
been met, enabling you to relax and
carry on normally.
However, if you cant return to a
relaxed state, this stress becomes neg
ative I he changes in your body
(increased heart rate, high blood
pressure) start to take their toll on
bodily systems and often lead to
mental exhaustion and physical ill
ness It is like a rubber band which
may stretch and stretch, but at a cer
tain point just snaps.
If you feel "stressed out, stop by
the UO Counseling Center and talk
By writing down and organizing your
thoughts, your life may seem less hectic, out
of control or overwhelming...
has to be done like writing a huge
paper or dusting your apartment—
put it at the top of your “To Do" list.
You’re much more likely to get it
done, and you’ll feel better when you
can move on to the things that you
like to do.
Realistically, without some
amount of stress, most of us
wouldn't get a whole lot done. As the
to a counselor about some relaxation
techniques, or talk to a friend and
try to get things into perspective.
So the next time someone asks if
you're okay or tells you that you look
really stressed, take a break, relax and
ask yourself if your situation is some
thing to worry over. You'll be better
able to view the situation more
clearly.
The Bottom Line
Need Some Practi
cal EXPERIENCE FOR
THE 'REAL' WORLD?
Peer Health Advising,
HEP 410 and 510, offers
practical experient e in
public speaking, facilitat
ing groups, organizing pro
motion projects and
writing for the Well Now.
You must apply, so drop
by Health Education at the j
Student Health Center. For •
more information call 346- :
4456. !
Stress
Letting go of the ECO
elevates stress and allows
you to focus on the
prot ess not the outcome.
Seeing things as they are,
without judgement and
attachment, gives you per
mission to proceed with
clarity. Be mindful of your
every ac tion and you will
not be surprised by any
reaction.
Get Off To A
Healthy Start
Drop by the Health
Eduction Center for ac cess
to a variety of health
books, or make an
appointment with a Peer
Health Advisor who spe
cializes in health educa
tion issues or have your
c holestoral level checked
for free.
Stress Release
Lit* on your bark, palms
up. Breath deeply. Begin
by tensing your legs for 10
seconds. Kelax the leg
must les, breath deeply.
Tense your trunk, arms and
hands. Kelax, breath
deeply. Tense your neck
and fare. Kelax, breath
deeply.