All of us are under a lot of pressure, regardless of what type of pressure it is that we are facing. Relieve stress by managing your time. If we are having a difficult time at work, we may find that this simply carries over into the rest of our lives and that the stress we are feeling never really goes away at all. This is not unusual, and as a matter of fact more and more people are succumbing to problems that occur as a result of this stress, such as panic attacks and dangerous physical issues. In order for you to overcome the stress, you need to be able to manage your time properly but this is something that is difficult for many of us.

Are you a multitask-er? Many of us would call ourselves one but that does not necessarily mean that we are able to do more than one thing at a time. Our jobs may demand that we take care of several task at one time but the majority of us will not be able to do so effectively. As a matter of fact, if you are handling one task and then get interrupted to take care of another, it can take you up to 20 minutes to truly get back into the mindset that you were in whenever you are handling the first item. That is why it is important for you to manage your time, not as a multitask-er but as a singular tasker.

There is one thing that all of us have in common, no matter what it is that we do in life. We all have 24 hours in a day and we need to get all of our work done during those 24 hours. The easiest way for you to be able to do this and to avoid a lot of the stress that you may be feeling is to break your day up into manageable time periods. For example, instead of trying to work the entire day in order to get a big project done (or impress your boss), break up your time into one or two hour time periods and focus on that single project during that time. This is just one time management technique but it can really help you to get a lot more done and that will reduce the amount of stress that you are feeling in your life.

Stress kills. When it doesn’t – it smothers your life! If you read the article above you owe it to yourself to see one of the most successful forms of stress reduction. CLICK HERE.

There are millions of dollars spent everyday on disease prevention, disease education, disease research, pharmaceutical drugs, etc. — but I bet if you would talk to your primary physician, he or she would stress the importance to you of managing the stress in your life.

While this is something that mental health professionals discuss in great deal with clients, this is something that perhaps you do not get to talk about too much in the doctor’s office because after all you are there either for your annual check-up or you are there to seek help for a problem. Either way, your doctor has limited amounts of time to discuss the stress levels in your life — but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t important. They are!

Stress is making millions of us sick. Disease, diabetes, cancers, respiratory problems, etc. are all direct results of stress. Chronic levels of stress wreak havoc on the systems in our body directly. Indirectly, human beings try to medicate and manage stress with many negative things that result in sickness such as: bad foods, alcohol, cigarette smoking, recreational drug use, and more.

With the recent world events: our crumbling world economy, highly charged political elections, more media coverage of “bad news” in our communities, a deterioration of many of our moral boundaries, weather related catastrophies (hurricanes, earthquakes) — it’s no wonder that our stress levels are up and we are getting sicker and sicker. Not to mention the real kicker — many of use do not have any or adequate health coverage to even combat these problems.

That’s why it is so important for us to take a preventative approach towards our mental health and resulting physical health.

1. Make time for you. Even if it is only 15 minutes today.

2. Do things that you enjoy. Do you remember what they are?

3. Take time for mental stimulation or exercise such as leisure reading, crossword puzzles, or suduko

4. Try meditation or yoga. Give it about 4 weeks and see how you feel.

5. Call someone you haven’t talked to in months or even years.

6. Perform an act of kindness. Pay for someone’s toll on the bridge. Write a nice letter to someone in our armed forces. Help your neighbor out with something in their yard. Run some errands for a disabled or elderly person.

7. Music has the ability to change moods. Throw on some tunes that you love to sing or dance to around the house. I love singing Aretha Franklin songs!

8. Take a walk in your neighborhood or in one where you can gain some ideas on how to add curb appeal to your own home. I call it dream walking!

9. Decide not to stress about things out of your control today. You may not be able to do that everyday with kids or at the job — but you can do it just one day. See how you feel afterward.

10. Write it out. When you are facing issues that can truly impact your life and the lives of your family — sometimes it’s best to write it all down. Journal it. You may just write the solution to one of your problems.

Guest Author: Dr. Edward F. Group III

In the busy world of today, almost no one can escape the effects of stress on the body. Many health conditions are caused or exacerbated by stress. Constipation is no different.

There are two major ways in which stress can affect constipation. First, stress causes us to make lifestyle choices that are unhealthy for the intestinal tract. Secondly, stress can directly cause patterns of digestion.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Stress and Constipation

So many of the choices we make each day will impact our health. When we’re busy and stressed, we tend not to take care of our bodies.

Being busy can cause many to wait to go to the bathroom. Delaying a bowel movement is one of the most common reasons that people become constipated.

A stressful schedule can also lead many people to eat on the run. Most “fast-food” diets include large portions of meat, fat, and soda and very few portions of vegetables, whole grains, and water. This type of diet can often lead to stress and constipation.

People often skip meals and eat hurriedly, not taking the time to chew their food. Because a regular schedule of eating leads to regular bowel movements, irregular eating can lead to problems with stress and constipation.

Direct Effects of Stress and Constipation

The nervous system is very sensitive to stress. Constipation may be a direct result of changes in the nervous system during stress.

Normal bowel movements are a result of complicated nervous system signals. Too much stress can cause an interruption of these signals that will affect many parts of the digestive tract. It can slow the intestinal movements that result in bowel movements.

Preventing Stress-Related Constipation

If you have constipation as a result of stress, there are many options that you can choose to help prevent this problem.

Exercise can be a great stress-reliever and has the added benefit of promoting healthy digestion. It may seem like just one more thing to add to your schedule, but it will be worth it.

Planning meals ahead of time can help with some constipation problems. Instead of skipping meals, keep healthy snacks on hand for busy days.

If you have to eat on the run, choose options with healthier meals. Many fast food restaurants are offering healthy options that include lean meat and vegetables.

Keep water with you at all times. If you have a bottle of water on your desk or in the car, you’ll be more likely to stay hydrated.

If you’re suffering from severe symptoms of constipation as a result of stress, it’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider. Together you can come up with a solution to improve both your physical health and your mental health.

Related Articles: Treatments for Constipation
Colon Cleansing Treatment Options

www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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Guest Author: Dr. Edward F. Group III

The colon’s main function is the reabsorption of nutrients and water into our bodies and the elimination of toxic wastes through regular bowel movements. When the bowel is impacted, however, problems arise such as constipation, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis and colon cancer. Common symptoms resulting from accumulated toxins in the bowel can include headaches, bad breath, allergy symptoms, PMS, fatigue, depression, irritability, bloating, and frequent infections.

As Dr James Balch writes, “Retained debris in the colon leads to the absorption of toxins resulting in systemic poisoning. Colon cleansing can rid the colon of debris and help prevent and treat a variety of health problems.”

In order to prevent such problems, it is recommended that one regularly cleanses their colon, small and large intestine. This is known as ‘colon cleansing.’ As the average adult has between 5 and 40 pounds of compacted waste in their bowels, a good colon cleanse would be of great benefit. It is important to know that all colon cleansing treatments are not equal, however.

There are five major ways that one can cleanse their colon. These are:

* Colon Hydrotherapy (also know as colonic irrigations)
* Enemas
* Herbal supplements
* Laxatives
* Oxygen-based Cleansers

Each of these treatments has their pros and cons. For most, however, an oxygen-based cleanser will do the best job of removing the most toxic waste and improving the health of your colon. Let’s review each type of treatment to find out why.

The Different Types of Colon Cleansing

Colon Hydrotherapy
Colon hydrotherapy is the process of inserting a tube in the anus and then flushing 1-5 gallons of water through the colon. The procedure can be completed either at home or at a clinic. If a colon is in a bad state of health, this process can be effective at getting the compacted material out of the large intestine rapidly. However this process also has a number of disadvantages.

First, it can quickly become very expensive to go through this treatment. It costs between $25 and $100 per treatment and will take approximately 90 minutes of your time at each visit. Further, as the body is not made to have water shot inside of it, it is possible for the process to unnaturally extend the bowel and colon, potentially causing rips or stretching the lining of the colon.

While this process will break off and flush out some of the ‘hard stuff’ on the colons intestine wall, it in fact gets none of the dangerous toxins and hardened material and mucous attached to the walls of the small intestine. Much of this material will remain. One would need to use an Oxygen based cleanser to fully get rid of this material and cleanse the whole intestinal tract.

Colon hydrotherapy is also know as ‘colonic irrigation’ and ‘using colenemas.’

Enemas
Enemas are a treatment that has been used for many centuries to treat constipation. Their effectiveness, however, depends on the type of enema that is used. In general, enemas will only remove material from the lower part of the colon and none are able to oxidize or melt away the compaction. They are useful, however, for emptying the rectum , which is the lowest 8 to 12 inches of the colon. On the other hand, many do not like having to insert the enema into their rectal cavity.

The main types of enemas are water enemas (similar to hydrotherapy except using a bag as much less water), coffee enemas, and clay enemas.

Herbal Supplements
You’ll find many products online and on store shelves that contain psyllium husk. These are classified as herbal supplements and come in pill or capsule form. Psyllium is a bulk-forming laxative and is high in both fiber and mucilage. The laxative properties of psyllium are due to the swelling of the husk when it comes in contact with water. The resulting bulk when ingested stimulates a reflex contraction of the walls of the bowel. The psyllium acts as a hard sponge as it works it way down. This often causes an emptying of the bowel. Why herbal supplements can be effective for short term bowel emptying, they are not effective in fully cleansing the bowel, removing much of the toxic waste, or improving the health of the villi in the colon. In a sense, these types of products cause contraction but not oxidation—they do not internally cleanse. While these products are fairly inexpensive ($20 or so for a month’s supply), persons who either want to properly cleanse their colon or are suffering from constipation will want to use a proper oxygen-based colon cleanser.

Laxatives
Laxatives are used as temporary treatments of constipation. While they are often effective at clearing you out, they do not cleanse. They don’t touch the compaction one bit. Further, there are serious contraindications including dehydration and loss of muscle around the colon lining. This, after hydrotherapy, is the most dangerous treatment for constipation. If you want to treat temporary blockage, a laxative may be helpful. If you want to experience the benefits of a proper colon cleanse or have mild or chronic constipation, however, they won’t be of much use to you.

Oxygen-Based Colon Cleansers
The hands down best way to get a thorough colon cleanse is through oxygen-based colon cleansers. The only true way you’re going to melt away that compacted matter is through an oxidation reduction reaction. Oxygen based cleansers use specialized ozonated magnesium oxidesto reduce the solid toxic mass into a liquid or gas form. The good ones work in the whole system, not just the large intestine as the other forms of constipation treatments. The ozonated magnesium oxides are able to clean the entire intestinal tract and deliver much needed oxygen along the way.

While psyllium and other fiber products simply scrape matter out through the center of a clogged colon, oxygen therapy removes old, impacted fecal matter as it detoxifies and cleans the entire colon. By thoroughly cleansing the entire intestinal tract, it allows room for a normal bowel processes. It is important to note that the very large majority of the so-called oxygen-based cleansers, however, have failed independent oxygen release tests. They simply release much less oxygen then they claim to release. This is due to the fact that they use a low-quality form of magnesium oxide that has not gone through the specialized ozonating process that allows the higher quality products to properly and fully detoxify and cleanse the entire intestinal tract.

The oxygen cleansers on the market include:

• Homozon
• Oxy-Powder
• Oxy-OxC;
• Oxy-Mag;
• Oxy-Mega;
• Aerobic Mag 07;
• Colozone; and
• Colosan

In independent laboratory tests, only two products release the amount of oxygen needed to properly and completely cleanse and melt away the mucous and compacted matter in the colon. These are Homozon and Oxy-Powder. Homozon has been around since it was invented in 1898 by Dr. Eugene Blass. Oxy-Powder on the other hand, was developed recently, is 20% stronger in laboratory tests, contains an in-capsule catalyst, and the immune system stimulant Germanium-132. Additional information on Oxy-Powder can be found at http://www.oxypowder.com.

In review, colon cleansing rids the colon of debris, and years of compacted waste and toxic material. It can prevent and help reduce a variety of health problems and is essential for anyone suffering from constipation. The treatments out there for constipation include colon hydrotherapy, laxatives, enemas, herbal supplements, and oxygen based cleansers. While each treatment has its pros and cons the recommended treatment for a proper cleansing is oxygen colon cleansers. The recommended oxygen colon cleanser of the Constipation Resource Center is Oxy-Powder. This product uses ozonated magnesium oxides to clean the entire intestinal tract and remove old, impacted fecal matter as it detoxifies and cleans the entire colon.

http://www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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Guest Author: Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, PhD, DACBN

If you’re suffering from constipation, you are no doubt looking for some answers to bring relief. Treatments for constipation vary with the type of constipation from which you’re suffering. Most people do not know that they should have 1 bowel movement for each meal they eat. At a minimum people should have two bowel movements daily.

If you experience constipation for more than 1 week, you should consult your healthcare provider to determine the cause of your problem. Most people are suffering as a result of lifestyle changes and choices. For some people, though, constipation can signal a more serious problem such as a bowel obstruction or even colon cancer. If your bowel movements smell foul it is your body giving you a warning signal! Listen to your body.

If you’re diagnosed with a bowel obstruction, you and your physician will have to make a decision about appropriate treatment. If you’re suffering from constipation as a result of lifestyle, there are several treatment options for you.

Changing your diet. People who have chronic constipation will almost certainly need a change in diet. Increasing the amount of fiber in the diet can help relieve chronic problems with constipation. Eating raw fruits and vegetables, brown wild rice, flaxseeds, bran and whole grain cereals will provide a good source of fiber.

Adding exercise. It’s also important to increase the amount of activity you’re getting. Starting an exercise program can help regulate your bowels. Exercise can be as simple as taking a brisk 20 minute walk every morning of evening.

Keeping your body hydrated. People who suffer from constipation are often dehydrated. Make sure to drink 6-8 glasses of purified water each day. Avoid tap water! Tap water can contain harmful chemicals, viruses and bacteria. I recommend adding raw organic apple cider vinegar to the water you drink. Organic apple cider vinegar has been used for centuries as a remedy for all sorts of health problems.

Check your medications. Many medications are the cause of constipation. Check with your healthcare provider to make sure that you’re not making your problem worse with prescriptions. Be aware that there are natural alternatives available if you know where to find them. A good source of information and high tech natural alternatives to prescription drugs and surgery can be found at www.globalhealingcenter.com

Be wary of laxatives. Try to avoid over-the-counter laxatives. They are often very harsh on the large intestine and overuse can actually cause more problems with constipation. Laxatives can cause serious health problems such as diarrhea, bloating, dehydration and damage to the intestinal lining.

Herbal remedies. Many herbal supplements are designed to aid in constipation. If you decide to try an herbal remedy, make sure that you talk with your physician first. Some herbal remedies interfere with prescription medications you may be taking. We suggest the following: Pure aloe vera, ginger, senna, yerba mate. The best is a concentrated green formula such as “Perfect Food OM” manufactured by Garden of Life.

Improve your bowel habits. Try to go the bathroom at the same time every day, after meals and as soon as you feel the urge. Give yourself enough time to go to the bathroom. Never, Never hold in a bowel movement.

Cleanse the colon weekly. It may be a good idea to begin a colon-cleansing program every week that will help remove impacted feces from the large intestine. It’s best to participate in a program, such as using oxygen colon cleansers such as “Oxy-Powder”, that is non-invasive and will not remove the good bacteria in the large intestine. Oxy-Powder will also deliver oxygen into your system. This is the secret used by the stars in Hollywood.

It’s always best to seek the advice of a healthcare professional before beginning any treatment option. Everyone’s body is a little different. You’ll want to make sure that your treatment choice is safe and will be effective for your body.

————— A prolific author, Dr. Edward Group has written seven books and dozens of articles on subjects such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, ultimate health, constipation, pain relief and more… In addition he is editor of the worldwide Internet monthly newsletter Alternative Health and Healing.

His latest work, “Transforming Your Health in 90 Days or Less!” shows people the seven most important steps to feeling good and looking younger without using drugs or surgery. Dr. Edward Group’s knowledge of alternative/natural protocols is thorough and his expression is opinionated and passionate. He never fails to share inside tips and helpful ideas that his audience can gain immediate benefit from.

www.colon-cleanse-constipation.com

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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It use to be acceptable years ago for the big boss to yell at his subordinates all day, everyday. Employees from all types of walks of life, vocations, races, and geographical locations would have to put up with the stress of the workplace and then come home and deal with life at home.

History has shown that people will find a way to decompress – but unfortunately many people never learned healthy ways to do it and their marriages, families, etc. suffered because of it.

Think of the overworked mother who comes home and releases all her stress by yelling at her children about homework, their friends, their behavior etc. That behavior creates a different type of stress within the family structure that will be a legacy for those children and their children.

Many people think they don’t have time to decompress in “healthy” ways or ways that they would prefer. So they have an after work drink or smoke. Unfortunately, there are serious health consequences for these types of decompression tactics and they can snowball into crutches and/or addictions.

So what do we do?

1. Some people have to do something before they hit the front door. Walk around the block. Drive around the block. Stop by the grocery store or department store for a few last minute items.

2. Some people choose to create a bit more time for themselves before coming home and fit in going to the gym for 30 minutes, or enrolling in a creative type of class like paining, ceramics, knitting, or going by the library/book store for a book signing or reading.

3. Other people absolutely have no time between getting off of work and getting home or picking up their kids from after-care etc., so the plan needs to happen in the car or when they get home. Make sure you have some of your favorite CDs in the car or an audio book. There is no mandate that you have to start homework or dinner immediately after you hit the door. Take some time to unwind with a magazine you’ve been dying to read. Play a game or dance 30 minutes with your kids.

4. Finally, there are always the old stand-by’s. Deep-breathing and other meditative moves before you move onto another task. One drink after work or with dinner. Eating a great meal (but not overdoing it:)

5. Talk about your job with others that will listen. Vent your frustrations and come up with realistic and creative solutions to make your life at the job more manageable.

Whatever you do, choose something. If you go to work day after day screaming at your employees or you are at the receiving end of this behavior — you have to do something before you deal with the rest of your life. If not you can become a negative force in your house and to yourself.

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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Looking at the world as a glass that is half full may be more beneficial than you ever realized. *In a recent Dutch study, researchers found that being an optimistic person may help reduce your risk of dying from disease, especially cardiovascular disease.

Think positive and you can actually live longer!

In a study of 900 seniors aged 65-85, results concluded that people who considered themselves optimists had lower rates of cardiovascular death and less risk of any cause of death than self-proclaimed pessimists.

It appears as if being optimistic offers the body added protection against death from disease, and is an important overall factor when you consider how you choose to live your life.

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

Well some of us just weren’t natural born optimists, so what can you do about it? It’s really not rocket science. You just have to constantly remind yourself not to stress all the little stuff and remember that tough times do not last forever. Remember that your glass is half full because there is always someone that is dealing with issues much worse than yours, and life is as fantastic as you believe it to be!

Recommended Resource:
SUCCESS Manifesto for Students

http://www.successmanifesto.com

Get a free copy of the bestselling book, The Student Success Manifesto: How to Create a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity. It has received rave reviews from students, teachers, professionals and mega-bestselling authors.

*The findings of this study appear in the November issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry and was previously reported in Health Day News.

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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Three stress relief techniques By David Leonhardt

There is good stress, and there is bad stress. Good stress propels a person to excel, to reach new heights or to complete a big project on time.

And there is bad stress. Stress that comes from conflict or worries. Stress that keeps a person from sleeping and happiness. Stress that calls for relief. Here are three stress-relief tips you can follow.

Meditation for stress relief.

Can there be a more obvious stress relief strategy than to bring your entire physical being to a calm? Meditation techniques often involve visualization of something calm, like a blank screen or clouds. Or it can mean clearing your mind entirely.

If stress is caused by how we allow our minds to captured by worries and fears, then replacing those worries and fears with calmer images is the obvious way to reduce stress.

Exercise to reduce stress.

If relaxing to a state where even your blood vessels are almost still is the ultimate in stress relief, surely exercise, which gets even your blood pumping at breakneck speed, must be the ultimate stress demon.

Not so. Exercise is a big stress reliever. That’s because exercise releases physical tension in the muscles.

Here’s another tip: exercise in water to reduce stress even more. Why? Because you are more buoyant on water; gravity takes a much gentler toll on your body, so the tension created in your muscles just by holding you up gets released. For the ultimate stress release, exercise in water. Or meditate in water. Or laugh in water.

Laughter reduces stress, too.

Yes, laughter also relieves stress. The muscles we use to laugh are those tense ones in our faces. When we loosen them, we release tension from our faces. We also allow more blood to flow to the pleasure centers of the brain (which might be why someone with a ‘good sense of humor’ is considered more attractive).

I will close with this excerpt from my newsletter, A Daily Dose of Happiness:

“Little Lady was guarding the space between the trees, as I tried to kick her little ball past her.

“Then an idea struck me. Off to the side lay a large, purple fit ball that the kids like to be bounced on. A rushed over, rolled it into the clearing and kicked it toward Little Lady. ‘Giant Blueberry Soccer!’ I shouted. She laughed.

“For the next ten or fifteen minutes, we rolled and licked and laughed and shouted, “Giant Blueberry Soccer!”

“What a great family moment, stress relief, joy-injector, fun and more. My formula was simple, and you can do it too. Look around and find something that just would not belong, like a too-big ball. Then imagine what it might be, like a blueberry. Then thrust it into your situation with all the gusto you can apply.

“Have fun.”

Biography: David Leonhardt is the author of two happiness self-help books.
Read another article on techniques for stress relief.

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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Guest Author: Chris Green

1. Take a relaxing bath. Add music, candles and a glass of your favourite drink: beer, tea, hot chocolate, wine or even champagne. Close the door and forget about everything else for an hour or so. This helps to increase levels of calmness and the calmer we feel, the less likely we are to get stressed out or depressed.

2. Comedy night: get in your favourite nibbles: chips, tortillas, salsa, crackers, cheese, pizza, chocolate, cookies, ice cream etc. Crack open a bottle of wine or pour yourself a beer or two and spend a full evening watching your favourite funny films or comedians. Laughter raises our spirits and is a great antidote to the stresses and trials of modern living.

3. Get out of the firing line: Take off for some peace and quiet for a day or better still a weekend or a week. Take a journal, relax and gather your thoughts. When we’re under pressure or struggling to cope with a major situation or event in life, seeing solutions to our problems can be really difficult. Distance from problems can bring clarity and relieve tension. I love going to the coast when I feel like this and it always, without fail, helps me to calm down and find solutions. I don’t know why but there’s something really soothing about being near the ocean. Being near water, come to think of it.

4. Increase calmness and feel great by indulging in massage. Share a massage with your partner – create a relaxing atmosphere by softening the lights and have oils and towels to hand. Lavender oil is particularly relaxing. Or, treat yourself to a massage from a professional masseur or masseuse. For a really invigorating massage, visit a Turkish baths if you’re fortunate enough to have one nearby. Massage is very relaxing and increases intimacy between lovers. It’s one huge stress buster as well but be warned, it’s addictive! Not a bad thing to be addicted to though, and it will do you no end of good.

5. Spend a week without watching any television. Television can fill your mind with negativity, bombard you with image manipulation via commercials and give you a distorted view of reality by showing you everything that’s bad about the world. Famines, disasters, murders, violence, war – the list is endless – and news programmes and soap operas are full of such events. So give your mind a break from this assault on your senses. Abandon the television for a week and do something more rewarding instead: Read a book, listen to music, socialize, workout, go for a walk or try your hand at something new. If you need to hear the news, listen to a radio news bulletin once a day. But try and avoid them for one week, replace them with something more life enhancing and see how you feel.

The above ideas are very simple to implement but they are also very effective in helping to relieve stress and tension. Give them a try and watch your mood levels rise!

Until next time.
Biography: Chris Green is the author of the new book “Conquering Stress”, a special program which will show you how to conquer stressful illnesses such as depression, anxiety, panic and worry permanently and without taking powerful drugs. You can learn more about this new book at http://www.conqueringstress.com

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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Guest Author: Sheri Purfield

Time management can be a big issue for stay at home moms that have many things going on in their lives. For mothers that truly want the best for themselves and their families, time management can play a major role as to their success.

If you always feel rushed and you feel you can’t get anything completed during the day you might want to address your time management methods. If you have the feeling of not being able to focus on one thing at a time and not being able to handle distractions well, then you should take a step away from the action and relearn the basics.

Time management is a simple concept: plan and organize your schedule to make your time as clear and productive as possible. However, as with most stay at home moms, we must accept that there will be plenty adversity during the day and we have to deal with it.

If you are finding that you are pressed for free time or that you just feel too busy chasing your kids around, here are some tips to make your time more productive and find some time for yourself.

Wake up a Little Earlier and Take Time to Take Care of Yourself

Remember you have control as to when you wake up. Consider waking up a little earlier. I find that taking the first 30 – 60 minutes of the day to just think does wonders for my mental outlook. Take a few minutes to have a cup of coffee or tea and write down what you need to do for the day or maybe do absolutely nothing. If you want, write down any tasks you promised your family or yourself to do earlier and prioritize as to when you can complete them.

If you really want to do something great take on exercising: wake up 60 minutes earlier than your family and work out. Movement is a great way to start the day and it clears your mind. There is so much to be said for exercising and living a healthy life style. The point is that you want to give yourself a head start. Again: you can control when you wake up.

Take Control of Incoming Demands

Children can be a very powerful distraction that can easily take your focus away. I have two young children (six and three years old) and it seems that they have a request every 30 seconds. Some days I’m reaching for the Excedrin by 9:00 am. However, you must embrace the fact that your family comes first.

The best thing to do here is to try your best to teach your children to ask for things one at a time and also (if age permits) show them how to do things on their own. If you are doing something very important and it’s not a life and death request from your child, try to defer it until you complete the task. Your time can be well spent by teaching your kids to take care of a few things themselves when they ask for something.

Keep a Note Book and Pen Handy

Try to keep a note book with yourself at all times. As long as you are not driving or doing something dangerous, it is best to write down your random thoughts in a note book. This way you can decide what to do with the task when you are ready to review new information. This is a good way to decide if an idea is good enough to pursue. More importantly you can prioritize the idea.

Writing down your ideas and forgotten tasks in a note book can be a powerful tool in dealing with distractions. If you are like me (with a mind going a mile a minute), a note pad and pen is essential to time management.

Time management is necessary for almost anyone in this super busy world we live in. However, I feel it’s even more important for stay at home moms because we are responsible for keeping our families together. Our days are filled with running around for our children, working on multiple projects at the same time plus some of us try to juggle school or a home business. So time management skills are definitely needed and can really help.

If you really want the opportunity to improve yourself, think about starting your own home business. We sell skin care products that made with the best ingredients and provide results for the people that use them. This opportunity is the “perfect” stay at home mom business.

Lisa Angelettie, M.S.W., is a psychotherapist, author, and life coach. She has been helping people make smarter life choices since 1998. Get more free tips like this when you subscribe to the GirlShrink newsletter .

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