Certain everyday situations have huge potential for causing stress. But by being organized and easing up on self-imposed time pressures, you can dodge these situations and skip the stress.

Sometimes, stressful situations occur because we let them — once you allow stress get to you, tension and anxiety can mount very quickly. Here are some common anxiety-creating everyday events, and ways you can reduce stress and minimize their impact on your life:

1. Being stuck in traffic. There are few feelings as frustrating as being in traffic that has come to a dead stop or is crawling along when you need to get somewhere in a hurry — your child’s school, your office, or a doctor’s appointment. You can’t anticipate an accident on the road, but you can do some advance planning to avoid stress:

• When possible, avoid scheduling appointments during peak traffic hours; when that’s not possible, give yourself twice the time to get to your destination.
• Research alternate routes or adjust your work schedule if leaving home 15 minutes earlier, for instance, can help you avoid traffic. And if you do get stuck, keep in mind that while you can’t control the traffic, you can control your reaction to the situation: Use your time constructively and reduce stress by listening to an audio book or practicing deep-breathing relaxation to prevent frayed nerves. If you’re going to be late for a meeting or appointment, call ahead to explain what’s happened rather than keeping someone else waiting. The person on the other end of the phone will probably be more understanding of your predicament than you expect.

2. Arriving on time. To reduce stress from being late, plan for unforeseen delays and give yourself extra time to reach your destination. If you arrive early, use the extra minutes to freshen up, get organized, return a phone call that you thought you’d have to delay, and delight in the fact that you avoided the stress of cutting it too close!

3. Meeting a deadline at work. It may not be uncommon for your boss to ask you to complete a project on short notice. You can use this opportunity to flounder or shine. Being organized in general can help make a pressing deadline a little less stressful. Practicing good time management skills will also reduce stress when you’re crunched for time. Consider writing out a concrete to-do list or making a schedule to help stay on track even when a major deadline is looming. Taking these methodic steps will increase your confidence level and help you avoid stress.

4. Making a presentation. Many people become anxious about giving a presentation whether it’s at work, a PTA meeting, or in front of a volunteer group. Taking the necessary time to get ready, though, can help you avoid stress. Plan ahead so you have plenty of opportunities to prepare, review, and give a dry run in front of a friend or your spouse — if you feel confident about your knowledge of the material, you will reduce stress. If you’re feeling nervous, relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing before, during, and after your presentation, can help slow your heart rate and make you feel calmer.

5. Arguing with friends, family, or coworkers. It’s normal not to always see eye-to-eye with those around you. Even so, a disagreement doesn’t have to become a stressful confrontation. When you approach your loved one or co-worker respectfully — and recognize that you are each entitled to your own opinion — and having different opinions doesn’t have to change your opinion of one another. If it seems like an argument is spiraling out of control, take a deep breath and step back from the situation. A brief time-out can help both of you keep things in perspective.

6. Having a financial problem. Planning for potential financial issues ahead of time can help you reduce stress. Focus on building up your savings, consider taking an additional job if necessary, and stick to a reasonable budget. Living within your means and replenishing your savings account can help significantly reduce financial stress. If you do find yourself in a financial bind, seek out the advice of a financial counselor who can help you deal with creditors and find ways to cut your bills.

7. Waiting in line. Lines always seem to be longer when you’re in a rush. Unfortunately, waiting in line is another stressful situation that you can’t control, but you can anticipate and plan for by shopping at off-hours and online. If you’re pressed for time, put off tasks, like going to the post office, where there’s likely to be a long line. Look for stress-free ways to get your tasks done; using the U.S. Postal Service, it’s now possible to mail almost anything from home — you can print out postage and even request a pickup. Use self-checkout aisles at stores; they’re often less crowded. And if you have no choice but to wait in line, take deep breaths, think of something soothing, and simply try to let your stress go (but don’t give in to that impulse candy purchase!).

Careful planning and a change in your overall attitude can also go a long way toward reducing stress … and what a relief that will be!

Sending you a smile, Robin Downes

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“We found that people who got more than six but less than eight hours of sleep, and who reported the lowest levels of stress, had the most success in a weight-loss program,” said study author Dr. Charles Elder.

Elder speculates if you are sleeping less or more than recommended and if your stress levels are high, you will not be able to focus on making behavioral changes.

These factors may also have a biological impact, he added.

“If you want to lose weight, things that will help you include reducing stress and getting the right amount of sleep,” Elder said.

Click here to read full USA Today article

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1. If You’re Seriously Stressed

The best fix is the one you can do anywhere: breathing. Close your eyes and inhale deeply through your nose. Hold for five counts; exhale through your nose for 10 counts. Repeat for two minutes. This can deactivate your fight-or-flight response and help you relax.

2. Tense Shoulders

Stand with back against a wall, heels together, arms by sides. Slowly roll upper body down, head toward floor, until you’re hanging upside down, arms loose and swinging freely. From here, do eight small, uncontrolled circles with your arms, releasing the tension in your shoulders. Reverse the circles for eight reps; slowly roll back up the wall.

3. Lower Back Pain

Try the Supine Crossover: Lie on your back with legs extended, arms at sides. Gently pull right knee to your chest, holding the back of your thigh. Release and stretch right knee across body to the left as far as you can, keeping both shoulders on the floor, your arms in a T-shape. Switch legs and repeat. Do two times on each side.

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If you are feeling stressed by the current economic situation, the best thing you can do is try to regain a sense of control over your emotions, finances, and life, say the experts.

Stress and the Economy: Advice From a Financial Planner

The first thing you should do is turn off the TV business news, says Ivan M. Illan, director of financial planning at Michel Financial Group in Los Angeles. “Markets by their very nature are extremely volatile, even in so-called ‘good times,’” says Illan. “Business television exploits natural market cycles in higher viewership to justify higher advertising rates.”

Next, control your emotions. “We are driven primarily by emotion. The institutional investors know this and often make higher profits during times of fear, preying on the emotionally charged investing public,” says Illan. Profiting from fear and anxiety is taught in business school, he says — the more trades, the more commissions. So don’t fall into this trap.

“Stay committed to your investment plan,” Illan says. And continue to save as you did when times were good.

Two other pieces of advice: Do not invest anywhere, including in bonds, until you’ve saved six months’ worth of cash to cover basic living expenses in case of emergency. And the risk of taking out a loan for retraining or acquiring another degree is worth it, he says.

Stress and the Economy: Advice From a Psychologist

“You may not be able to control the stock market, but there is still a lot you can do to gain a sense of control,” says Mary Coussons-Read, PhD, professor of psychology and health and behavioral science and associate dean at the University of Colorado in Denver.

To put the lid on stress, sleep well, exercise a lot, and eat healthy meals. Coussons-Read also suggests that you do the following to keep your cool during tough economic times:

• Create a budget. Even though creating a new budget might mean giving up a few things that you don’t want to give up, doing so will give you an important sense of control over your finances, which ultimately means less stress.
• Regain perspective. Take a break from your stressed daily life to volunteer. “It can help you remember that there are persons who are worse off than you are,” says Coussons-Read. It’s also a good way to use your time and, possibly, keep using your skills if you are job hunting.
• Socialize. It’s important to seek out other people for fun and conversation, says Coussons-Read. If you only want to be with other people who are equally stressed out about finances and jobs, it shouldn’t be too hard to find them. The American Psychological Association reports that four out of five Americans (at least) worry about money and the economy. Check local community listings online or in the newspaper to see which groups are meeting when. It is also a good idea to hang out with people who you can have fun with and not just talk about your financial woes.

Read more from Everyday Health

(from Marie Claire)

Reach for these items next time you’re feeling under pressure, under the weather, or just too close to that breaking point. Munching on these stress-free foods will help pull you back into the game.

Oranges
A German study in Psychopharmacology found that vitamin C helps reduce stress and return blood pressure and cortisol to normal levels after a stressful situation. Vitamin C is also well-known for boosting your immune system.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be particularly stress-reducing because they can satisfy the urge you get for carbohydrates and sweets when you are under a great deal of stress. They are packed full of beta-carotene and other vitamins, and the fiber helps your body to process the carbohydrates in a slow and steady manner.

Dried Apricots
Apricots are rich in magnesium, which is a stress-buster and a natural muscle relaxant as well.

Almonds, Pistachios & Walnuts
Almonds are packed with B and E vitamins, which help boost your immune system, and walnuts and pistachios help lower blood pressure.

Turkey
Turkey contains an amino acid called L-tryptophan. This amino acid triggers the release of serotonin, which is a feel-good brain chemical. This is the reason why many people who eat turkey feel relaxed, or even tired, after eating it. L-Tryptophan has a documented calming effect.

Spinach
A deficiency in magnesium can cause migraine headaches and a feeling of fatigue. One cup of spinach provides 40 percent of your daily needs for magnesium.

Salmon
Diets high in omega-3 fatty acids protect against heart disease. A study from Diabetes & Metabolism found that omega-3s keep the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline from peaking.

Avocados
The monounsaturated fats and potassium in avocados help lower blood pressure. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says that one of the best ways to lower blood pressure is to consume enough potassium (avocados have more than bananas).

Green Vegetables
Broccoli, kale, and other dark green vegetables are powerhouses of vitamins that help replenish our bodies in times of stress.

More stress-busting tips:
- Exercise regularly
- Drink an energy shake for breakfast
- Eat small meals throughout the day, which will keep your blood sugar stable (when blood sugar is low, mental, physical, and emotional energy decreases, and stress increases).

Big little stressor No. 1: Insecurity

Not surprisingly, paying bills, managing debt and sticking to a budget scored highest of all the stressors in our survey. But guess what? It’s not about the money, says Thomas Miller, Ph.D., a University of Kentucky psychologist and the author of Handbook of Stressful Life Transitions Across the Lifespan. “Much financial stress actually has to do with uncertainty—about your money situation, yes, but that really means your job. Not knowing specifics about where you stand eats at you like acid.”

Defuse it: Go on a fact-finding mission, Miller says. Demand answers to those elephant-in-the-room questions at work. Ask your boss how you fit into the company’s plans, or what you can do to make yourself more valuable. If he pauses or doesn’t appear truthful, push him with “Can you be more specific?” or even “So do you think I should be concerned?” “The more answers you’re given about your situation, the more clarity you’ll have—and clarity equals control,” Miller says.

Bonus tip: Worried about your job? Relieve your stress by using these 6 tricks to prevent being laid off.

Big little stressor No. 2: Hair loss

More than half the men in our poll felt stressed about their images, and many specified hair loss as the mane, er, main culprit. They’re not alone: A 2005 Mayo Clinic Proceedings review cites multiple studies showing that male pattern baldness negatively affects men’s feelings of attractiveness and body image. “For those guys who are feeling judged by their hair loss, the stress is very real,” Good says.

Defuse it: Reframe the problem as a medical issue, Good suggests. Treating hair loss with transplants costs $4,500 on average, while drug treatments can cost as much as $60 a month, for decades. Then run the numbers and decide if the expense is truly worth it to you, Good says. If it is, then go for it. But if you think you can deal with it as a mere medical inconvenience, you’ll be more easily able to snuff out this stressor.

Bonus tip: Find out which hair-loss treatments work best—and which you shouldn’t waste your money on—here.

Big little stressor No. 3: Exercise

How’s this for a bitter irony: Exercise is a well-known stress buster, yet nearly a third of the men in our poll rated sticking to an exercise program a 7 or higher on a 10-point stress scale. First, you stress about missing a workout or not exercising at all. Second, as you attempt to carve out time to exercise, your stress skyrockets as you cram in all the other things you need to accomplish that day. “That struggle may affect how and what you’re eating,” Miller says, “and now your food intake becomes a stressor.”

Defuse it: Miller suggests portion control—for your workout schedule. Shrink your exercise “portions” by boosting intensity: Turn your cardio routine into a shorter interval workout that alternates sprints with your normal pace. (You’ll also boost fat-burning this way.) If you’re lifting weights, cut your between-set rest in half—go from a minute to 30 seconds between each of 12 sets, and you’ll save six minutes. Then look for ways to condense other activities: showering, cooking, surfing the Web, and so forth. You have the time. You simply have to own it.

Bonus tip: Always have a workout on hand with the upgraded Men’s Health iPhone app. It’s like having your own personal trainer, 24/7, wherever you go.

Click for more

A rash of suicides and suicide attempts has some Baptists in the Carolinas doing some soul searching.

Hickory Pastor David Treadway, 42, is the latest clergyman to kill himself in his parked car leaving his family and members of his church family at Sandy Ridge Baptist to ask why.

Although Treadway had told his congregation he was in treatment several months before his suicide, parishioners said it still came as a shock.

In addition to Treadway, two others in North Carolina attempted suicide, and three in South Carolina succeeded, all in the last four years.

A recent USA Today article said Christian culture, especially Southern evangelicalism, creates the perfect environment for depression. Counselors say pastors suffer in silence, unwilling or unable to seek help or even talk about it. Sometimes they leave the ministry. Occasionally they end it all. Being a pastor — a high-profile, high-stress job with nearly impossible expectations for success — can send one down the road to depression, according to pastoral counselors.

“We set the bar so high that most pastors can’t achieve that,” H.B. London told USA Today. London is vice president for pastoral ministries at Focus on the Family, based in Colorado Springs, Colo. “And because most pastors are people-pleasers, they get frustrated and feel they can’t live up to that.”

Besides the recession’s strain on church budgets, depressed pastors increasingly report frustration over their congregations’ resistance to cultural change. Most depression does not lead to suicide, but almost all suicides begin with depression. Depression causes two-thirds of the 30,000 suicides reported each year, the AMA says. Nearly two out of three depressed people don’t seek treatment, according to studies by the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.