Relaxation and Stress Management

Do you take time out for yourself and relax regularly?

Do you manage the stress in your life well?

The benefits of relaxation are endless. Time spent relaxing your body and mind gives you physical and mental benefits. Regular relaxation is the enemy of stress. Stress is now recognised as a key factor in contributing to illness, it can also be a cause of work, family, relationships and some sexually related problems.

Stress levels can vary from low to high anxiety stress, depending on what is happening in your life right now and how you are reacting to it.  Ideally you will be functioning at a positive stress level and entering a low stress level when you want to relax. This is one of the key approaches to achieving a good mind, and body balance.

What are the main differences between the various stress levels?

LOW STRESS

Relaxation Zone

This is the level you go into when you want to deliberately relax and unwind.

However, if you are operating at this low level of stress all of the time, you may find that your day to day performance is low because you have become bored. At this level your concentration is poor and your motivation to achieve things diminishes.

 Continuing at this level day to day will result in you under achieving and more often than not, avoiding dealing with the issues in your life. If this sounds like you then may be its time to move up a level; into your personal performance zone. It's easy to come back down to a low stress level when you want to relax and unwind.

POSITIVE STRESS

Personal Performance Zone

A positive stress level is where you perform at your best, your personal performance zone. If you are operating at a positive stress level - in your personal performance zone, you are:

• Alert, your concentration is good
• You are creative and your motivation is high
• Your self image is positive and you have a strong sense of self appreciation and self belief
• You are determined and will push yourself to the limit to achieve your goals
• You deal with any challenges in your life proactively
• Seek to find solutions to your problems
• Are in control of your life, no matter what it throws at you
• You know instinctively when to relax and unwind and do so on a regular basis
• You know how to have fun, enjoy your life, and others seek you out as you are stimulating and fun to be with

If this is you, then you reinforce my belief and passion for people and their ability to change when change is needed, to ask the right questions, give yourself choices and live life full on.

HIGH STRESS

Anxiety Zone

When your stress levels are too high on a continuous basis, your overall day to day performance will probably suffer from all the physical and mental symptoms of operating for too long at a high stress level.

If you are operating at a high stress level - the anxiety zone:

This level of stress adversely affects your physical and mental health. Mentally, it can often paralyse you from taking any course of action or have poorly thought out decisions that lead to even more problems. Physically, it can produce adverse physical symptoms and over time can be a major factor in contributing to illness. If you are experiencing these symptoms, then it's definitely time to lower your stress level to one of positive stress.

For living your life like this, is not living at all, it's surviving at best.

How do you get into your personal performance zone?

Changing your stress level takes time and commitment from you. There are no quick fixes, as stress itself is an effect and not the cause of the problem. The cause lies elsewhere in your life, an issue or issues that need to be resolved. Acknowledging your stress is the first step. Deciding to deal with it is in a proactive way is the next.

This is the way to start taking back control of your life and allowing yourself the opportunity to overcome issues, and get back on the right path to living your life, in a way that's right for you.

To discuss your current situation or make an appointment, please call: 07968 183145 or email: