Be Your Best

Todd Gifford – Success Coach

Stress is an absolute and literal ‘killer’ for many people.  Whether on the job or outside of work, stress is something that has a major negative impact on just about all of us.  Allowing stressful situations or information to negatively affect you is a huge energy drain, but it also wastes a large portion of your available time (most do not think about the time waste of stress).  Wish there was a magic bullet to reduce or eliminate stress?  There actually is one, but it might be safer to say there are a few magic bullets.

The Past, the Future, and the Present
This is probably going to disappoint you, but the magic silver bullet with respect to stress is simply hidden within the way you think about the past, the future, and the present.  Most all stress results from our recollection or reliving of the past and our imagination about the future.  The funny thing about the past and the future is that we can do nothing to change the past and the future has still yet to happen to be affected upon. That leaves the ‘present’, and the magic bullet of relieving stress.  The present or the ‘now’ is the only time or moment which you can impact right now.  Your point of greatest power is always in the present moment.

Reducing or Eliminating Stress
The best way to reduce or eliminate stress is to stop thinking about the past or wishing for it to be different, and stop dreaming or imagining negative things to happen in the future.  If you can buy into the reality that your point of power is always in the present/now, and you know that you can impact the now immediately by taking whatever action(s) you want, you now fill your time with action and focused thoughts on that action.  Ironically, by shifting all your thinking to the now/present, you gain more control of what turns into the past and affecting what is coming in the future.  This may sound too simple, but it works very effectively.  A good question to ask yourself to make this shift whenever you feel stressed is: “What action(s) can or should I take right now about whatever it is that I am thinking about?”.  Action is a key antidote to stress and fear.  Action happens in the now — action for sometime in the future is simply an ‘idea’.

Two Precious Resources: Your Energy and Time
If stress is largely created by thinking about the past and the future, then it goes without saying that every moment you spend stressing about the past or the future is wasting present time you could use to take some action(s) to create positive outcomes.  Essentially, you are stealing from a resource that cannot be replaced — your time.  Your energy level has a large bearing on your ability to stay focused on the present and now, and with making good decisions about actions you should take (or not take) in the now.  If you do not maintain a high energy level, it is difficult to manage your priorities, learn and adapt to the current situation and changing information, and concentrate on your immediate actions.

Energy Drains and Boosters
Three big energy boosters (or drains if they are not made to be priorities) are, no surprise here:  quality sleep, consistent exercise, and decent eating habits.  For adults, it is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) that you should get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.  In addition to that, starting that sleep period between 9:30 pm and 10:30 pm is recommended.  According to the NSF, sleep is just as important to your energy level as diet and exercise.  What I personally like about the sleep category to boost energy is that it is, by far, the easiest to implement a good regiment.

A large body of research also indicates that increasing exercise boosts energy levels.  In a recent University of Georgia study, they showed that inactive people boosted energy levels by 20%+ just by doing a little low intensity exercise each day.  Scientists have proven that exercise stimulates tiny organs called mitochondria at the cellular level to produce energy in your body.  More exercise… more energy produced.  More energy…more action capable in the now.  More action in the now, less stress and fatigue.  With respect to diet and eating habits, there is plenty of information  indicating that eating a reasonably good assortment of portions of the various food groups, in moderation, will provide maximum energy level.

Obviously there are lots of things that can contribute to stress and various means to relieve stress.  Try consistently squaring your focus on the ‘present’ and on what actions you can take ‘now’, and work on increasing your energy level.  It can have a dramatic and positive impact on your results and how you feel.

Be Your Best,
Todd D. Gifford