Choose a life of less stress by identifying your stress points.
You can start by answering the following eight questions in your
personal journal:

1. Look around you at all the ways you have created your lifestyle.
Why did you make each lifestyle choice? Why do you work the hours you do?
Why are your relationships in the state they are in?
This exercise helps you to remember that almost everything in your life
is a direct result of a choice you have made and that you have the power
and the freedom to make a new choice anytime.

This is also an excellent tool for positive affirmation, particularly
on those days when the sacrifices youve made stare you squarely
in the face. If you discover that the choice youve made isnt
the right one, outline the changes you need to make.


2. What are your priorities? How important is your spirituality,
your family, your professional identity? Consider this ranking
when youre called to make choices and compromises.

When have you put your identity, your plans, and your
self-nurturing on hold while you took care of someone else?


3. If you had 15 to 30 minutes each day for yourself, how would
you spend it? Schedule time for yourself. Mark it in your day
planner or on the family calendar.


4. How much of your stress level is the effect of over-dramatization?
Remind yourself that the level of stress you experience is directly
related to the way you internalize it and the importance you
place on your own dramatization.


5. Do nutrition and exercise contribute to your stress or help
you manage it? If you arent sure, keep an energy diary to
help you determine the hidden factors in your lifestyle that
may be robbing you of energy. Make a plan to change or eliminate
those influences.

Log the times each day when you feel beat or burned out.
For me, its 3 pm -- about the time I want to hit the cookie
jar. Try to schedule your workout (not a great big snack) for the
time of day when you need an energy boost.


6. How easy is it for you to say "no"? Respect yourself and
your time enough to delegate tasks and refuse to take on
more than you can handle.


7. Are you multi-tasking yourself into more stress? When we
try to do too much at once, we are raising, not lowering,
our stress level. Multi-task only when you can realistically
fulfill all tasks adequately. Its hard to tune into
your kids while you catch up on your own reading, for
example, and you cant take time out for
yourself while simultaneously devoting the time to
anyone else. Decide which tasks deserve your full
attention. Then give it.


8. Do you have the support network you need? Conduct a
search at http://groups.yahoo.com or http://www.topica.com
for an online group that shares your hobbies, interests,
or lifestyle.


About the author:
Susie Michelle Cortright is the author of several books for women
and founder of the award-winning Momscape.com, a website designed
to help busy women find balance. Visit http://www.momscape.com today
and get Susie's *free* course-by-email "6 Days to Less Stress."