compensate for stress. You'll find
dozens of books ranging from
aerobics to Zen. All of them work for
somebody. None of them work for
everybody. Remember that stress is
intensely personal. Additionally,
certain compensation methods work
better for certain types of stress. You
will have to find what is best for you.
The only way to find out is to try them
and see what happens.
Anger and frustration are often
purged with physical activity of some
sort. One method that I have found
very useful (and others who have tried
it agree) is to hit golf balls. It's quick,
easy, fairly inexpensive, and effective.
Simply imagine the ball as being the
stressor and hit it as hard as you can.
After 50 or 100 whacks at the driving
range, you will find most of the anger
and frustration has dissipated.
Pounding the living daylights out of
something is very good at relieving
anger and frustration.
You can try hitting baseballs in a
batting cage. But that takes more skill
and concentration. You might also try
racquetball or tennis. These are
somewhat less effective and more
complicated because you have to find
a partner/opponent and locate a place
to play. There are many other related
ideas. Splitting firewood for example.
But be very careful with the maul!
Anger and frustration can make you
careless.
One very effective technique is
"totem-destruction." A friend had a
boss who was, by all standard measures, not rational. Working for him
was like doing a polka in a hammock
— impossible and painful. However,
a few years earlier he had given
everyone in the department a large
ceramic animal. We took this ceramic monstrosity and made a totem
out of it. Adorned with rubber
cement, spray paint, gobs of cat hair,
and lighter fluid it was first set on
fire (safely). Then the sledgehammer
was employed. First into large
pieces and then into smaller ones.
The baseball bat whacked the
remains into a vacant field. The
whole procedure took about two
hours and was very cathartic. Later,
at work, when the boss asked where
the animal was, my friend just
smiled and said, "It's found its
proper place here and there around
the house." (A new job eliminated
that stressor for good.)
If you are stressed from overwork,
a nap at lunch can be very helpful.
Ideally, the nap should be away from
the workplace, if practical. A quick
bag-lunch and a 30 minute nap in
your car can be effective. Car seats are
much more comfortable that your
desk chair and you aren't likely to be
interrupted. Naturally, be careful
where you nap. If you live close to
where you work, a nap at home is very
restful.
Exercise, as noted before, is
extremely useful in reducing general
stress. Jogging to lunch, instead of
driving, works. Any exercise or energetic sport is beneficial. Lunchtime is
good because it's always available
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92
January 2006