Reduce conflicts and reduce stress

Conflict is defined, according to dictionary.com, as "to come to a collision or disagreement; be contradictory; at variance, or opposition; to clash".

Conflict is something that we meet, on a daily basis. We disagree with others. We contradict others, or even ourselves at times. We encounter opposition. This is something that we, as human beings, must meet, or clash, head on in order to live our everyday lives.

But what can we do when there is too much conflict in our lives, causing too much stress? 
Try this - LISTEN!

Try listening to the person or thing you are in conflict with. There is a common technique called the 90-10 technique. It involves listening 90 percent of the time to WHAT the conflict is or WHO the conflict is with. You are only able to speak 10 percent of the time.

The general thought around this technique is to allow yourself to fully grasp the conflict and prepare for a response. It allows you to calm yourself down before reacting to the conflict in a destructive manner. 
This also allows you to reduce your own stress level and is a technique you can use when you encounter a stressful event in your life.

Listen - Listen some more - Then speak. AFTER you've given it some thought.

Some of techniques include: 

1. Focus on WHAT is said and not how it is said to you. Commonly, we disagree with the "delivery" of a message, rather than the actual message.
2. BITE YOUR TONGUE....for now. LISTEN to what's being said!! Formulate a response before responding. This is usually the hardest thing to do!
3. Do not respond to emotional words - Do not respond with emotional words.
4. Listen some more - do not interrupt!
5. Recognize the other person in conflict - is in conflict as well! Be the better person and respond when it's your time.

So, guys out there.. let's try this on.. We really hope this will help you to reduce your conflict between your social group.

How to reduce stress at work

There are a variety of steps you can take to reduce both your overall stress levels and the stress you find on the job and in the workplace. These include:

• Taking responsibility for improving your physical and emotional well-being.
• Avoiding pitfalls by identifying knee jerk habits and negative attitudes that add to the stress you experience at work.
• Learning better communication skills to ease and improve your relationships with management and coworkers. 

. healthy ways to relax and recharge .

* Go for a walk.

* Spend time in nature.

* Call a good friend.

* Sweat out tension with a good workout.

* Write in your journal.

* Take a long bath.

* Light scented candles

* Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.

* Play with a pet.

* Work in your garden.

* Get a massage.

* Curl up with a good book.

* Listen to music.

* Watch a comedy

. who is stress? .

Stress affects all of us regardless of our gender, age, race, or class.

~Men and women are stressed. Some are stressed trying to balance of husband/wife, mother/father, and homemaker.professional. others are struggling merely to survive, doing the best they can in an economy. They are competing for jobs in a market flooded with the recently unemployed as companies downsize. Still others are caught in the cycle of unemployment, poverty, welfare and despair.

~Children are stressed. Some, such as typical 5 or 6 year old, are stressed adjusting to the new world of school. Others are stressed from trying to cope with the pressures that accompany divorce, single-parent households, and blended families.

~College students are stressed. Some are trying to cope with the demands of adapting to a new living environment, new peers, academic pressure, and sexual concerns. College can also put financial stress on students and their families, and it seems that there is never enough hours to pay the bills.


~The elderly are stressed. Some are caught between the demands of forced retirement and the difficulty of meeting their financial needs. Others cope with the demands of frail health status and escalating health care costs. Still others are stressed by the loss of their spouses or the dissolution of their families as their adult children leave home.

.5 seconds stress test.

 

PART 1 FINGER & NECK STRESS TEST

 

A simple way to test your stress level is by comparing your hand temperature to your neck temperature. Neck temperature is typically around the high 80's to low 90's F. Hand temperature can vary from 60 degrees to 99 degrees in a normal room temperature. So you can test your hand temperature by touching your neck with the fingertips of both hands.

Do your fingers feel colder than your neck? How much colder? Allot or just slightly?

Do your fingers feel warm like your neck?

Remember "Warm Hands are Relaxed, Cold Hands are Tense!"

If your fingers feel really cold, then you are showing extra tension perhaps too much stress.

If your fingers feel cool, then you are showing some tension.

If your fingers are warm like your neck, then you may be relaxed and comfortable.

If your fingers feel hotter than your neck, then you may be deeply relaxed.

This is a simple test. Some people feel stress in muscle tension, sweaty hands or other ways that may be more apparent than hand temperature.

PART 2 MAKE YOURSELF TENSE

• Close your eyes and check your finger/neck temperature again.

Make yourself Stressed Out! Now sit and think of something really upsetting - a divorce, problems at work, a death, children problems, a bad experience in childhood, credit card bills, loneliness, etc. Really think about that problem for 3 minutes until you can feel your body change and react to that pressure.

• Check your finger/neck temperature again.

Did your fingers get colder? What else happened inside your body?

If were not able to make yourself feel tense then try this. Sit and imagine putting your hands in ICE COLD WATER. Feel the ice cubes rubbing against your fingers. Hear the freezing cold cubes clang against the glass bowl. Or imagine making snowballs or a snowman [person] with NO GLOVES. Imagine this for 3 minutes.

• Check your finger/neck temperature again.

Did your fingers get colder? What else happened inside your body?

PART 3 MAKE YOURSELF RELAXED

• Close your eyes and check your finger/neck temperature again.

Now let us test to see how well you can relax and make your hands warmer. Sit with your eyes closed. Take long, slow, deep breaths. For 3 minutes imagine that you are laying in the warm sunshine or under a heavy blanket in front of a fireplace. Feel the warmth flowing down your arms and into your hands. Feel the warmth pulsing and throbbing over your entire body.

• Check your finger/neck temperature again.

Did your fingers get warmer? What else happened inside your body?

By doing this simple test and then practicing 5 minutes of deep relaxation, I have had people report that headahces left, pain subsided and they felt much better. Years later people still use this simple method to relieve pain and pressure!

Physical Effects of Stress on the Internal Systems

Nervous System

When stress physically or psychologically the body suddenly shifts its energy resources to fighting off the perceived threat. In what is known as fight or flight response, the sympathetic nervous system signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones make the heart beat faster, raise blood pressure, change the digestive process and boost glucose levels in the bloodstream. Once the crisis passes the systems usually return to normal

Musculoskeletal System

Under stress muscles tense up. The contraction of muscles for extended periods can trigger tension headaches, migraines and various musculoskeletal conditions.

Respiratory System

Stress can make you breathe harder and cause rapid breathing, which can bring on panic attacks in some people.

Cardiovascular System

Acute stress – stress that is momentary, such as being stuck in the traffic – cause an increase in heart rate and stronger contractions of the heart muscle. Blood vessels that direct blood to the large muscles and to the heart dilate, increasing the amount of blood pumped to these parts of the body. Repeated episodes of stress can cause inflammation in the coronary arteries, thought to lead to heart attack.
is an interesting site where you can find more details about the effects of stress on your blood pressure.

Endocrine System

Adrenal glands
When the body is stressed the brain sends signals from the hypothalamus, causing the adrenal complex to produce cortisiol and the adrenal modulla to produce epinerphine – sometimes called “stress hormones”
Liver
When cortisol and epinerphine are released, the liver produces more glucose, a blood sugar that would give you the necessary energy to fight or flight in an emergency.

Gastrointestinal System

Esophagus
Stress may prompt you to eat more or much less than you usually do. If you eat more or different foods or increase your use of tobacco or alcohol you may experience heartburn or acid reflux.
Stomach
Your stomach may react with “butterflies” or even nausea or pain. You can vomit if the stress is severe enough.
Bowels
Stress can affect digestion and which nutrients your intestines absorb. It can also affect how quickly the food moves through your body. You may find that you have diarrhea or constipation.

Reproductive System

In men excess levels of cortisol, produced under stress, can affect the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Chronic stress can impair testosterone and sperm production and cause impotence.
In women stress cause absent or irregular menstrual cycles or more painful periods. It can also reduce sexual desire.
SOURCE: American Psychological Association

Immune system

The immune system is the internal system which is designed to protect us from any external bodies (viruses or bacteria). It costs a lot to the body meaning that it has very high energy usage.
Under stress your body needs energy to run or fight! This is why it changes its chemistry to suppress the immune system. This is why we usually get ill before or after exams or big challenges at work. Check some regarding the impact stress has on your immune sytem.

Other Physical Effects of Stress

Let’s now have a look at some of the most frequent physical effects of stress:

• Aggression
• Apathy.
• Guilt
• Headaches
• Hot and Cold Waves
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Sweating
• Tingle
• Nightmares
• Bad mood
• Tension.
• Inability to focus
• Low self esteem
• A sense of vomiting.
• Irritability
• Disappointment
  Loneliness
• Speeded heartbeat
• Being worried
• Tiredness
  

Most of those are normal reactions of ours to changes in the surrounding environment. They become indicative physical effects of stress if they manifest persistently in the course of time and we can not restore completely to our normal physical condition.

How to reduce homework stress