Spring Cleaning Week 3: THINK – by Dr. Byron G. Jackson
Now that the brisk winds, sleet, and snow have subsided (so we’ve been told), there is no better time than now to have a yard sale, plant a garden, clean out our pantries and cabinets (SPRING CLEANING Week 1), start a functional workout regime (SPRING CLEANING Week 2), and reduce the day-to-day stress in our lives (SPRING CLEANING Week 3). Over the past two weeks you have been given the tools for proper nutrition and physical health; now let’s evict some of the mental stress that has been renting space in our lives.
For this five-day business week, let’s focus on some action steps to living a victorious life by reducing our mental stress.
Day 1: Laugh a Little.
- According to Dr. Lee Berk, associate professor of Public Health and Medicine at Loma Linda University in California: “Nearly 85 percent of people who visit their primary healthcare physicians do so because of a stress-related disease. More people are on anti-depressants than at any other time in the history of medicine…” Laughter, on the other hand, has a positive effect on your immune system. Dr. Berk’s studies have shown that laughter optimizes various immune system components, some of which play a key role in dis-ease resistance.
TIP FOR THE DAY:
- Tell someone a joke, and watch a few moments of a humorous film clip/television show. Here’s a joke to start with:
Q: Why did the skeleton go to the prom alone?
A: Because he had no body to go with!
Day 2: Minimize Technostress.
- Although technological advancements have aided our society in ways that seemed unimaginable years ago, somewhere in the process we decided to become prisoners to our electronic devices. The ringing cell phone, pulsating PDA, beeping pager and endless emails seem to be the focal point of our lives. However, the side effects of overexposure to technology (technostress) are irritability, distractibility, impulsiveness, frustration and anxiety.
TIPS FOR THE DAY:
- Turn off your email “ding” alert; obnoxious sounds have a profound effect on your nervous system.
- Switch your cell phone to vibrate, and deem certain activities, such as dinner with the family or working out, “cell phone free zones.”
Day 3: Manage Your Time.
- Time is the only commodity we will never get more of. The most successful people on the planet make great use of their time. How many times have you said “If I only had one more hour today?” You get there by spending ten minutes planning your day. Experts agree that for approximately every minute of planning each day, you will save yourself six minutes of busy work.
TIP FOR THE DAY:
- Tonight before you go to sleep - or early tomorrow morning - take ten minutes to properly plan your day (by doing this you will save yourself an hour of busy work). What should go on your “to-do list” are the 5, 6, or 7 things you must do today; prioritize them so that the most important things are done first.
Day 4: Breathe.
- Due to the extent of our workloads, hobbies and lifestyles, some of us have trouble making it through the day - and if we do, we are fatigued and exhausted. No one would dare leave their vehicle running in a parked position for several hours without turning it off for some period of time. So why do we think we can run our bodies day in and day out without any form of rest and relaxation? It is no wonder at the end of our days we are “dog-tired,” sluggish, and worn out.
TIPS FOR THE DAY:
- Set aside ten minutes today. During this ten minute period, engage in some deep belly breathing (inhaling in through your nose and exhaling out your mouth). This will help replenish the oxygen supply to your brain while reducing stress hormones.
- Every time you get out of a chair, stand erect with your arms to your side, palms up, thumbs pointed back. Lift your chin and chest toward the ceiling and take a couple of deep breaths in this position.
Day 5: Function Optimally.
- Your body is self-healing and self-regulating. Your body is self-healing and self-regulating because the nervous system is the master control system of the body. Anything that interferes with nerve function is bad, and anything that promotes nerve function is good. Doctors of Chiropractic promote proper nerve function and communication between the brain and the rest of the body.
TIP FOR THE DAY:
- See your chiropractor this week! The function of your life may depend on it!
Dr. Byron G. Jackson
