Practical Guide to Stress Management: Breath Counting, Action Planning, and the Ten Commandments of Stress Reduction

Adjust your meditation posture to make yourself comfortable, then begin to pay attention to the thoughts that arise in your mind. Once thoughts begin to appear, shift your focus to your breathing, continuing to breathe normally. As you exhale, imagine those troubling thoughts being released with the black smoke, disappearing as the smoke slowly dissipates. Some people simply relieve stress by counting their breaths. You can slowly inhale for 7 seconds, then slowly exhale for 8 seconds. (You can move your limbs freely while doing this.) As you count the time and number of breaths, you are brought into the "present" state, and because your attention is focused on the numbers, the tense thoughts in your mind naturally disappear.

To take action on stress management, you need to set stress management goals. First, you can write down your action plan in a journal. You can refer to the following steps: 1. Make a list of things that cause you stress. 2. Write down one thing you know you should change (e.g., get more sleep). 3. Then write down the goal of this change, such as: I will go to bed half an hour earlier, and write down the specific time. 4. You can also set a time frame for this goal, such as: Starting Monday, I will go to bed at (your chosen time). Again, remember that forming a habit or breaking a previously formed habit usually takes three weeks, so be patient with yourself. You can start with smaller goals, which will help you achieve them.

You can also record these processes in a journal. Seeking help from a stress management professional can also be very helpful. When you develop a new healthy habit, it's best to reward yourself. Giving yourself a short break or even just a warm word of encouragement can make a big difference. You can also write a resolution, which only needs to include one sentence containing your goal. The verb in this resolution should always be in the present tense so that you don't see it as something that will happen in the future, but rather something that is happening now. You could write something like: To reduce stress, I go to bed at 9 p.m. every night, which makes me feel more relaxed and energetic. Finally, here are the ten commandments for stress reduction: 1. You shouldn't be perfect, or even try to be perfect. 2. You shouldn't try to do everything for everyone.

3. You should learn to give up halfway occasionally. 4. You shouldn't overdo it. 5. You should learn to say "no." 6. You should make time for yourself. 7. You should relax and not always be rigid in your routine. 8. You shouldn't feel guilty about what you don't do or refuse to do. 9. You should seek support from others. 10. Most importantly, you should love yourself and be your own best friend.