One important way to lower your overall stress is to prevent work stress from affecting your home life—and there’s a simple visualization you can use to accomplish this!
I just returned from Las Vegas where I was presenting and on my flight home, I sat next to this really nice couple.
As we got to talking, and they learned I specialize in helping people deal with stress, they started talking sharing about their struggles with stress.
Turns out, in addition to being engaged & planning a wedding, they both work in middle management positions at work—both great sources of stress in their lives.
They have noticed the impact of stress not only on their health, he was diagnosed with high blood pressure recently, but on their relationship.
They seemed to be fighting and arguing at home more than ever.
Oh, how I could relate to them!
One of my biggest stressors a long time ago: my work at the hospital following me home.
No matter what I tried, I found myself either thinking about patients or all the drama that went on with my co-workers!
I am a firm believer…
Setting boundaries between work & home is critical to our wellness & recovery.
So, the LifeTOOL I shared with them is one I came up with that finally allowed me to set those boundaries & I call it:
The TRASH It Technique!
Here’s what I did:
There was a GARBAGE CAN right outside the door I had to walk through at the hospital to get in and out of work.
I would imagine I had a backpack I would take off as I was leaving, and throw it in the GARBAGE CAN.
This backpack contained ALL of my work stress.
Then, as I was walking back in to work the next morning, I’d simply imagine myself picking it back up. After all, I was back at work which was the only place I could DO something with what was in the backpack!
It worked great!
The key to this LifeTOOL is we are using “visual elements” to help us set those boundaries…
When thoughts about work would start to pop up (and they will for you too!)--I’d stop them by picturing the GARBAGE CAN!
Eventually, I retrained my mind so that those thoughts about work didn’t pop up!
So, if work stress is following you home, use this LifeTOOL to help STOP IT!
via Esperanza – Hope To Cope
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