Cortisol apparently arises from stress and this helpful blog entry gave a clue on avoiding this deadly chemical. Here’s a snippet:

The key to escape cortisol though… is to change your voice… run from negative people… go for a walk… or find some tangible way to be good to you until cortisol stops surging in your brain and positive tone returns. What do you think?

Link to the whole article is here:
Cortisol

To this I’d like to add one special technique I use to minimize stress.

And that’s to stop the inner voice that whispers “There’s Something Wrong Here” when something does go wrong (well, according to your standards)

Okay. It’s traffic. What happens? You grumble, cuss and think “Something’s wrong here”

Your girlfriend is silent. She’s giving the cold shoulder and you think “Something’s wrong here”

Such thinking builds up stress fast. Deathly fast.

Find peace by simply accepting things at face value. And saying “everything’s ok. I can manage!”

Tense? Suffering incurable insomnia that a mound of Melatonin can’t cure? I used to sure your pain, you see, Im an obsessive compulsive. Thoughts ricochet my head even even past midnight. That racket prevents me from sleeping.

But I found the solution!

Let’s vanquish that Red-Eyed demon with an unstoppable 4-step approach that guarantees you sleep- in 30 seconds.

First, RELAX YOUR BODY. Lie flat on your back. Don’t curl. Imagine you’re floating on water. Allow the heaviness and undulation to wash over you.

Second, RELAX YOUR FACE. Be aware of your forehead. Your jaws. Release the tension in your teeth and lips. Allow them to touch.

Third, RELAX YOUR EYES. Lightly ease your eyes shut and have a sense of peace cascade over your eyelids. Float on a blank, unemotional sense of total detachment. And now the vital part…. (more…)

Know what? just this morning, before I popped open my laptop, a heretical thought crossed my head.

It’s this: planning and anticipating your retirement is like insurance policy. Never Ever take it as the sole reward to the years of working. It is a mere hedge against what we all fear at the end of life: becoming so decrepit,that we can’t physically mow lawns to buy ourselves a Happy Meal.

To my mind, retirement as the final goal of an executive is darn stupid for three critical reasons. (more…)

You’re in the midst of work then …

Aw… man.

Or you’re finishing a 97% complete report then ….

Okay. Familiar? I can imagine your blood pressure rising when that happens. What is an interruption? An interruption is anything that seizes your attention from an activity you have chosen to do to for an activity that someone else has purposely or inadvertently chosen for you. Interruptions are normally random and without any consideration for the importance of, or impact on, your time and your personal priorities. Interruptions chew up time and energy. They cost you loads of money if you consder wasted man hours.

There are two primary causes of interruptions you face daily at home or at the office: telephones and people dropping by. The telephone rings, and you automatically pause what you are doing to answer it. The doorbell rings, and the same thing happens regardless of the importance of the task at hand. Someone is forcing you to switch gears instantly even though it is not your choice. “I’m not interrupting, am I?” is the typical remark. “Of course not,” you answer politely without an ounce of integrity. Whether people interrupt you in person or on the telephone, they always seem to have something on their minds that just can’t wait.

The time wasted because of an interruption extends beyond than the time span of the actual interruption. For instance, you are focusing on writing a report, business plan, or important letter when your concentration is shattered by the ringing of your phone. Not only do you lose the time you actually talk on the phone, but it will normally take you several additional minutes to regain your focus and get back up to speed with what you were working on. Switching gears takes time. (more…)