STRESS

Trying to come up with a subject for the blog I have due, then hitting the
wrong key to access MS Outlook, not once, but three times, I decided the
topic should be stress.  Then it came to mind that stress really hinders
your ability to focus, so maybe focus should be the topic.

One way to relieve stress and regain focus is to take a break from what you
are doing, get up and walk away. This does help relieve stress, but it also
adds a lot of distractions and you may not get back to work for quite some
time. In the end that doesn't work for me because I've just put off doing
what I really needed to do, adding more stress.

Use one of those soft foam gadgets to squish repeatedly with your hands. It
is like punching a pillow, it relieves agitation, but not to the point of
relaxing or gaining focus.

Have a glass of wine, or two.  This will greatly relieve stress, for those that partake, but I'm afraid the focus of most becomes somewhat blurred.

Sorry, this probably isn't the answer either.

Chocolate has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, until you step the scale, that is.

Close your eyes and take a deep breath.  Did that help?

There are ways to deal with stress and gain your focus, but like writing
styles, we have to find what works for each of us .  So, if any of you would
like to get together to do a stress/focus study, we can get together, walk
around the room drinking wine, eating chocolate, looking at the scale with
blurry eyes (the numbers will look better that way) then close our eyes,
take a deep breath and reach for the soft squishy gadgets.

---Sandy Shacklett