Washington University School of Medicine

Environmental Health & Safety

Phone:  (314) 362-6816
Fax:       (314) 362-1995

esafety@msnotes.wustl.edu

Health & Safety Topic of the Month:  October 2001

Stress Management

Ten Commandments for Managing Stress

1. Thou Shalt Organize Thyself - Take better control of the way you are spending your time and energy so you can handle stress more effectively.

2. Thou Shalt Control Thy Environment by Controlling Who and What Is Surrounding You - In this way, you can either get rid of stress or get support for yourself.

3. Thou Shalt Love Thyself by Giving Yourself Positive Feedback -Remember, you are a unique individual who is doing the best you can.

4. Thou Shalt Reward Thyself by planning leisure activities into your life - It really helps to have something to look forward to.

5. Thou Shalt Exercise Thy Body - your health and productivity depend upon your body’s ability to bring oxygen and food to its cells. Therefore, exercise your heart and lungs regularly.

6. Thou Shalt Relax Thyself - take your mind off stress and concentrate on deep breathing and positive thoughts. Dreaming, meditation, relaxing activities, massage...

7. Thou Shalt Rest Thyself - sleep 7-8 hours a night. Take study breaks. There is only so much your mind can absorb at on time. Take a ten-minute break for every hour of work; rest your eyes as well as your mind.

8. Thou Shalt be Aware of Thyself - be aware of stress signals such as insomnia, headaches, anxiety, upset stomach etc.

9. Thou Shalt Feed Thyself / Thou Shalt Not Poison Thy Body - eat a balanced diet, avoid high calorie foods high in fat and sugar, avoid caffeine.

10. Enjoy Thyself - happier people tend to live longer, have less physical problems and are more productive.

Keys for Managing Stress (4 pg. Adobe Acrobat document)

WB01219_.GIF (740 bytes)PREVIOUS SAFETY TOPICS OF THE MONTH
Accident Prevention
  Asbestos
Campus Safety
Carbon Monoxide
Defensive Driving
Fire Prevention
Fire Safety
Hand-Transmitted Infection
Hazard Communication
Heart Attacks
  Heat Safety
Holiday Safety
Holiday Travel Safety
Legionnaire's Disease
Needle-sticks
Personal Protective Equipment
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Sick Building Syndrome
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Summer Safety
Time Management
Tornadoes
Water Safety
Workplace Violence

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