By Worldroom Digest

Ever had that 'vibrating' feeling while stuck in traffic? Maybe you panic at work when your boss asks you to do 'one more thing' or moves up the deadline on a complicated project? Could be you've experienced anxiety when your children or spouse seem to be making unending demands on your time and energy?

Sounds familiar? Don't despair - you are not alone! To see the widespread impact of stress, visit your local shopping centre and look at the faces of the fast-paced shoppers. We all experience stress.

Dr. Richard Earle from the Canadian Institute of Stress, located in Toronto, Canada, defines stress as "mobilized energy." We all need stress to get things done. Think of all that you do in a day - if you didn't have stress, you wouldn't be able to do them.

The good news is-we don't have to feel "stressed out!" Thus, our focus will be on managing stress rather than trying to eliminate it.

Once you understand the factors that contribute to your stress level and master a few methods of managing that stress, you increase the sense of control you have over circumstances in your life. Identify the factors which bring you satisfaction at work and at home and increase them!

So read on, and know that there is hope. Enjoy life in the midst of a busy schedule!

TAKE THE STRESS TEST

How is your stress level? Answer the questions below to see just how many of the "stress" indicators apply to you.

How frequently have you had this feeling?

My frequency or experience in the past month? 0, 1, 2 or 3?

1. Felt tense, nervous, anxious or upset

2. Felt sad, depressed, down in the dumps or hopeless

3. Felt low energy, exhausted, tired or unable to get things done

4. Couldn't turn my thoughts off long enough - at nights or on weekends - to feel relaxed and refreshed the next day

5. Found myself unable to sit still, and had to move around constantly

6. Was so upset that I felt I was losing control of my feelings

7. Have been preoccupied with a serious personal problem

8. Have been in unpleasant situations that I felt hopeless to do anything about

9. Felt tired in the morning, no energy to get up or face daily activities

10. Have had problems concentrating on things,or remembering names

11. Feel I could be doing a great deal more to take care of myself and keep healthy

12. Don't feel I have much control over the events in my life

13. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to accomplish what I want

14. Have been continually frustrated in my life by bad breaks and people not living up to my expectations

15. My standards are very high for my own activities

16. When something difficult or stressful is coming up, I find myself thinking about all the ways that things can go poorly for me

17. My life is empty and has no meaning

18. Often run into problems I can't solve

19. Am not able to give what I would like to the people closest to me

20. Have not felt close to or accepted by the people around me, both family and friends

Scroll back up the page and add up the numbers you've placed in each box.

If your total score is between 0 and 20, your stress level is relatively low. That does not mean you won't feel the effects of stress, but beginning stress-management techniques now will go a long way to improving your sense of well-being. If your total is between 20 and 40, your stress level is moderate. Taking steps to manage stress now will help to prevent serious physical, psychological and emotional problems. If your total is between 40 and 60, you are stressed out - keep reading!

EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF STRESS

What are your personal early warning signs that tell you that your stress level is going higher than you'd like it to be?

Think of yourself as a car that's equipped with lights and gauges to warn you if any problems are developing. If you keep an eye on the gauges and catch the trouble early, the problem may be easy to fix. If you ignore the warning signs, you may be in for a major repair job.

You should assess yourself for four types of stress signs:

• Changes in body functions and physical health
• Changes in emotions and feelings
• Changes in behavior
• Changes in thoughts

Use these checklists to identify your own signs of stress. There is space on the checklists for a second opinion, because people close to us may notice changes that we are not aware of.

Changes in body functions and physical health

Do you get more:

Are you having this sign of stress?
Has some one else noticed you have this sign?
Backache
Muscle tension
Nervous stomach
Breathing problems
Frequent urination
Fatigue
Dizziness

Changes in emotions and feelings

Do you feel more:

Are you having this sign of stress?
Has some one else noticed you have this sign?
Irritable
Sad
Worried
Tense
Angry

Changes in behavior

Are there changes in how much you:
Are you having this sign of stress?
Has some one else noticed you have this sign?
Sleep
Eat (too much or too little)
Want sex (less or more than before)
Drink alcohol
Use drugs

Changes in how you think

Are you finding it harder to:
Are you having this sign of stress?
Has some one else noticed you have this sign?
Remember things
Concentrate

Look on the bright side

Do you find yourself feeling:

Helpless
Hopeless

Now go over the lists, and pick out the signs of stress that you consider the most important - the ones that are really interfering with the way you function and enjoy life. Now, mark whether they are related to your body, your feelings, your behavior, or your thoughts, on the next chart.

Your main signs of stress:

Sign	Body	Feelings	Behavior	Thoughts
1
2
3
4
5
6

What you've recorded on these charts are your personal early warning signs of stress. When they occur, it's a sign that you should practice relaxation techniques to help keep stress from overwhelming you physically and emotionally.

1 2 3 4 5 6 !!

When you see these signs adding up, what do you do for yourself to reduce your stress level?

Read more about 'MANAGING STRESS'