How to Make it Through a Very Stressful Week

Everybody has their own version of a disaster week. For college students, it's finals week. For parents, it can be back to school week. If you're a professional, you may have a big project that's due soon. Whatever the case, everyone has stressful weeks. Even the most seemingly poised and calm people have bad days. Here are a few tips to keep you going during the rough spots.

1) Breathe.
When you're stressed, take a moment and make sure you're really breathing. Most people don't use the full capacity of their lungs unless they're swimming or sleeping. Make sure that through all your stress you keep breathing very deep breaths. Keeping oxygen flowing to your muscles will keep them from tensing. If you really pay attention to your breathing throughout the day you'll probably find many times when you've stopped breathing as deeply as you should be. Breathe!
2) Relax.
This goes in line with the first one. Take just a minute to relax. It really only needs to be a minute. Relax from your toes and go all the way up to your head. Do a quick stretch over your entire body. Toes, arches, ankles, calves, quads, hamstrings, hips, pelvis, abs, chest, lower back, middle back, upper back, shoulders, triceps, biceps, forearms, wrists, fingers, neck, and scalp (gently tug on your hair). Going through this whole routine for just two minutes can really help you relax.

3) Prioritize
Take a moment to write down everything that you need to do, every little thing from the official e-mail you've been meaning to send your co-worker to laundry at home to the book you started reading and never finished. Next, prioritize them. Once you know the order you need to do things in, you can slowly and methodically accomplish them. I suggest sprinkling the less time-consuming tasks throughout your list so that every three items or so you whip through the next activity. It will help you feel like you're really getting things done.

4) One thing at a time.
Take one thing at a time. When you're working on one item on your to-do list, don't even think about the next item, or everything that you have to do afterwards. If you take one thing at a time, it will keep you much calmer and much less stressed.

5) One day at a time.
Take one day at a time. Everyday is a new day and has the possibility of being less stressful than the day before. Take the day as it comes. Just remember that at the end of the day, you get to go home and crawl into bed. Sleep is the ultimate haven. Just take one day at a time and you'll be surprised how quickly the week speeds on by.

6) Don't take work home with you.
This is a cardinal rule that everyone should live by. Taking work home with you brings the stress home. What was at work is now invading your home life. Leave all the emotions associated with work, at work. You don't want your work life invading your home life and affecting your relationship with your family. Family time should be family time. Don't mess with it.

7) Evaluate.
Evaluate last week and two weeks ago and see if there is anything you could have done to avoid this stress. Could you have been more prepared or not put off a particular project as long? Figure out how you could have made this week easier. Now, evaluate next week. What can you do this week to make next week easier? Make that a part of your list for this week. Hopefully you'll be able to stay ahead of the game and keep your weekly stress to a minimum.

Above all, remember this favorite saying of helpful mothers everywhere. "This too... shall pass." Everything in life comes and goes. This week' stress included.