Some anthropologists suggest that we, with all of our modern-day conveniences, are more stressed than were our early ancestors, whose days centered around finding enough food to eat and not becoming food for the local sabre-tooth tigers.

This may sound ridiculous, until you take into account the actual, real-deal effects of our workaholism and stress-aholism, and their attendant hyperactive mental chatter, frantic pace, and technology 'trons' we pickle ourselves in daily.

Our mind-body-spirit wellbeing affects our ability to think clearly, listen closely, speak resourcefully, and respond appropriately. Think of the last time your were stressed out:

• Were you more sensitive to perceived insults?

• Did you listen well?

• Did you feel more self-conscious and/or preoccupied?

• Were you curt or short-tempered with others?

• Did you lash out or make rash decisions?

• Did you feel more judgmental or intolerant, and more sensitive to perceived insults?

• Were you thinking clearly or feeling muddled?

• Did you get things done more efficiently, or were you more prone to mistakes or carelessness?

• Did you feel more fatigued or 'zapped' at the end of the day, and find yourself awake or restless during your sleep time?

Unhealthy, unchecked stress inhibits our ability to be creative, resourceful, skillful, tolerant, kind, and well.

A five-year study of the American workforce conducted by the Families and Work Institute showed that 30% of employees often or very often feel burned out or stressed by their jobs, 27% feel emotionally drained from their work, and 42% feel used up at the end of the work day.

What's more, Harvard's Mind/Body Institute reports that 60 to 90-percent of physician-visits are stress-related. Pair these statistics with climbing worker's compensation claims, burgeoning use of anti-depressant prescription drugs and escalating incivility, among other things, and stress management seems well worth our attention.

"Men, for the sake of making a living, forget to live."
— Margaret Fuller

Stress: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Stress is the wear and tear our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment — such as work. As a positive influence, stress can compel us to action; precede creativity, or result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective.

As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger or depression, which in turn can lead to incivility in the workplace, illness, lower productivity, clouded thinking, poor decision-making skills, and other less-than-desirable effects.

Just as there are many sources of stress, there are many options for managing it. However, all require work toward change — changing the source of stress or changing your reaction to it. Here are a few things we've learned about managing stress.

"For fast-acting relief, try slowing down."
— Lily Tomlin

How Can You Unravel the Frazzle and Reduce Your Stress?

• Become aware of your stressors and your emotional and physical reactions. Notice your distress. Don’t ignore it. What events distress you? Are you being realistic? Can you see patterns?

• Recognize what you can change. Can you change your stressors by avoiding or eliminating them? Can you reduce their intensity (manage them over a period of time instead of on a daily or weekly basis)? Can you shorten your exposure to stress (by taking a break, for example)? Devote the time and energy necessary to making a change, including goal-setting, time management techniques, etc.

• Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress. Stress is triggered by your perception of danger/fear. Are you expecting to please everyone? Are you overreacting, viewing minor things as critical and urgent? Do you always need to be right? Work at adopting views that are more moderate. Put the situation in perspective. Don’t wallow in negative thinking, or going over and over things that have already passed. Seek outside resources — such as reading, seminars or professional counsel — if needed.

"Is everything as urgent as your stress would imply?"
— Carrie Latet

• Practice relaxation. Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate back to normal. Relaxation techniques can reduce muscle tension. Aromatherapy can serve as a continual relaxer throughout the day. Disciplines such as meditation and exercise refocus the mind and body. Yoga, massage or other holistic practices may also be worthy of consideration. Some people also try color therapy, relaxation music, Bach or other flower essences, and other holistic wellness resources.

• Maintain your physical and emotional reserves. Exercise and eat well; some people load up on caffeine and sugar, then wonder why they're stressed out. Maintain supportive relationships rather than surrounding yourself with negative, critical people. Pursue realistic goals that are meaningful to you, rather than goals others have for you. View frustrations, failures, and sorrows as opportunities for learning and deepened awareness.

• Look out the window or take a walk outside. A survey of 4,500 workers in the Department of Energy found that people who sit near a window have 23% fewer complaints of stress-related illnesses such as headache, back pain, and exhaustion. Many others — experts and lay persons alike — know that being out in nature is soothing to body, mind and spirit. And walking is both relaxing and a good form of exercise.

• Practice stress-neutralizers. If you’re stuck in the office and can’t get outside, try three stress-busting exercises: 1) Close your hands in a tight fist for 10 seconds and slowly open them. 2) Slowly roll your head from side to side. 3) Tighten your toes, hold them for 10 seconds, and release. Breathe. Repeat each step five times.

• Change your mind-set. People become stressed when they dwell relentlessly on the problem instead of finding a solution. Allow yourself no more than 10 minutes to stress out about something. When 10 minutes are up, identify at least three immediate actions toward solving your perceived problem.

• Forgive and forget. Recent research, including a multitude of studies, shows that eons of spiritual teachings were right after all: The art of forgiveness has some very practical rewards. Holding grudges and hanging on to old hurts or resentments, research shows, is like marinating in dis-ease. The result? Illness, stress, depression, and lack of hope, among other negative consequences. And it is guaranteed to keep you anchored in the past, which prevents you from moving into greater experiences of joy, wellbeing, and possibility. Forgiveness, on the other hand, lends itself to much more positive outcomes — healing, wellness, increased confidence, fewer trips to the doctor, and more.

"Slow down, and everything you're chasing
will come around and catch you."
— John De Paola

• Be in the present. Anxiety often stems from our worrying over the past or the future. Reality — and stress-relief — can be found in our perspective and actions in the present. Think about it. Most of the time you feel stressed out, fearful, or angry, what are you thinking about? Where is your mind? Chances are, you're in the past or out into the future, rather than focusing on what's in front of you at the moment.

• Don't go it alone. A circle of kindreds or a good friend can be a great help in lending a compassionate ear and a good hug. And if you need or prefer help from a more objective professional, by all means get a referral for a qualified therapist from your primary care physician or a trusted friend. You can also find a referral by searching online for your state's Jungian psychology association or chapter of the Association for Humanistic Psychology.

If you're not sure which stress-reducing approaches are most appropriate for you, do some reading, attend a stress-management or relaxation seminar, or schedule a consultation with a psychologist.

These are just a few of the many ways you can shift your approach to the events and circumstances that lead you to stress.

Visit our Ivy Sea Online Wisdom and Mastery portal for more ideas and links to other resources that will help you soothe stress and find your center.