“The greatest mistake a man can make is to sacrifice health for any other advantage” – Arthur Schopenhauer

I don’t know about you, but life can really be tough sometimes. Nowadays, we’re all plagued with a never-ending list of expectations. It’s no wonder stress levels are high, days drag on forever, and our quality of life seems to be in perpetual decline.

But all this can stop. And no, it doesn’t require a weekly trip to the spa (although every now and then wouldn’t hurt).  The most comprehensive guide I’ve come across is The Everything Stress Management Book (also available in South Africa) and in this post I will share some tips to take the load off.

Get healthy

“If I’d known I was going to live so long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” – Leon Eldred

I know we’ve all heard it a thousand times before, but this is so important it needs repeating. We must stay active. A solid routine should involve regular endurance (cardio), flexibility (stretching), and strength (weights). You don’t need to fork out a fortune on health equipment or gym fees; a simple walk after lunch will do. In fact, by starting small and building up as time goes by, you’re more likely to stick to the plan than you are by trying to change completely overnight. It only takes three ten minute “sessions” a few days a week to start seeing the difference.

As far as nutrition goes, cut back on the junk (including alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine). Instead, snack on healthy alternatives like fruit, vegetables, berries, and nuts. And drink plenty of water. Again, this doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task. Start by having one glass of water as soon as you wake up. After a week, have one right before you go to bed too. It’s easy to change when you know how.

Get organised

“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey

Another great way to eliminate stress is to eliminate the things that are stressing you out. It may sound pretty obvious, but a lot of people don’t realise how important this is. Cut back on all the “obligations” and things in your life you don’t need. Trust me, the world won’t end! After recently going without internet for ten days (I was on holiday in Egypt) I realised I don’t need to be trapped in my inbox. Once a week is more than enough!

Besides, freeing your life of commitments and other clutter, you need to know what matters and know what doesn’t. My approach is quite simple. It’s about knowing what I absolutely have to do and what can either be postponed, delegated, or done away with altogether. It’s about knowing what to take seriously and what to let slide. It’s about taking care of the big things so the little ones take care of themselves and the really little ones don’t bother me at all.

Get perspective

“Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” – Elbert Hubbard

Prevention is better than cure so deal with problems as they arise. Dale Carnegie talks about accepting the worst and improving from there. He also talks about defining the problem, getting the facts, weighing the facts, finding the causes, coming up with solutions, choosing the best, and taking concrete action that you’re prepared to stick to. That’s it.

Always remember the big picture. Most of what is bothering you right now won’t matter a year from now. So why not get over it in advance? And don’t sit around feeling sorry for yourself. Do what you can to make things better! Life’s too short to spend fussing over nothing. And life should never get in the way of living either!

(For more resources and tips, download your free copy of “Work in Progress” exclusively from www.varsityblah.com/about)

“If a man sets his heart on benevolence, he will be free from evil.” – Confucius

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. While this may sound like a good way to live, it’s not that simple. Or is it? Is life about giving to others or do we need to put our own interests first? And should we consider the consequences of our generosity or does being good for the sake of being good trump all of that?

(Eugene Yiga is the editor of Varsity Blah and his latest book is available free, exclusively from www.varsityblah.com/about)