Hello!  Thank you for visiting the Self Help Tips Blog.  I hope that those of you who are return visitors continue to find hope and inspiration from my self help blog.  As we push through these difficult economic times, I would like to take a moment to discuss several ways to deal with stress in the workplace.

Imagine that it’s Monday morning.  You’ve just spent half an hour in a traffic jam, you were late for work and you’ve just clocked in.  Right as you are about to dive into today’s tasks, your supervisor pulls you aside and tells you that the entire procedure has changed.  Without warning, you’re taking on the work of another department to pick up their slack.  Tasks that you have always been told were not your responsibility, suddenly are.   Without training, you now need to do twice the amount of work.  And about your birthday, the day that you’ve been scheduled to have off for the past month… yeah, you’re going to have to come in.

It may sound like a scene out of the movie “Office Space”, but many of us deal with this on a daily basis.  You are not alone!  So, what should a person do when faced with such an unexpected, stressful and downright awful situation?

The first thing that you need to realize is that although it may not seem to be the case, you DO have control over the situation.   You are a human being, not a slave that can be forced into doing something with no warning, no choice and (most importantly) no input.  Take comfort and pride in the fact that you are a skilled, productive and valuable employee.  Question your employer.  Ask them why you were not warned about these changes.  Ask them why they don’t hire more employees to ease the work load.  If they don’t have any answers, ask for a raise.  Voice your concerns. 

To many people, these suggestions might sound absolutely ludicrous.  You might be thinking “If I did that, I would be fired.”  If you are, then ask yourself this:  Do you really want to work for an employer who does not treat you like a valued human being?

For those of you who have no other choice than to obey the commands of your corporate overlords, here are a few things that you can try to relieve the stress:

Spend your breaks practicing meditation or yoga.  Use these invaluable tools to clear your mind, re-focus your energy and release your stress.  Even just 15 minutes of meditation can leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on the tasks at hand.

Slack!  Yes, that’s right… sluff off.  If your employer is going to treat you like a robot, then act like one!  There is absolutely no point in exceeding the demands of your employer if they’re not even willing to meet yours.  Give yourself a break between breaks.  Stare at the wall for a few minutes.  Hum your favorite tune.  Daydream for a while.  As long as you look busy, no one will know the difference.  A few five minute slack breaks during the day can make a world of difference for both your mood and your stress level.

Listen to music.  For me, nothing makes the workday go by quicker than some jazz, classical music or even talk radio.  Sound is one of the most soothing and relaxing things on earth.  Take advantage of it whenever you can.

These are just a few techniques that you can use to deal with stress in the workplace.  The most important thing to remember is that you are a skilled, productive person who deserves respect and integrity not only at work, but everywhere.  Don’t let work get you down… it’ll be over in eight hours.

Good evening!  It’s Jeff from the Self Help Tips Blog.  I recently joined a new gym and have been spending a lot of my time doing cardiovascular exercises while I’m there.  As a result, tonight I would like to share my easy cardio routine.

The perfect workout routine is one that combines strength training and some form of cardio.  The problem is, most people hate doing cardio and will make up any excuse not to do it.  A popular excuse is not having enough time.  This article, however, will show you how you can spend only twenty minutes on a cardio workout and still reap the benefits.

So first of all, why is it necessary that you add cardio to your workouts?  Most people understand the benefits of strength training because it adds muscle and muscle makes you healthier, more lean and stronger overall.

But what are the benefits of cardio? Here is a short list that names just a few:

1.  It helps reduce stress.
2.  It burns calories, which leads to weight loss.
3.  It makes your heart and lungs stronger.
4.  It reduces your risk of certain diseases.
5.  It reduces depression and increases confidence.
6.  It gives you more energy and helps you sleep better.

As you can see, adding cardio to your workout improves your health and well-being, which leads to a better quality of life.  When combined with strength training, an easy cardio routine will put you on your way to feeling great, fast.

So how can you reap the benefits of cardio in only 20 minutes per workout?  It’s called Interval Training and it can be applied to many different forms of cardio including boxing, running and biking.

In a nutshell, the concept is shorter workouts, but higher intensity.  This is accomplished by pushing hard for two minutes (for example) and then slowing down for two minutes.  If you repeat this cycle four more times, you will have finished your 20 minute workout.  You could also do one minute hard, one minute easy and then repeat this nine more times.

Here is an example:

Interval training is perfect for running.  Whether you’re working out on a treadmill or running outdoors, it’s the same routine.  Start out with a warm up jog, followed by two minutes of a challenging pace.  This won’t be your all-out workout, because you need to maintain it for two minutes. However, it is a pace that will be very hard for you.  You then follow this with two minutes of either a walk, or a very slow jog. If you repeat this four more times, you’ve gotten an effective cardio workout in only 20 minutes.

This concept can be applied to many different forms of cardio: two minutes hard, two minutes easy, repeat four more times.  Or one minute hard, one minute easy, repeat nine more times.

You’ll get your blood flowing, your heart pumping and reap all of the benefits that cardio has to offer… all in only 20 minutes.  Try it!  I did, and after using easy cardio routines I feel more energetic, awake and sleep easier at night.

Good afternoon my friends, and thank you for reading the Self Help Tips Blog!  Today I will share several ways that you can prepare yourself to meet your goals in life.

Whatever it is that you want in this world, you need to get ready for it.  Make a place for it in your life.  Get comfortable with the idea of having it.  With preparation, it is summoned to come to be.

We can wish all we want, but where does it get us?  We can dream, we can hope, we can pray.  Anyone can do those things, we all do them… so what?  Life doesn’t work that way, unless you show that you are serious.  You need to prepare.  Preparation turns the uncertain into the inevitable.

Believe in magic; it happens all of the time.  We manifest what we want through the ritual of preparation.  When you toil in the expectation of change, change will come about.  The work that you do will have a way of removing doubt.  Doing and acting out can transform your conscious and unconscious and in essence, it can transform your life.

When your mind sees yourself doing something in preparation for something, it becomes convinced that the “something” is something that will definitely be.  It is real, it is coming, and you are making it happen.

Put in the work, put in the time, and especially put in the passion.  If you feel it, then you can have fun with it and the ball will really start rolling.  You can let it control you as if you’ve surrendered.  Go ahead!  It is what you wanted anyway!

Preparation could involve playing, learning, practicing, growing, developing skills, acquiring objects and tools, investing, building relationships, creating strategies, planning inventions, giving attention, making observations and discovering how to use your unique qualities.

Life has a natural way to prepare us for what we need to experience from the moment when we are born.  Parents, nurses, siblings, friends, relatives, animals, teachers and story characters all contribute to who we are.  Moving on from here is up to us as we make our own way in the world.  Life and the world hold many treasures.

With preparation there is no apprehension, no fear, no wondering what is going to happen.  Don’t lament over a far away desire…  Prepare!  Take comfort in the fact that you are taking steps toward what you desire.  In addition, your desire is making its way toward you.  This the operation of magic, run with it!

It doesn’t matter that you do not have what you want right now.  You know you want it, you only need to be patient, prepare and know that you will get it with persistence.  Preparation is a positive attraction energy.  It is getting yourself ready.  One step on the road to becoming and being.  Are you making room for being?  Are you making preparation?  Are you making magic?

Hello, it’s Jeff from the Self Help Tips Blog.  I hope that everyone is doing well during these fast-paced, stressful times.  Tonight I would like to discuss several ways that you can relieve frequent headaches.

According to the National Headache Foundation (NHF), tension headaches affect nearly 78% of the adult population.  13% of the population suffers from migraines.  Since the cause of migraines varies greatly, what relieves a migraine in one person may trigger an attack in another.  The suggestions here are guidelines for those who suffer regularly from tension headaches which may have an identifiable physical cause.

Watch what you eat

Many headache sufferers notice a connection with eating or drinking foods with aspartame.  For those who are sensitive to this chemical, it may cause blood vessels to expand in the brain and trigger a headache.

Caffeine is commonly used to treat headaches.  Its proprieties can assist pain medication in providing relief and can be found in most medications used to treat migraines.  However, too much caffeine can have a ‘rebound’ effect and actually cause headaches.  If you suffer from regular headaches, you should avoid daily use of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and certain sodas.

According to the McKinley Health Center, avoiding tobacco can also reduce headaches.

Skipping meals may cause headaches in some people, so eating regular meals may prevent headaches in these individuals.

Reduce the stress

Getting enough sleep is important for everyone.  If you suffer from tension headaches, you may find that getting your eight hours every night greatly reduces the amount or intensity of your headaches.  On the other hand, oversleeping can bring on a headache if you don’t get up at your regular time (such as on the weekend or during holidays).

Some headaches also seem to be aggravated by too much sun.  Excessive exercise outdoors and lack of hydration can lead to headaches.  Keep your eyes shaded and be sure to drink plenty of water when outdoors.

Not surprisingly, scientists recently discovered that women wearing tight ponytails had an increased risk of tension headaches.  Releasing or loosening the hair and performing a brief massage to the head can bring almost immediate relief.

Medicate

What you may think is a sinus headache might actually be a migraine.  A consultation with your doctor will determine if you should switch to a migraine medication.

According to the NHF, those suffering from tension headaches caused by stress should respond by reducing the stress, or by using over-the-counter analgesics.  However, if headaches occur almost daily then you need to look for ways of dealing with the stress and discuss other options with your doctor.

As with caffeine, regular daily use of over the counter medications can actually cause headaches.

If headaches occur for long periods of time, are unusually intense or do not respond to pain medication after several days, you should seek treatment and diagnosis from a health care professional.

Living a healthy and active lifestyle has many health benefits, including a reduction of tension-type headaches.  Combining a healthy lifestyle with avoidance of triggers may help you find relief from frequent headaches and migraines.

Consult your physician if you are unable to reduce the pain.