CAREERS STRESS REDUCTION

STRESS REDUCTION PROGRAMME

BY STUART ROBERTSON, MCSP

‘WHERE IS THE LIFE WE HAVE LOST IN LIVING?’ – TS ELLIOT Life in the fast lane isn’t the preserve of the rich and famous. It is an ever-increasing reality for many people in today’s hectic global lifestyle. Trying to meet and balance the demands of family, work and social life can be one long juggling act. Many people are stressed out simply by trying to keep their head above water; they do not have time to reflect on how their life could be lived differently. Take me, for example: I was once a carefree young man, free to do as he pleased, time to do with as he pleased – the odd exam here and there to pass, but in general life was a breeze. This same young man one day found himself at work; this brought certain time constraints, but he still managed to get in everything he needed to do. He then matured into an adult (although this may be disputed by his mother!) who “needed” to make a success of his career. Indeed, he suddenly had no time for many of the things he loved doing, as he was far too busy. This adult matured into a father in his early forties; then not only did he have to think of the needs of his career and his wife, but also he had to consider the needs of his young children – and all this on a diet of junk food (due to lack of time and energy to prepare more wholesome food) and a lack of sleep. The very things that he had found nourishing were now a distant memory. Ring any bells, or am I the only one this has ever

happened to?

COURAGE TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE SHORE anon

MAN CANNOT DISCOVER NEW OCEANS UNTIL HE HAS THE

This article offers a proactive perspective on health and how massage and manual therapists can integrate stress-reduction strategies into clinical practice in order to benefit their clients.

‘THE MAIN THING IS TO KEEP THE MAIN THING THE MAIN THING’ – STEPHEN R. COVEY What is it you cherish most in life? Try to keep that at the top of your priority list. Below is a list of different aspects of our lives. Try ranking these aspects in terms of priority. Mark the most important to you as number one, and the least important as number six: ■ Family relationships ■ Financial situation ■ Work ■ Community and friends ■ Health ■ Fun and recreation

Now rank the same aspects in terms of the time you devote to them: ■ Family relationships ■ Financial situation ■ Work ■ Community and friends ■ Health ■ Fun and recreation

If the rankings match up – for example, you have your

career as your top priority in life and you also rank it at number one in terms of most time devoted – then you are probably motoring along nicely. On the other hand, if you

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