How stressed are you?
Everyone feels stressed these days.
But are your stress levels at the point where they may be damaging relationships,
your sense of well-being, or your health? Take this quick quiz to see if you
need to stage a stress intervention.
The stress quiz
- Are activities that you usually enjoy (such as social events or pastimes) starting to feel like work?
- Do you feel sad, cynical, or bored quite often?
- Are you too busy to spend time with friends or family members?
- Do you frequently experience physical ailments, such as headaches, aches and pains, tense muscles, stomach upsets or a cold that won't go away?
- Has anyone commented (or have you noticed) that you are eating, smoking or drinking more than usual?
- Do you find yourself getting angry or frustrated with the people around you, such as co-workers, family or even store clerks and drivers?
- Are you having trouble concentrating?
- Is it difficult to turn off your mind at night, or to get your usual full night's sleep?
- Are you gaining weight?
- Have you had a vacation or time spent completely away from work and obligations recently?
- Can you remember the last time you had a good laugh?
- Do you exercise regularly?
Count the number of "yes" answers to questions one to nine and the "no" answers to 10 to 12 and give yourself one point each. One through nine are typical symptoms or outcomes of stress, while 10 through 12 are important stress relievers. The more stressors and the fewer relievers you experience, the more you may be feeling the effects of stress.
What to do about your stress
No matter what your score, do take steps to reduce your stress levels.
- Start by identifying your personal sources of stress: work, your boss, a
relationship and conflicting responsibilities are common sources. Take steps
to address the root cause.
- Simplify your life. A cluttered life tends to be a stressful one. Take a
time-out to analyze your life — your habits, your goals, your lifestyle,
your possessions — and seek ways to streamline and simplify.
- Look for ways to grab more "me" time. This could be as simple
as turning off your mobile device when you come home, reserving an hour each
week for something you enjoy, or stopping for a "mini-meditation"
five minutes each day.
- Try to focus on looking after yourself by eating nutritious foods, exercising
and getting enough sleep.
- Talk to your doctor. Chronic stress is a serious health matter. At the same
time, some symptoms may appear stress-related, but may be signs of other health
issues.