We face many types of stressful situations, but this list can give you some practical guidelines to apply in your own personal situation. Some of these helpful suggestions are from Helpguide.org.

Look through this list, pick three things you feel could help you this week and try them out. Next week you might want to pick one or two more ideas to try.

• Learn to say “No.”

• Shorten your “to do” list by removing the “shoulds” and keeping the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

• Learn what is really important in life and set those things as your priority (see Luke 10:38-42).

• Learn to delegate to others when you can. Read the story of the advice Moses received from his father-in-law Jethro in Exodus 18:13-24.

• Do not say or do things that consistently irritate someone. Know when to be tactful and respectful about certain subjects (see Ephesians 4:31-32).

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way.

• Be willing to compromise your wishes (not your values) if compromise will help solve the problem.

• Look at the big picture. Get things in perspective. How important will it be in the long run? Will it matter in a year? Is it really worth getting upset about? If not, focus elsewhere.

• Connect with other people, especially positive people. A strong support system will help shield you from the effects of stress.

• Set aside rest and relaxation time in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other things to get in the way. This is your time to recharge your batteries. Meditate on godly things. Listen to peaceful music. It’s amazing what 10 minutes of that can do for you.

• Make time every day for leisure activities that you enjoy. Take a walk; smell the roses; laugh. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways (see Proverbs 17:22).

• Exercise regularly and incorporate healthy practices into your lifestyle—eating well, getting adequate sleep and reducing caffeine or sugar intake.

• Practice good time management. Setting your priorities right includes “making the most of your time” (Ephesians 5:16, New American Standard Bible)—especially making absolutely sure you make time for family and, above all, for building a personal relationship with God.

• Live by a budget. So many people struggle with financial problems. Develop a budget and live by it.

Again, pick out several of these items to try this week and in the coming weeks. You may be pleasantly surprised at how your stress level goes down!