1. Get to the source
Most people deal with the symptoms and not the source. Once you have identified the cause, you can act to lessen or even get rid of the stress.

2. Plan your tasks
Don’t take on more than you can handle. When the task appears beyond you, break it up into manageable chunks.

3. Develop a winner’s attitude Be positive about yourself and your choices. Practise positive self-talk.

4. Determine your priorities
Do what is more important first, and tackle them one at a time.

5. Stay in control
Stay in charge of your affairs. When you feel in control, half of the stress is gone.

6. Reward yourself
Allow yourself a small reward for a job well done. Being self-motivated helps you deal with the stress better.

7. Set realistic goals
Do as much as you can, but don’t attempt the impossible. Take smaller steps and let yourself feel the satisfaction of success.

8. Don’t dwell on your mistakes
There’s no point crying over spilt milk. Learn from your mistakes and press on.

9. Put some fun in your day
Take time off to unwind and put some fun into your day. It refreshes you and prepares you for the next challenge.

10. Build a support base
Build a support network around yourself by finding people with whom you can share thoughts and feelings.

A somewhat advanced society has figured how to package basic knowledge in pill form. A student, needing some learning, goes to the pharmacy and asks what kind of knowledge pills are available. The pharmacist says, “Here’s a pill for English literature.” The student takes the pill and swallows it and has new knowledge about English literature!

“What else do you have?” asks the student.

“Well, I have pills for art history, biology, and world history,” replies the pharmacist.

The student asks for these, and swallows them and has new knowledge about those subjects. Then the student asks, “Do you have a pill for math?”

The pharmacist says, “Wait just a moment,” goes back into the storeroom, brings back a whopper of a pill, and plunks it on the counter.

“I have to take that huge pill for math?” inquires the student.

The pharmacist replied, “Well, you know math always was a little hard to swallow.”