Sunday, March 11, 2012

Like A Skyscraper

Driving around, windows down, music blurring; this scene is an all too familiar one for my friends and I. This is always a great time and a great stress relief. Do you ever feel like you’re just burly keeping your head above the water, avoiding complete submersion? Stress is a daily part of life, its not whether we have it in our lives, it’s how we deal with it. Cruising around the great town of Manhattan one day with my friends the song “Like a Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato came blasting through the speakers. As sat in the back seat thinking about the long list of things I needed to do and everything I had on my plate the song lyrics finally hit me. “Go on and try to tear me down. I will be rising from the ground, like a skyscraper.” It’s a great motivational song, but the question is how do we rise? In a perfect world it would be easy but we all know different. So below are five tips that can be used to survive a stressful day or week and truly rise like a skyscraper:

Time Management and Organization-
Alan Lakein once said “Time = life, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.” When things get hectic and crazy this is always the first thing I throw out the window for some reason. In all reality it should be one of the first things I do to prepare myself for what’s a head. A simple planner or notebook to write down all the important dates and the all too vital To-Do List can make a big difference. The first step is to calm yourself down and get your feet firmly planted on the ground.

Goal Setting and/or Action Plan-
This tip flows right along with the time management and organization. I find it very valuable after I get my head back on straight to think about my goals for the day or the week. I start by answering these two questions: What do I need to get done and when does it have to be finished? After I have those questions clearly answered and written down I create a plan and some goals on how to get them done. It might sound silly but it works. When I create this plan I turn heavily to the resources around me to insure I get them done and done well. No one said you have to go it alone. I am blessed to have five amazing teammates who will help me in any way they can, whether that’s helping me study or giving me a ride to class. Everyone has resources they can turn to in their lives so why not use them. Resources are only valuable if we use them.

Support-
This one my sound funny however we all have those people that we go to for a quick pick me up or a simple reassurance that we can in fact survive. These people could include your family, friends and teachers. Being the mama’s boy I am, I always seem to be calling my mom. She is there to talk things through at all times and helps me form my action plan. Just having a conversation with people like this in your life about what’s happening can make it feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. It’s never good to leave things bottled up in your brain.

Sleep-
This is the second thing I always mange to cross off my list when things don’t go as planned. A good night’s sleep can insure that your body can work at maximum potential. It may seem like a pointless waste of time however it really is one of the most important. The average person needs between 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. When you are sleeping your brain is going to work, converting the day’s learning into memory and reenergizing the body. Sleep can affect how you feel, your relationships, your productivity and your quality of life.

Stress Relief-
One of my favorites: stress relief! For me when one thing goes wrong it seems like everything starts going wrong. It is very easy to become frustrated when things in life don’t go as planned but don’t ever let stress win! How do you battle stress? The answer to this question is quiet simple, whatever makes you happy. For me sugar and good music makes it to the top. These two things can make my worries and anxieties slip away. Some of my friends enjoy sitting down and reading a book to get away from it all. Whatever it is for you, make sure you do it. You only have one life to live so you might as well enjoy it. Life may not be the party you plan for but while you’re here you might as well dance!

So the next time things get a little stressful and you don’t know how you’re going to stay afloat try the things listed above. The funny part of life is that it never slows done and time never stops so even when it feels like there is no tomorrow I can assure you that the sun will rise and the world will continue to spin. I can also assure you that life is going to tear you down every so often but the question is: Will you be rising from the ground like a skyscraper?

Need some Motivation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_8ydghbGSg&ob=av2e

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn676-fLq7I