About the Book

Susan Balfour takes a fresh, contemporary look at the dilemmas we face in today’s society. She proposes alternative ways of approaching and thinking about life and its challenges, and suggests simple solutions which can be applied to modern problems. For example - “Watch your body language. Tension in your muscles sends a message to the brain to release stress chemicals. It also depletes your body of energy, which leaves you less resilient to pressure. Get into the habit of doing a ‘body scan’ at regular intervals throughout the day, checking your shoulders
aren’t hunched or your jaw clenched, and consciously relaxing any tense muscles while breathing slowly and deeply. She offers assistance in carrying out an audit of your life on many levels, to help discover just what is weighing you down and holding you back. She offers exercises for mind and body throughout the book and gives ideas to control and relieve the varieties of modem stress we all suffer - from work and emotional issues to mental and physical pain.

About the Author

Susan Balfour is a psychotherapist who has made a special study of the stress syndrome: what causes it, how it affects our health and how to manage it in daily living. Susan has been featured on a number of television programmes about stress and anxiety management and has worked with leading medical specialist on the management of Repetitive Strain Injury.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: What’s going on? • The stress of change • Daydreaming time is important • Limited adaptation energy • Life events table • Your attitude can help • Don’t bankrupt your energy bank • Mitigating the effects of change • Coping with key stressful life events • A new baby • Starting school • Leaving for university Chapter 2: Wisdom and truth: vital resources • Hold on to what is valuable to you • Allow yourself moments of stillness • Love changes everything • The power of the right word • Your personal truth • Recipes for life • Inspirational wisdom and eternal truths • Do it your way • Be in the here and now • Control your use of technology • ‘And/and’ not ‘either/or’ • Find the ‘Third Point’ Chapter 3: Who is in control? • Strategy No 1: Acceptance • Strategy No 2: Walk away • It’s all too big! • Strategy No 3: Make a positive decision • The stress of capitalism and the consumer society • The consumer myth • Who controls your mind? • We are being dumped on • Counter measures • Be patient with yourself • Cut down on your screen time • Our insecurities are triggered by commercial propaganda • Strengthen your power • Live lightly in the world • Identify with the eternal and lasting rather than with the transient Chapter 4: Technology and stress • Mobile (or cell) phones and smartphones • Steps that can be taken to reduce the risk from radiation from technology • Possible consequences of radiation exposure • Cordless phones • Personal computers and laptops • Use of laptops • The real danger in technology Chapter 5: Take control of your agenda • Too much on your agenda? • Clearing to move forwards • Reviewing your agenda • Contemplating a career move • Overcoming feelings of obligation • Determining your motivation • Prioritising your agenda • Give yourself what you ‘want’ • Offload unnecessary baggage • What to offload • Make space for your mind • Switch to the creative side of the brain • Meditation • Resting the mind • Imitate successful behaviour • Don’t criticise yourself • Create clear boundaries Chapter 6: The positive ‘No’ • Establishing boundaries • Say ‘No’ with a ‘Yes’ voice • Visualising boundaries • Physical boundaries • Establishing ‘safe space’ Chapter 7: Stress at work • A too heavy workload • Unclear instructions or insufficient information • Boundaries in the workplace • Intimate space • Personal space • Social space • Public space • Other people’s stress! • Constant interruptions • Bullying and intimidation • Symptoms of too much stress • Stress-inducing environmental problems • Poor lighting, fluorescent lighting or insufficient daylight • Lack of air flow, poor ventilation, air quality too hot, too dry or too cold • Stress on your body due to static postures • Working from home • Isolation • Lack of energy due to lack of input from others • Set your own schedule • Increased number of tasks • Undefined boundaries • Self-discipline Chapter 8: Let’s talk about your body • The stress response • Physiological changes that occur in the stress response • Raised blood pressure and the pounding heart • Blood clots more readily • Hormonal and chemical changes • The supply of sugar increases • Excessive sweating • Skin turns ghostly white • Heightened senses • Reduction in libido • Digestive system shuts down • Breathing becomes rapid and shallow • Muscles tense for action Chapter 9: Just relax … • Pace yourself: balance doing and non-doing • Tension overdraws your energy account • Tension is tiring • Caught in a vicious circle • How to release tension at regular intervals • Loosening and stretching routine • Head and neck movements • Shoulders • S – T – R – E – T – C – H • Legs and feet • Arms and hands • Y – A – W – N • Breathing • Massage • Deep relaxation routine • Calm breathing Chapter 10: Food to empower you • Your healthy diet plan • Protect your body from free radicals • Reduce the sugar • Reduce the fat • How much salt? • Eat more fresh vegetables • Salad foods • Fresh fruit • Fibre • Alcohol • Eat minimally for maximum alertness • Are you drinking enough water? • Hints for controlling panic attacks and pre-menstrual syndrome • One final power boost • Emphasise the alkaline foods • So what needs changing? Chapter 11: What we can learn from successful people • Control, challenge and commitment • Control • Challenge • Commitment • Approaches to life • Attitude • Be yourself ! • Afterword • Your helplist • Useful addresses • Suggested further reading Figures • The ideal positions for your body at a workstation or desk • The ideal desk arrangement • Balancing point of relaxation and tension • The human function curve • Neck stretch • Head tip • Neck tilt • Shoulder release • Shoulder shrug • Stretch! • Arm swing • Body twist • Arm circle • Starting position for deep relaxation routine Exercises • Determine your core values • Change the perspective • Harnessing the power of repetition • Serving up your own recipe for life • Maintaining the equilibrium within • Exactly why do you need that pair of shoes? • Switch off from the outside world for a while • Wonder in the glories of nature • Visualising a different world • The here and now • Spring-clean your life! • Rethinking your agenda • Offloading stress • Clearing the mind • Finding a sense of peace through visualisation • Reaffirming your right to a clear mind • Imitation is the highest form of flattery • Changing your intonation • Visualise your boundaries • Erecting physical boundaries • Building your safe space • Creating a comfortable work environment • Dodging extraneous stress • Get the blood flowing • The importance of the spoken word • Energising your working day • Are you a lark or an owl? • Reinvigorating your home work environment • Holiday at home • Escaping the vicious circle Case studies • The effects of change • Reorganising priorities • Sifting the clutter from the treasure • Establishing personal space