Page 41 - Vision Manual

Reducing Stressful Events
Stress is a part of life, and it cannot be completely eliminated. That being said, there are ways to reduce our experience of stress and make stress in everyday life more manageable. The concepts, skills and strategies in this section are aimed at helping you to find ways to feel more in control of your life and make choices that either reduce unnecessary stress or make stress less powerful.
Structure and Routine
When the terms “structure” and “routine” are introduced, a lot of people who struggle with mental health can feel resistant or frustrated. A common misconception is that a structured life means doing the same things every day and living a boring, uneventful existence. This is far from the truth. The purpose of routine is that it provides you with a system to build your life around so that you have things you can look forward to everyday that help you stay healthy and on top of responsibilities. A good daily and weekly routine incorporates the following concepts:
 Responsibilities- We all have things that we are supposed to take care of on a daily basis. If we forget or neglect our responsibilities, they usually come back to cause a great deal of stress. Keeping track of day to day responsibilities such as doing dishes, taking out the trash, paying bills, and preparing meals can help us to reduce the occurrences of later stress.
 Ongoing Schedule- A schedule provides for a supportive framework to build your life around. They keep life predictable and reduce the stress of unknowns. The more you can make use of structure with things that need to happen each day, the more you will be able to engage in the things you want to do or enjoy doing without worry about the things that have to happen.
 Variety- Structure can, and should, include a variety of different things throughout the day. Just because it is routine doesn’t mean it needs to be boring. Remember to plan for things that you enjoy doing, as well as opportunities to get out of your normal environment. Going to a coffee shop, catching a movie, visiting with a friend, or taking a walk in a park can provide variety and an opportunity to experience different things throughout the day. Also, allow for the exploration of new things. Novelty is important as well.
 Interests- Make sure to include events and activities that you find engaging or interesting. Routine and structure become boring when they don’t provide for
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