How to Stay Stressed!

Check out these great tips on how to maintain that incredible stress level you're experiencing right now!

Never Exercise

  • Exercise wastes a lot of time that could be spent worrying. Eat anything you want. Hey, if cigarette smoke can’t cleanse your system, a balanced diet isn’t likely to, either.

Gain Weight

  • Work hard at staying at least 25 pounds over your recommended weight.

Take Plenty of Stimulants

  • The old standards of caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and cola will continue to do the job just fine.

Avoid “Woo-Woo” Practices

  • Ignore the evidence suggesting that meditation, yoga, deep breathing, and/or mental imaging help to reduce stress. The Protestant work ethic is good for everyone. Protestant or not.

Get Rid of Your Social Support System

  • Let the few friends who are willing to tolerate you know that you will concern yourself with friendships only if you have time, and you never have time. If a few people persist in trying to be your friend, avoid them.

Personalize All Criticism

  • Anyone who criticizes any aspect of your work, family, dog, house, or car is mounting a personal attack. Don’t take time to listen; be offended, then return the attack!

Throw Out Your Sense of Humor

  • Staying stressed is no laughing matter, and it shouldn’t be treated as one.

Males and Females Alike – Be Macho

  • Never ever ask for help, and if you want it done right, do it yourself!

Become a Workaholic

  • Put work before everything else, and be sure to work at home evenings and weekends. Keep reminding yourself that vacations are for sissies.

Discard Good Time Management Skills

  • Schedule in more activities every day than you can possibly get done and then worry about it all whenever you get a chance.

Procrastinate

  • Putting things off to the last second always produces a marvelous amount of stress.

Worry About Things You Can’t Control

  • Worry about the stock market, earthquakes, the approaching Ice Age – you know, all the big issues.

Become Not Only a Perfectionist But Set Impossibly High Standards

  • ….and either beat yourself up, or feel guilty, depressed, discouraged, and/or inadequate when you don’t meet them.


Source: De Anza Health Office, Stanford University