More on HR

Resume Writing Tips

Resume writing is a skill, it lays down the foundation for your job interview. Your resume provides the interviewers with their first impression of you. Think of your resume as a promotional brochure about you. You need to show a potential employer what you have accomplished and where your experience lies. Your strategy should be to emphasize the experience and skills that a particular employer is looking for.

Advice on putting your best foot forward with your resume.

• Avoid sins of commission
  One misspelled word or grammatical error can land your resume in the trash. Solution? Get a friend (or three) to read through your resume for mistakes. Because you're too close to the action to catch them all yourself.
  ... and of omission
  Missing data in your resume is just as costly as wrong data. Resume with no dates or job duties in the experience section, for example. Again, show your resume to friends for input on this one.
• Three- and four-page resumes
  You and your mother are the only two people who will read every word of the resume if it’s longer than two pages. Try to insist on two pages as the maximum length of the resume. “The goal of the resume is not to hit the recruiter over the head with everything you have ever done but to get a job-interview”.
  Blather
  You won't bore anyone into hiring you. Obviously, no?
  "Utilize knowledge of established contracting techniques, principles, and practices, and utilize knowledge of procurement regulations develop, coordinate and award a variety of concurrent or sequential contract actions."
  To avoid plodding, preposterous platitudes, read your resume out loud. If you find yourself gasping for breath, break the offending sentence in two (or three).
• Disorder
  Your resume should follow a logical sequence, from most important and most relevant, to least. For example, if you're just finishing school with a degree in the field you want to work in, put your education section near the top of the resume.
• Electronic Resumes
  An electronic resume is simply your resume in a format that can be sent over e-mail or the Internet. The advantage to having an electronic resume is simple-you can respond via e-mail or the web to job openings posted all over the world. No faxing or mailing necessary. If your resume is on a computer or floppy diskette, you already have it in electronic format; not say, however, that it is in the most useful format while it is true that most e-mail systems can accommodate document effacements-be they in Word, Word Perfect. Quark or otherwise – it won’t be true that every person or organization to whom you would like to send such a document is willing or able to receive it in that format.
• When sending an electronic resume, remember to
  Send the resume and cover letter in one file. You can do this by writing or --- cover letter in the space before your resume. You can also send your cover letter as on e-mail ---- with your electronic resume. Include the cover letter and be sure note where you found the ad. Use the job title and/or job reference number as the subject of your message. Cite any relevant job numbers noted in the ad. Follow up with an e-mail or phone call week or so after you submit it.

Tips For Great Interviews

• Before the interview, review your competencies, attributes and accomplishments. Remember you can be your own best supporter.
  
• Be prompt and bring the name and phone number of the person you'll be meeting.
  
• Dress like a professional. and bring extra copies of your resume.
  
• Allow the interviewer to set the tone.
  
• Describe your accomplishments and how they apply to the position in a clear, concise way.
  
• Respond to questions thoughtfully and in a warm conversational manner. Take your time.
  
• Don't over-script your responses ­ leave room for spontaneity and creativity.
  
• Ask for clarification, if you don't understand a question.
  
• Ask your own questions.
  
• Ask for feedback on how the interview went.
  
• Ask what the next steps are and when you can expect to hear from the interviewer(s).
  
• Shake hands and thank the interviewer for his or her time.
  
• Restate your interest in the position, if appropriate.

Time Management

It is one of the important aspects of everyone’s life because time keeps on going it plays it’s own part doesn’t stops for anyone. So to achieve our targets it’s important to manage our time through proper planning and scheduling.

It might take you a bit of time to learn how to best use the following tools, but once you do, you'll know what you're supposed to be doing and where you're supposed to be at all times.If you want to make sure you don't double-book appointments and that you really use your time, instead of wasting it away, consider bringing a fully loaded planner to your life. The world is now divided into people who stick to their old-style book planners and the newfangled crowd who drool over handheld computer organizers. It really is just a matter of personal taste. Buy whichever one you think you'll really use.

• SPEND TIME FOR PLANNING AND ORGANIZING : Using time to think and plan is time well spent. In fact, if you fail to take time for planning, you are, in effect, planning to fail. Organize in a way that makes sense to you. If you need color and pictures, use a lot on your calendar or planning book. Some people need to have papers filed away; others get their creative energy from their piles. So forget the "shoulds" and organize your way.
• SET GOALS : Goals give your life, and the way you spend your time, direction. When asked the secret to amassing such a fortune, one of the famous Hunt brothers from Texas replied: "First you've got to decide what you want." Set goals, which are specific, measurable, realistic and achievable. Your optimum goals are those, which cause you to "stretch" but not "break" as you strive for achievement. Goals can give creative people a much-needed sense of direction.
• PRIORITIZE : Use the 80-20 Rule originally stated by the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto who noted that 80 percent of the reward comes from 20 percent of the effort. The trick to prioritizing is to isolate and identify that valuable 20 percent. Once identified, prioritize time to concentrate your work on those items with the greatest reward. Prioritize by color, number or letter whichever method makes the most sense to you. Flagging items with a deadline is another idea for helping you stick to your priorities.
• USE A TO DO LIST : Some people thrive using a daily To Do list which they construct either the last thing the previous day or first thing in the morning. Such people may combine a To Do list with a calendar or schedule. Others prefer a "running" To Do list which is continuously being updated. Or, you may prefer a combination of the two previously described To Do lists. Whatever method works is best for you. Don't be afraid to try a new system you just might find one that works even better than your present one.
• BE FLEXIBLE : Allow time for interruptions and distractions. Time management experts often suggest planning for just 50 percent or less of one's time. With only 50 percent of your time planned, you will have the flexibility to handle interruptions and the unplanned "emergency." When you expect to be interrupted, schedule routine tasks. Save (or make) larger blocks of time for your priorities. When interrupted, ask Alan Lakein's crucial question, "What is the most important thing I can be doing with my time right now?" to help you get back on track fast.
• CONSIDER YOUR BIOLOGICAL PRIME TIME : That's the time of day when you are at your best. Are you a "morning person," a "night owl," or a late afternoon "whiz" Knowing when your best time is and planning to use that time of day for your priorities (if possible) is effective time management.
• DO THE RIGHT THING RIGHT : Noted management expert, Peter Drucker, says "doing the right thing is more important than doing things right." Doing the right thing is effectiveness; doing things right is efficiency. Focus first on effectiveness (identifying what is the right thing to do), then concentrate on efficiency (doing it right).
• ELIMINATE THE URGENT: Urgent tasks have short-term consequences while important tasks are those with long-term, goal-related implications. Work towards reducing the urgent things you must do so you'll have time for your important priorities. Flagging or highlighting items on your To Do list or attaching a deadline to each item may help keep important items from becoming urgent emergencies.
• PRACTICE THE ART OF INTELLIGENT NEGLECT : Eliminate from your life trivial tasks or those tasks, which do not have long-term consequences for you. Can you delegate or eliminate any of your To Do list? Work on those tasks, which you alone can do.
• AVOID BEING A PERFECTIONIST : In the Malaysian culture, only the gods are considered capable of producing anything perfect. Whenever something is made, a flaw is left on purpose so the gods will not be offended. Yes, some things need to be closer to perfect than others, but perfectionism, paying unnecessary attention to detail, can be a form of procrastination.
• CONQUER PROCRASTINATION : One technique to try is the "Swiss cheese" method described by Alan Lakein. When you are avoiding something, break it into smaller tasks and do just one of the smaller tasks or set a timer and work on the big task for just 15 minutes. By doing a little at a time, eventually you'll reach a point where you'll want to finish.
• LEARN TO SAY "NO" : Such a small word — and so hard to say. Focusing on your goals may help. Blocking time for important, but often not scheduled, priorities such as family and friends can also help. But first you must be convinced that you and your priorities are important — that seems to be the hardest part in learning to say "no." Once convinced of their importance, saying "no" to the unimportant in life gets easier.
• REWARD YOURSELF : Even for small successes, celebrate achievement of goals. Promise yourself a reward for completing each task, or finishing the total job. Then keep your promise to yourself and indulge in your reward. Doing so will help you maintain the necessary balance in life between work and play. As Ann McGee-Cooper says, "If we learn to balance excellence in work with excellence in play, fun, and relaxation, our lives become happier, healthier, and a great deal more creative."
• TRY THE SIMPLE LIFE : Over the last few years, many Americans have embraced "voluntary simplicity." Voluntary simplicity "is about discovering what is enough' in your life, and discarding the rest." This isn't just about getting rid of a few extra sweaters in your closet; it's about getting rid of everything that's not truly meaningful to you. You get to spend less time on the things that don't matter and more times on those that do. Want to give it a try? Start with Elaine St. James' book, "Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter."

ETIQUETTES

• Etiquettes In All Circumstances
  When we speak of etiquette in general, we may not distinguish it from the overall good manners. As a child, one should learn to keep one's bearing and dignity in all circumstances. There are bedroom manners and drawing-room manners, manners at home, school and outside but there are also manners in everything else. It is said that a person is known by the way he quarrels because in quarrels his breeding comes out best. The essence of etiquette lies in self-control, the exercise of which has to be initiated early in life. It is difficult for any person to maintain his etiquette even in a homogeneous environment, if he lacks training in self-control.
• Appropriate Attire
  Dress conservatively while shadowing. You never have a second chance to make a first impression!
  Men:Wear dress pants and shirts with a collar (polo-style or button-down). Jacket and tie are optional.
  Women:Wear dress pants or a skirt and a nice sweater or collared shirt/blouse. No short skirts or low cut blouses.
  If you are unsure about what to wear, ask your sponsor about company dress codes.
• Confidentiality
  Persons who are unable to keep confidential information secret, are generally disliked by individuals, and the same holds true with employers.
  Anything you hear or see within a company may be confidential, including business plans, customer/patient lists, product specifications, and employee records. Keep it that way!
• Professionalism
  Showing a level of professionalism in one’s job or shadowing role means you must show maturity, reliability, and conscientiousness. All of these factors considered together would be called your work ethic, and the ideal work ethic is one that speaks highly of you and shows good character.
  One’s work ethic and professionalism say a lot about an individual, and shadowing sponsors, as well as employers, remember these characteristics long after your job or shadowing experience have ended.
• Punctuality
  Be on time! Make sure you have directions and allow for rush hour traffic.
• Representing Yourself and the Organization
  While shadowing, you are in essence an ambassador for your organization, representing both yourself and the organization. Act in a sensible and wise manner so as not to embarrass or draw undue attention to your sponsor, your organization or yourself.
  Should you decide that in the future perhaps you might like to work for the company in which you are shadowing, your current behavior will most certainly be taken into consideration. Thus act maturely, discretely, and responsibly, and be courteous to those you meet.
• Sitting
  For a person appearing for an interview for a job, one of the first things she must learn is to sit properly. Her hands are particularly important because when a person is in a sitting position, it is her hands, more often that not, that pose a problem for her if she is not well-versed in knowing how to deal with them. The way she puts out her hands may mark the quality of her character and her nature. She has, therefore, to learn how to place her hands properly either on the handles of the chair, on her lap or on the table on front of her.
• Next important are the legs, which have also to fall in place to give the woman the required composure and self-assurance. Shaking one's legs while seated or making other movements may cause vibrations to her whole body, which may be jarring on the interviewers. 'Sitting pretty' is thus not only a phrase that is to be by-passed but practiced with spirit to bring about the best result. Also, it is to be borne in mind that the art of sitting is not an end in itself because a person any have to continue her conversation in this position, and while she may have presented a good picture while sittings she should be careful that this picture is not adversely affected when she starts talking. She must talk without in any way disrupting her sitting position and see to it that she can talk pleasantly and concentrate on her talk without having others' attention distracted by her sitting position.

Seat of power

• Always pull up your chair as close to the desk as possible. This prevent slouching.
  
• Lean forward, bending from the hip instead of rounding your shoulders and neck. An adjustable table top is very useful for writing.
  
• Sit on both your hips. Distribute your weight evenly.
  
• Make it habit to keep your head centered over your body.
  
• This is not party, So don't twist the body, always face forward. If you need to turn, turn your entire body as unit- trunk, hips, legs, and feet together.
  
• Keep a small footstool under your table. Keep your feet on it this cut down the pressure on your lower back.
  
• Change your position frequently. Wriggle around a lot. Sitting forward on the edge of your chair helps too.
  
• Make a habit rising from your seat at least once every hour. Take a walk. This will prevent buildup of stress in the back muscles.

Motivation

Two Factor Theory
Herzberg in 1966 conducted a study on Motivation and tried to find out

1. The times when he felt exceptionally happy about his job.
2. The times when he felt exceptionally bad about his job.

The interviews were then content analysed to see

• What kind of things were mentioned when they described the times they were very satisfied with the job.
  
• What kind of things were mentioned when they described the times they were very dissatisfied with the job.
  
• If the factors described in these two circumstances would be the same or different.

It was found that the factors contributing towards dissatisfaction were different but not the same. That’s why it is known as the “Two Factor Theory” of motivation. The provision of a certain factor leads to satisfaction and it’s absence leads to dissatisfaction. To us money is both satisfier as well as dissatisfier according to its availability and non-availability. But according to the two-factor theory a factor is predominantly satisfier or dissatisfier not both. Factor which satisfy are the motivators and factors those dissatisfy cannot motivate they are called maintenance or hygiene factors.

MOTIVATORS HYGIENE
Achievements Company Policy and Administration
Recognition Supervision
Nature of Work Supervision
Responsibility Interpersonal Relations
Advancement Working Conditions

Hygiene factors are the factors that provide the background on which the people work but not with motivation and this can dissatisfy them.
Maximum dissatisfaction : ---------------- : No dissatisfaction
When the working conditions are bad dissatisfaction will be more but it will go on decreasing as the conditions start improving and a stage will come when the conditions would be ideal and there will be no dissatisfaction. If the conditions are further improved the employees will be satisfied and they will be fully motivated.
But still the best working conditions are to be maintained to avoid de-motivation of the employees and so to seek this pleasure one has to make separate efforts. Thus hygiene factors play a significant role in maintaining high levels of motivation.
Motivators constitute another continuum that extends from no satisfaction to maximum satisfaction.
No satisfaction : --------------- : Maximum satisfaction.
In the absence of motivators like interesting work, responsibility, recognition etc a person will not be satisfied but will not be dissatisfied either. He is in a state of no satisfaction and no dissatisfaction. These are the factors that are intrinsic to the job but are capable to satisfy a person if adequate provision is provided to them Such as:

• The need to avoid pain
  
• The need to seek pleasure

Need to avoid pain may result into pain reduction whereas the need to seek pleasure will result into growth and development hence towards positive satisfaction. This theory makes the management to think that employees won’t work to their optimum if the management continues to concentrate on money only.

Stress

What is stress?
A dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint (forces that prevent individuals from doing what they desire), or demands (the loss of something desired) related to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important.
Stress is a fact of life. But too much stress can break down a person's physical, mental, and emotional health. Planning can help people to manage stress in their lives. They must begin to make choices that support their values and develop a personal plan to take charge of their lives.

Reasons behind stress:

Environment
Here your environment may be a source of unpleasant or distracting stimuli.

Chemical and Nutrition
Here the food you eat may contribute to the stresses you experience.

Lifestyle & Job
The family related grievances in your life and the environment in which you work may not be suitable to you and you might experience as being stressful.

Fatigue & Overwork
The under-performance causes feelings of frustration and failure, which causes more stress, which causes more hurry and less success, and so on.

Types of stress
Many people don't realize it, but stress is a very natural and important part of life.We need stress (eustress), but not too much stress for too long (distress). Our body is designed to react to both types of stress. Eustress helps keep us alert, motivates us to face challenges, and drives us to solve problems. These low levels of stress are manageable and can be thought of as necessary and normal stimulation. Distress, on the other hand, results when our bodies over-react to events. It leads to what has been called a "fight or flight" reaction. It is how we perceive and interpret the events of life that dictates how our bodies react. If we think something is very scary or worrisome, our bodies react accordingly.
What we all need is to learn approach matters in more realistic and reasonable ways. Strong reactions are better reserved for serious situations. Manageable reactions are better for the everyday issues that we all have to face. It is easy to feel angry, fearful or hopeless when we judge the events in our lives to be stressful. Interpreting the same situation in a different light can reduce the stress produced by a negative interpretation. For example, we can reinterpret a stressful situation as:
1.) A growth promoting event which will give us experience and understanding even though it may be difficult to deal with,
2.) A challenge where we will have a chance to experiment with our abilities and compete against the odds,
3.) A natural and normal part of our mortal life in which we need to endure.

We always have the choice of how we are going to interpret a situation. Any sacrifice can be interpreted as an imposition on our time or as a chance for us to build our character and spirituality. How we interpret the stress in our environment directly affects our feelings, and in turn, influences our behavior. Negative interpretations usually produce stressful feelings and lead to avoidance or resistive behavior. Positive interpretations can produce satisfying feelings and lead to productive and growth promoting behavior.

Stress Issues

• Our Own Stress Level
  Recognizing and accepting our most comfortable life-style, which includes the dimension of knowing how much pressure we can tolerate, is an effective way to avoid becoming overwhelmed by stress.
• Our Own Goals
  Realistic goal setting is sometimes difficult when parents, friends and other well-wishers offer ample advice about what would be best for us. It is important for us to decide on our own goals since pursuing an academic or personal goal defined by someone else creates problems.
• Scheduling and Preparation
  Stress frequently comes about when we do not get done what we hoped to do in a given period of time. If this is the case, scheduling can help. We commonly tend to schedule too much for the time and energy we possess. We should be realistic and avoid over-scheduling ourselves. Another thing to remember is to schedule the most difficult tasks before the easier ones. We ought to schedule some time in the day for ourselves and for our loved ones. If this personal and family time is set up as a reinforcement for completed tasks, we will likely be motivated to work more efficiently on difficult tasks of the day.

New Ways of Doing Things
A common stress reduction motto is "If you don't like it, change it." One way to change things is to identify those people and events, which are stressful to us and how we have traditionally responded to them in the past. Once we identify the cause of our stress, we can plan some new ways to respond to them in the future. Practicing our new responses before we actually need them is a good way to better prepare for those situations.
Some additional ways of doing things differently include:
(1) using a different style in dress and grooming,
(2) saying "hello" to classmates we would usually ignore,
(3) begin living a spiritual principle we have been putting off for some time,
(4) speaking, eating, driving and moving at a slower pace, and
(5) trying out for an athletic team or theatrical production.

Getting Closer to the Lord
Stress can come from treating lightly our relationship with the Lord. When we are making serious attempts to grow spiritually, we feel good and have a peace of conscience. When we are not, we generally feel agitated, defensive, critical and alienated from others. Such feelings are stressful. Peace and calmness can be restored to our soul through repenting of our wrong doings (attitudes and thoughts as well as behaviors) and by living in a more spiritual way.

Daily Relaxation
It is beneficial to create an "island of time" when we can daily engage in some uninterrupted reading, pondering, thinking and praying. This should be a time when the Spirit of the Lord can easily and quietly communicate with us as we think about our relationship with God. It is a time to think positively about ourselves. It is a time to relax so as to allow our body and spirit a chance to prepare for the tasks ahead of us the rest of the day.

Sound Thinking
The thoughts we give ourselves generally determine what feelings we will possess. Remember, the thoughts we give ourselves about the event cause the stress--not the event itself. As soon as we accept this principle, we have taken a major step in controlling the stress in our lives.

Resolving Anger
When our stressful feelings include anger, it is best to resolve these feelings as soon as possible. The holding in of anger and hostility puts a great stress on the body, which may be converted into psychosomatic symptoms like headaches, ulcers, and gastrointestinal problems.

Increasing Our Love
Love, or the lack of it, seems to be associated with most of our other emotions. When we are experiencing feelings like happiness and calmness, we are most likely giving love to others. When we are experiencing feelings of anger, hurt, or fear, there is probably a deficiency of love in those same relationships.

Exercise and Recreation
People who maintain a regular program of exercise seem to be able to become more quickly and deeply relaxed than people who avoid exercise. This should prompt all of us to add exercise to our life as a weapon to fight stress.

Nutritious Food
Much could be said about eating good food on a regular basis but most of us already know that we feel better physically and emotionally if we avoid foods with a high sugar content and replace them with foods from the four basic food groups: milk and dairy products, meats, vegetable and fruits, and bread and cereals.

Doing Something Permanent
There always seems to be a number of daily items which need our attention. In our efforts to take care of these items, we frequently feel exhausted at the end of the day but seriously wonder if we have accomplished anything of significance.

One way to counteract this stress reaction is to purposely schedule in our daily routine an activity which has lasting value. A few examples include
(1) writing a dairy or article where we include thoughts and ideas which are meaningful to us,
(2) reading uplifting and informative material and noting ideas which impress us,
(3) providing a service for someone which we would not normally do,
(4) writing letters of thanks and support to relatives and friends,
(5) spending personal time with a child in teaching a skill he or she will need to know, and
(6) making something like a table or wall hanging which can be used and enjoyed.

Structuring Relationships
Stress comes from unhappy relationships with others. We sometimes find ourselves locked into a relationship which we wish we could change. Seldom do we realize that we may have caused such a situation and could have prevented it by proper structuring of the relationship as it began.

Our Expectations
Disappointment, frustration and anger frequently come from things not working out the way we expected them to. We have conscious and unconscious expectations for our own behavior, for the behavior of others and for particular events in our lives. When things do not happen the way we expected, it is easy to become upset and irritated.

Stress Management Techniques

Summary
There is nothing that will magically help us relieve stress. Effective stress management includes selecting a variety of ways to deal with stress and implementing them over a period of time. A particular stress management technique may be effective on one occasion, but not another, so we need to be ready to implement new ones for any given time and situation. The use of stress management procedures can help us grow from the stresses in our lives rather than being immobilized by them. By refocusing on priorities and goals that reflect personal values and by developing the skills of pacing, assertiveness, and time management, people can live more satisfying lives.
Some healthful hints
Basically, we need to modify our over-reactions to situations. Rather than seeing situations as psychologically or physically threatening and thereby activating our sympathetic nervous system, our parasympathetic nervous system (that part which helps lower physiological arousal) needs to be called into play. The following suggestions are designed to reduce distress. Try them. They work!

• Learn to Relax : Throughout the day, take "minibreaks." Sit-down and get comfortable, slowly take a deep breath in, hold it, and then exhale very slowly. At the same time, let your shoulder muscles droop, smile, and say something positive like, "I am r-e-l-a-x-e-d." Be sure to get sufficient rest at night.
  Practice Acceptance : Many people get distressed over things they won't let themselves accept. Often these are things that can't be changed, like someone else's feelings or beliefs. If something unjust bothers you, that is different. If you act in a responsible way, the chances are you will manage stress effectively.
• Talk Rationally to Yourself : Ask yourself what real impact the stressful situation will have on you in a day or a week and see if you can let the negative thoughts go. Think through whether the situation is your problem or the other's. If it is yours, approach it calmly and firmly; if it is the others, there is not much you can do about it. Rather than condemn yourself with hindsight thinking like, you can learn from the error and plan for the future. Watch out for perfectionism - set realistic and attainable goals. Remember, everyone makes errors. Be careful of procrastination - breaking tasks into smaller units will help and prioritizing will help get things done.
• Get Organized : Develop a realistic schedule of daily activities that includes time for work, sleep, relationships, and recreation. Use a daily "thing to do" list. Improve your physical surroundings by cleaning your house and straightening up your office. Use your time and energy as efficiently as possible.
• Exercise : Physical activity has always provided relief form stress, in the past, daily work was largely physical now that physical exertion is no longer a requirement for earning a living, we don't get rid of stress so easily while working. It accumulates very quickly. We need to develop a regular exercise program to help reduce the effects of working. It accumulates very quickly. We need to develop a regular exercise program to help reduce the effects of stress before it becomes distress. Try aerobics, walking, jogging, dancing, swimming, and the like.
• Reduce Time Urgency : If you frequently check your watch or worry about what you do with your time, learn to take things a bit slower. Allow plenty of time to get things done. Plan your schedule ahead of time. Recognize that you can only do so much in a given period. Practice the notion of "pace, not race."
• Disarm Yourself : Every situation in life does not require you to be competitive. Adjust your approach to an event according to its demands. You don't have to raise your voice in a simple discussion. Playing tennis with a friend doesn't have to be an Olympic trial. Leave behind you "weapons" of shutting, have the last worked, putting someone else down, and blaming.
• Quiet Time : Balance your family, social, and work demands with special private times. Hobbies are good antidotes for daily pressures. Unwind by taking a quiet stroll, soaking in a hot bath, watching a sunset, or listening to calming music.
• Watch Your Habits : Eat sensibly - a balanced diet will provide all the necessary energy you will need during the day. Avoid nonprescription drugs and minimize your alcohol use - you need to be mentally and physically alert to deal with stress. Be mindful of the effects of excessive caffeine and sugar on nervousness. Put out the cigarettes - they restrict blood circulation and affect the stress response.
• Talk to Friends : Friends can be good medicine. Daily doses of conversation, regular social engagements, and occasional sharing of deep feelings and thoughts can reduce stress quite nicely.
• Meditate : Meditation is the process of discovery of ones own self. Solve your own problems by calming the thought waves of your mind. Develop your own philosophy of life. Excel spiritually, mentally and physically. Seek your truth, beat stress, sleep good at night, live life to the fullest, and most importantly be happy. This is your class and it develops around your needs.
• Yoga : Yoga means union and implies the union of body, mind and spirit. One who practices Yoga is a Yogi. There are many different names applied to Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Siddha Yoga and lots more. All these various schools have the same goal and that is union. Yoga is the goal of meditation. When one feels Yoga, one feels together, cohesive and harmonious. Conversely when one does not feel Yoga one feels not together, non cohesive and Inharmonious, which is stressful. The latter state fills ones life with confusion, insecurity and fear.

Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviors and techniques:

• Exercise and eat regularly.
  
• Avoid excess caffeine intake which can increase fee kings of anxiety and agitation.
  
• Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
  
• Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques).
  
• Develop assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings in polite firm not overly aggressive or passive ways: ("I feel angry when you yell at me" "Please stop yelling.").
  
• Rehearse and practice situations, which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious.
  
• Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks.
  
• Decrease negative self talk: challenge negative thoughts about yourself with alternative neutral or positive thoughts. "My life will never get better" can be transformed into "I may feel hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it and get some help".
  
• Learn to feel good about doing a competent or "good enough" job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others.
  
• Take a break from stressful situations. Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress.
  
• Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way.

Stress & Time Management

Effective time management is just one of many ways to keep from succumbing to stress overload. Some methods of stress management that you might want to experiment with to see what works best for your particular situation.

• Associate with people whom you enjoy and who support you.
  
• Learn and practice relaxation or meditation skills.
  
• Engage in a vigorous physical exercise that is convenient and pleasurable. Sometimes it helps to get a friend to exercise with you.
  
• Don't let one thing dominate you, such as schoolwork, relationships, jobs, sports, etc.
  
• View life as challenges to seek, not obstacles to avoid.
  
• Take responsibility for your life and your feelings, but never blame yourself.
  
• Maintain a reasonable diet and sane sleep habits.
  
• Use of alcohol and other drugs wisely, be in control of it, not vice versa.
  
• Avoid the use of sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and other drugs to control stress.
  
• Protect your personal freedoms and space. Do what you want and feel, but respect the rights of others. Don't tell others what to do, but if they intrude, let them know.
  
• Find a time and place each day where you can have complete privacy. Take time off from others and pressures. Short time-outs during the day can help improve efficient functioning the rest of the day.
  
• Don't drift along in troublesome and stressful situations or relationships. Take action to change rather than trying to avoid the problem. Taking chances is the key to emotional well-being.
  
• Surround yourself with cues from positive thoughts and relaxation.
  
• Review your obligations from time to time and make sure they are still good for you. If they're not, let them go.
  
• Open yourself to new experiences. Try new things, new foods, new places.
  
• When worries start to build up, talk to someone.

Things to keep in mind
One way to monitor and understand stress in your life is to record your feelings in a diary. Once you gain better awareness of the things that cause you stress, you can then build an action plan to positively manage it by creating some positive goals to help reduce the amount of stress in your daily life.

• Deep breathing : Focus on slowing your heart rate down by breathing in deeply and slowly, then exhaling slowly and completely. Repeat the inhale/exhale cycle at least five times.
  
• Quiet time : Find a place at home and at work where you can get away from everyone and take a few minutes for yourself. You can practice any relaxation technique or simply spend the time thinking through a problematic situation.
• Relaxation media : There is a variety of relaxation media on the market in the form of cassettes, CD’s, videos and even computer software.
  
• Visualization : The basic technique of visualization is to put yourself in a relaxed position, breathe deeply and rhythmically and close your eyes. Then, in detail, imagine in your mind’s eye a peaceful place or any surroundings that are pleasant and claming to you. While imagining this place, focus on breathing deeply and releasing tension from your entire body.
  
• Yoga : The word yoga comes from Sanskrit language meaning union and is believed to be at least 6000 years old, originating in India. By separating our "self" from the environment we are able to come to terms with our individual personality and start putting our mind and emotions in order.
  
• Meditation : Meditation is meant to bring about awareness, nothing else. It’s a time to connect to your inner “source” and let go of the issues, responsibilities and situations that bind your life. To get you started, here is an explanation of how to practice classic and simple meditation:
  
• The Mantra : A mantra is a sound, word, or phrase that is repeated to yourself out loud or silently. The purpose of the mantra is to discard your normal thoughts and focus your awareness inward. You can select anything as your mantra from a single word to religious scripture, anything that is meditative for you. For this exercise, we will use a natural mantra “hamsa,” being the natural sound one makes when breathing... “ham” (h-ah-m) on inhalation and “sa” (s-ah) on exhalation.
  
• The Hamsa Meditation : Sit comfortably back straight, shoulders relaxed with your arms by your side or resting in your lap. Select a quiet place if possible, but it’s not required. Close your eyes and breath naturally. Sit for a minute before you begin thinking the mantra to allow your heart and breathing to slow. Gently focus your attention on your breath and begin thinking the mantra, slowly and rhythmically, matching the mantra with your breath... (h-ah-m) on inhalation and (s-ah) on exhalation. Allow yourself to become absorbed in it. Let your thoughts and feelings come and go without concern. Don't try to control them in any way, simply note them. When you realize you’re not repeating the mantra, re-focus your attention on your breath and begin thinking the mantra again. Don’t try to force yourself to think the mantra to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Meditate for at least 10 minutes, preferably 20 minutes. When done, take about a minute to slowly return to normal awareness. (It’s okay to glance at a clock to time your meditation, however, I suggest you don't use any kind of alarm timer.) Gently open your eyes and slowly move to your feet. Be careful not to get up too quickly after meditating, you may experience some dizziness after a deep state of rest. You may or may not experience a deep state of relaxation and rest your first time meditating. As with many relaxation techniques, meditation takes practice to reap all the benefits. Don’t get discouraged, just stay with it.
  
• Exercise : Exercise is an excellent means of releasing tension from your body and inducing a relaxation response. You’ve been practicing this technique for many weeks now. Among the other benefits physical activity brings, have you experienced a reduction in stress?
  
• Stretching : Stress makes your muscles tense up and can cause headaches, a stiff neck, sore shoulders and a knotted back. Full body stretching will help your muscles relax and help you to breath deeper. Always remember to hold stretches for a minimum of ten seconds and concentrate on elongating the muscle slowly and rhythmically. Don’t bounce! When you don’t have the time to stretch your entire body, try these simple upper body-stretching exercises to release tension. They can be easily done in a chair anywhere; at home, at the office, traveling in a car, bus or on plane: Are chemicals the culprit? Surprisingly, much of the stress you experience daily could be due to what you are putting into your body in the form of chemicals. Be sure to eat a balanced, healthy diet to assure you’re giving your