Remember to put the glass down

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience.

As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they'd be asked the "half empty or half full" question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. /240ml

She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed.

In each case, the weight of the glass doesn't change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

She continued, "The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water.

Think about them for a while and nothing happens.

Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything."

Remember to put the glass down.

It’s Thursday and the end of the week is quickly approaching. For some of you, you’re eagerly eyeing the weekend. For the rest, your head is probably ready to spin off trying to complete your endless list of random personal and professional responsibilities. While I’d love to discuss the anxiety and frustration you’re going through with a mile long monologue, you really need a game plan instead. Here’s my no-nonsense approach to handling your anxiety and achieving your list today.

1.    Organize your list based on priority

2.    Don’t add fuel to the fire

3.    Read your random text messages, social media streams, and personal emails for 3 minutes at the top of each hour (and no other time)

4.    Return to simple life.