You may feel as though you have to get work done right away, but a break can help in multiple ways. It will let you relax, helping you become more productive and calm when you return to work.  Try taking a 5 minute break every hour at work. Walk around your desk, go to the bathroom, or read a short article online. Take longer breaks for longer tasks. For example, if you've been building a shed all morning, take an hour or 2 off at lunch. If you've been studying all day, take a few hours off before you begin again. Is there really anything I can do about the situation? Take a step back. Look for some perspective. Sometimes, we get stressed about situations over which we have absolutely no control, like being stuck in a traffic jam. Letting the mind know that it's okay to relinquish control may be all you need in order to fight stress. So if you find out there's nothing you can do about your suddenly stressful situation, try not to worry about it. Related to but distinct from the issue above, this method is all about using perspective to reduce stress. Life is full of problems — some of them big, some of them small. People who successfully ward off stress are often good about letting the small stuff slide and focusing on the truly important things.  Remind yourself of everything that's good in your life. Even in the disastrous event that you lose your job, there's still something to be salvaged. Remind yourself of everything you have, whether it's a loving husband or wife, grateful children, or attentive family; good health and safety; a roof above your head and a floor beneath your feet; or enough money to make sure you have the basics covered. Reminding yourself of all the things that you do have will make not stressing about the small stuff that much easier. Remind yourself of the times you have been happiest in your life; memories which put you at ease and calm you down. These memories can have a powerful relaxing effect. Feeling stressed? Then get on a bike and pedal out that anxiety. Put on your running shoes and jog around the track. Change into your trunks and take a couple laps around the pool. Controlling stress is sometimes as easy as getting up and moving about. When stress takes over, the sympathetic ANS pumps adrenaline and other hormones into the body to prepare it for action. Usually, the parasympathetic ANS eventually takes over and calms the body down. You can help the parasympathetic ANS take over by practicing meditation and breathing exercises.  Combine meditation and breathing into one exercise by doing the following: Sit down comfortably and close your eyes. Begin taking slow, measured breaths. Take note of where in your body the breaths originate. After a while, let your body breathe entirely on its own while still focusing on the breath. Notice which parts of the body your breathing moves: From your hands and feet to the top of your head. If you begin to think about anything other than breathing, set your concentration back on those breaths and how  they affect your body.  Another great activity is a grounding exercise. This helps you become more mindful and aware of the present moment. Take a moment to sense every feeling you experience, such as sitting in your chair, hearing the air conditioner, or feeling the table under your fingers. . After getting stressed out, it's tempting to try to isolate yourself from people. But evidence shows that being around trusted and amicable people can help ease stress. It doesn't necessarily have to be your friends or family, although they are great social motivators; it can be acquaintances or simply people around in, say, in a coffee shop. Being around the right sort of people can do wonders for managing your stress. . If your aim is improving concentration, distracting yourself probably isn't a very good idea. But that's not your aim, is it? Distraction can be an effective way of temporarily ignoring stress if you eventually use another method of controlling it (instead of just ignoring it).  Distract yourself by helping someone else. Change a stranger's tire. Help someone out with a buck. Help a senior across the street. Simple acts of kindness can reverberate if you let them. Distract yourself with art. Beautiful images, videos, music, and games can all be used to keep you from fixating on a stressful event. Distract yourself with a hobby. Pick your favorite thing to do in the world and do it. Chances are it's healthy and fun, and you're probably pretty good at it. It may sounds Pollyanna-ish, but it truly helps some people. There's almost always a silver lining in stressful situations. On a sheet, divide the situation into possible positive and negative outcomes. Then do something symbolic to the negative outcomes, like ripping them apart or burning them up. Take the positive outcomes and let them inform your thinking instead of the negative outcomes. Our modern lives can be pretty complicated and demanding. It's easy to feel like the world is guiding us rather than the other way around. In order to feel like you have more control over your own decisions, try simplifying aspects of your life. Take that vacation you've been putting off for five years. Set aside time to relax with a warm cup of tea. Take walks with your family. Try filling your life with simple things. It's those simple things that often have the most powerful effects. Music therapy is a breakthrough concept with a simple idea. Combine relaxation with music in order to fight stress, dementia, speech loss, rising blood pressure, and much more. Scientists have found that music therapy helps people calm their mind and body through its order, rhythm, and predictability. Find a nice spot to let loose, turn on some relaxing music, and help control your stress/
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One-sentence summary -- Take a break from the situation. Ask yourself: Learn not to sweat the small stuff. Fight stress with physical activity. Try meditation and breathing exercises. Get social Distract yourself Focus on the positive. Be simple. Try managing stress with music therapy.


Pin the two outer rectangles together, right sides touching. Sew up both of the narrow ends using a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance. Repeat this step for the two inner fabric pieces. Pin the two outer brim pieces together, right sides facing in. Sew along just the narrow, straight ends. Use a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance. Repeat this step for the two inner fabric pieces. Place one of the body pieces on the ironing board with the seam facing you. Use your iron to spread apart the seam. Press the seam open and flat. Repeat this step for all of the seams on all of the body and brim pieces. Pin the top edge of the outer body piece to the outer edge of the matching circle. Make sure that the wrong sides are facing out. Sew around the edge using a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance. Repeat this step for the two inner fabric pieces. Pin the inner edge of the matching brim all around the bottom edge of the body piece. Make sue that the wrong sides are facing out, then sew using a ½-inch (1.27-centimeter) seam allowance. Repeat this step for the two inner fabric pieces.
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One-sentence summary --
Pin and sew the rectangles together. Pin and sew the brim pieces together. Press the seams open on the body and brim pieces. Pin and sew the body pieces to the circles. Pin and sew the brim to the body.