National Press

Look at stress as a valuable signal that something needs to change

says Bill Crawford, Ph.D.,
author of "All Stressed Up and Nowhere to Go!"

Here are some simple ways to de-stress your daily routine.

• Change your routine Creating a routine is a way of dealing with the repetitiveness of daily life, says Crawford. But the routine may have you stuck in a negative rut.
So instead of waking up to an alarm every morning, get an alarm clock with a cassette player so you can wake up to music you love.
Morning traffic might drive you crazy, but you probably can't avoid a commute.
Make the trip something you look forward to by reading a good book on the train or listening to a book on tape in the car.

• Change Jobs. If your job continues to be a source of stress, you might need to reevaluate your situation, says Crawford. Ask yourself, if I were out of work tomorrow, would I take this job?" If the answer is no, it's time to look for a different job.