Are you Stressed?

1. Am I thinking/dreaming about my job when I should be sleeping?	Yes
2. Do my friends/relatives say that I seem more irritable and crabby than usual?	Yes
3. Have I forgotten the meaning of the word "fun"?	Yes
4. Am I experiencing physical symptoms of stress (tightness of shoulders, knot in my stomach, or headaches)?	Yes
5. Am I seeing close friends and relatives less frequently?	Yes
6. Am I working more and accomplishing less?	Yes
7. Do I tire more easily than I used to, or do I feel more fatigued than energetic?	Yes
8. Am I more cynical and disenchanted in both my personal and professional lives?	Yes
9. Am I noticing a difference in my level of tolerance of others?	Yes
10. Do I feel that I have given 150% of myself to others and am exhausted at the end of the day?	Yes

If you checked YES on three or more questions, you need to follow Sue Baldwin's TIPS on how to deal with Stress.

Some of these tips for Personal & Professional Life are listed below. Keep reading.

• Take a deep breath. Take three more deep breaths.
• Develop a professional support network.
• Take action now and make positive changes. Don't be a victim.
• Laugh out loud at a funny joke. Read a few pages of Sue Baldwin's book: Lighten Up and Live Longer.
• Take an aerobics class.
• Go try on funny clothes with a friend.
• Pop popcorn without a lid on the popper.
TWO MORE TIPS for the professional life of Early Childhood Managers:


• Budget in money to hire a floater, someone who can fill in when staff are out sick or who can work in the program in various roles. You won't have to scramble to find last-minute substitutes. When not subbing, the person can be that much-needed extra pair of hands.
• Develop a room for the staff to use during their breaks away from the children. Have resources related to stress reduction available for them in the room: adult stress toys, herbal tea, decaffeinated pop or juice, posters depicting nature scenes, and relaxation tapes for listening.