There are some great acronyms out there, such as SCUBA: self-contained underwater breathing apparatus.
Another is HALT.
HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely, tired. It is a great way to find out what’s bugging us if we’re having a stressful day.
Action – Next time you feel agitated or overwhelmed, ask yourself – am I hungry, angry, lonely or tired?
- If you’re hungry, eat some protein
- If you’re angry, figure out why and with whom
- If you feel lonely, call a friend or confidante
- If you’re tired, take a break.
If you ask the questions and answer ‘yes’ to any of them, stop what you’re doing and take action to address the situation.
If you’re still stressed afterwards, at least you’ll be in a much better position to handle the bigger stressors.