Dealing with stress, a practical checklist

(excerpt from the Fox News article on Ken Lay's heart attack)

The following strategies may help you cope with stress:

--Eat and drink sensibly. Overindulging in alcohol and food adds to stress.

--Assert yourself. Learn to stand up for your rights and beliefs while respecting those of others.

--Stop smoking. Nicotine acts as a stimulant and brings on more stress symptoms.

--Exercise regularly. It’s a stress-buster. Get your doctor’s approval before starting a new fitness program.

--Relax every day. Techniques include meditation, deep breathing, biofeedback, and mental imagery.

--Take responsibility. Control what you can and leave behind what you cannot control.

--Cut causes of stress. Take good care of yourself, don’t overload your schedule, set priorities, and skip hassles, such as bad traffic, when possible.

--Examine your values and live by them. Doing so may make you feel better, even under stress.

--Set realistic goals and expectations. It's OK -- and healthy -- to admit you cannot be 100 percent successful at everything all at once.

--Build your self-esteem. Feeling overwhelmed? Remind yourself of what you do well.

--Get enough rest. The time you spend resting should be long enough to relax your mind as well as your body.