To be at our best in self-management, we need to take good care of ourselves. We cannot fully tune into our own feelings and needs plus those of others, if we are “running ragged” and frequently feeling overwhelmed. We need to nurture ourselves by being present to our needs, so that we can also be fully present to others.

The popular press is full of articles on stress management, but if you ask people, few are following even the basic steps recommended.

Studies show that Americans are generally sleep deprived. Americans rush around trying to do too much and drop into bed exhausted. Statistics show that over 60% of Americans are overweight. Much of the problem is eating junk food. If you put junk into a machine or the human body, you can’t expect good performance to result. We know that humans need some rest and relaxation time. But many spend that time in front of a TV watching mindless programs that keep the level of felt excitement up. People get addicted to stimulation.

People have lost the art of relaxing, say on the front porch by talking with neighbors passing by. The best single way to manage your stress is to have a good network of people who like and support you. Interacting with them will do the most to keep you healthy. But studies show that the rate of friendship is declining rapidly.

There is also an inner way that we hurt ourselves with critical self-talk. We blame and put ourselves down when we don’t handle things at our best. This whipping ourselves just adds to the stress. Self-awareness is again the answer. The more you can be aware of your critical self-talk, the more chance you have to counter it with a positive statement about yourself. Be nice to yourself. Have compassion on yourself.

What is the result of this damaging lifestyle of too little sleep, too much junk food, TV and stimulation, decreasing friendship, and critical self-talk? Accomplishments, money – yes. But also tiredness that goes deep down. Emotional reserves are depleted so that new challenges tend to put people into overwhelm quickly. Fear is up, resourcefulness is down. Adrenal glands wear out from the constant pressure and excitement. Too much stimulation is not a good thing.

For years now, job pressures have been increasing. Now with the economic turmoil and collapse, job pressures are mounting even more rapidly. How can you take on more pressure if you are in the depleted state I just described?

The answer is, “Not well.” That word “well” means two things. Your performance will not be optimal and you have a good chance of getting physically sick. All manner of illnesses can be traced back to poor stress management.

The good self-care approaches are self-evident in the above. One additional approach is meditation. It is a terrific way to relax and rejuvenate your mind and body. My wife, Kathy, teaches mindfulness, a particular type of meditation. It also increases the practitioner’s self-awareness which is key to many self-management skills.

So if you want to remain healthy and to perform at your best, improve your self-care. Take good care of yourself, manage stress well, and develop more friendships and deep relationships.

You can read about or listen to recordings of more ways to increase your self-care and to develop good relationships in my Self-Study Program. And you can actually practice these ways in my Web-conferencing Virtual-Workshop, Leadership Communication™, which has a whole Module on Self-Management. For more information, please call me, Bill Murray, at 919-419-9460 or contact me from my web site link, “Contact Us,” or read about this on our web site’s home page, http://www.EagleAlliance.com.