Neil Shah - The 10-Step Stress Solution: Live More, Relax More, Reenergize

JEREMY P. TARCHER/PENGUIN

Published by the Penguin Group

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First published in the United Kingdom by Vermilion in 2012

First Tarcher/Penguin paperback edition published in 2013

Copyright 2012 by Neil Shah

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Shah, Neil.

The 10-step stress solution : live more, relax more, reenergize / Neil Shah.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-101-63363-2

1. Stress (Psychology). 2. Stress management. 3. Time management.

I. Title. II. Title: Ten steps stress solution.

BF575.S75S482 2013 2013028975

155.9'042dc23

Version_1

I dedicate this book to you, Dad; I couldnt have got here without you!

INTRODUCTION

What is stress? These days you cant turn on the television or radio, or pick up a newspaper or magazine without people going on about stress. And if they are not directly talking about stress, its likely they are giving you some information that is going to get you stressedthe failing global economy, war, terrorism, climate challenges, murder, your sports teams poor results...

We live in a stressful era, possibly the most stressful period humans have ever experienced, and stress is one of the biggest issues that modern man has to deal with. Contributing to myriad illnesses, some of which even lead to death, it is a state that costs companies and our economies billions.

It is something that everyone can relate to. When I tell people I work in stress management, the vast majority of people respond with, I need some of that!

If I ask a roomful of people how many of them are concerned about the impact that stress has on their health, well-being, relationships and ability to focus at work, most will hold their hands up. Would you?

Even though stress is something we can all relate to, have probably all experienced and are likely to be concerned by, most of us do not really understand what it is. We are ill-equipped to recognize it and therefore to take steps to minimize its negative effects.

Stress can be the driving force that keeps us on our toes and ensures we push ourselves to be the best we can be. However, if we have too much stress, it can drive us into physical, mental and emotional exhaustion. Therefore we need to strike the right balance. Certainly we cant avoid the problem; situations arise on a daily basis that make physical, mental and emotional demands on us: there may be decisions to be made, deadlines to be met, lessons to be learned; but as individuals, we must take stock of all aspects of our life and situations and learn to cope better. Treat stress early, and your prospects are good. But ignore the problem, and there is a risk that burnout may become a permanent state of affairs. Unreasonable stress affects one in five of the population, so a sensible response would be to learn to manage it better.

WHAT THIS BOOK OFFERS

This book will begin to teach you what we should all have been taught as childrenhow to manage stress and ensure that we are able to recognize when we are in a state of stress and be able to take the steps to change our behavior quickly. It is designed to give you some of the answers, to empower and enlighten you. The book contains a simple 10-step process, written in plain English, without jargon or technical language. It also includes background information about stress, plus some practical suggestions on diet, relaxation and lifestyle changes. It has been written to give you simple, practical knowledge and techniques that will enable you to take back control of your life.

I have 10 years of experience, knowledge and expertise in stress managementgained from working with some leading health and well-being professionals coupled with hands-on experience of delivering projects across the world, allowing me to gain a vast range of experience with people from a broad spectrum of industries, cultures and environments. This has allowed me to understand some of the core common challenges that we face today and to develop some powerful solutions to cope with these challenges as well as to increase our resilience to the pressures of modern life. This isnt just another do this and your life will be amazing self-help book. Most of the information offered in these pages has been gained from personal, firsthand experience: my first stressed-out, on-the-brink-of-a-breakdown client was myself.

WHAT QUALIFIES ME TO WRITE THIS BOOK?

Today I am happy, healthy, calm and relaxed. I have an abundance of energy, which I have used for various things from running the London marathon four times to climbing mountains. I am also the founder and director of The Stress Management Society, an organization dedicated to helping people tackle stress, and one of the UKs leading authorities on stress-management issues. I successfully run three other companies, all focused on health, well-being, stress reduction and success achievement. I am seen as an expert in stress reduction and relaxation by my peers. I have a wonderful team, amazing friends and an incredible family.

But it was only 10 years ago that my previous company failed. I had started an IT recruitment firm at the age of 24 and turned it into a multimillion-dollar business. I had offices in London and South Africa, a string of awards including Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year, the Success through People award, nominations for the DTI/EU Best European Small Business Initiative and had achieved the Investors in People standard in record time. My success had even attracted an invitation to 10 Downing Street to meet the then prime minister, Tony Blair.

However, being young and naive, I made some poor decisions along the way, which wasnt too much of a problem when the going was good; however, when the dot.com bubble burst and the business climate changed, I found that my choices were testing both the business and myself. I found myself struggling: I couldnt focus at work, I was spending longer and longer in the office, I couldnt sleep at night and I was always angry. I was overwhelmed and under pressure and simply not coping. I didnt recognize this as stress; however, I knew I needed help. I made an appointment to see my doctor, who after listening to me for a few minutes suggested that antidepressants might help me to cope with some of the symptoms I was experiencing. Now, I knew enough to know that this wasnt the answer. I asked if he had any other suggestions and he recommended I book an appointment to see a therapist.