How do I Deal With Stress?

This week has been a rough one. I’m sure everyone has rough weeks, and what I think is rough, may not be as bad as challenges others face. During this week, my stresses have been job-related expectations that are almost unrealistic. My stress level and those of my coworkers was high as we worked to get things done. After nearly fifty hours of work at my day job this week, I find myself looking at how I deal with the stress.

I find, when faced with challenges it is easy to see those who are handing me the stress as antagonists, when as I’ve watched them this week, I see they have their own stress, and depending on their management level, they may be more than mine. It is not always them against me. I’ve tried to see us as all being on the same side. Even if I am wrong, I won’t waste the energy hating them.

But that isn’t all I do. Sometimes, I need to get away from it, mentally and physically. my trips may be short, like a few deep breaths as I look at the mountains outside the windows. Or it could be walking the hallways for a quick minute.

This week especially, I dealt with my stress through my writing. Granted, I didn’t write as many words this week as I have on a normal week. But sinking into the creation of my work in progress has helped me step away. It might only last for an hour at a time, but it has become my escape.

It turns out, finding that escape, however momentary, has helped me remain calmer and return to my tasks with greater focus.

Reading a good book and writing are escapes that work for me.

If you’re looking for a good science fiction story to escape into, check out my books The Promise of Dust or Progenitor’s Legacy: Deceit.

If you like a good time travel book, my book Resonance is on Amazon as a preorder for Kindle. It will be available March 2, and the paperback should be available in the next few days.

If a young adult science fiction is more to your liking, check out my series This New Earth, that starts with Demons of a Dead World and Secrets of a Dead World.

If you are looking for a young adult fantasy, check out my book The Threads Unbound.