Dear Dr. Ink:
What is the best way to eliminate stress?
Alicia Rewega
Answer:On occasion, Dr. Ink has been mistaken for a real doctor, and this may be one of those times. But, there certainly is a lot of stress in the newsroom these days. Many journalists are being asked to do more with less, so stress reduction, as the currently-stressed Martha Stewart might say, is a good thing.
The Doc prescribes these remedies for journalistic stress:
1. Lunch. Get out of the office, even if it means playing hooky, with a friend who is willing to share a meal and your angst.
2. A walk. Abandoning the office, even for five minutes, can clear the mind and soothe the soul.
3. A good book. Let literature transport you to a different time and place.
4. Stretch. Find a place in the building where you can get on the floor for two minutes. Work the back, legs, neck and arms.
5. Mental-pause. No, not menopause. Stress, the cognitive psychologists tell us, derives from the way we come to know a person or situation. Take a minute to re-think things. Rub your neck while you’re thinking.
6. Music. The Doc prefers soft jazz, blues, or R & B. Try being stressed after listening to Ella Fitzgerald.
7. Food or drink, but be careful. A slice of pizza will help. The whole pie will give you stress and heartburn.
8. Sex. No, not in the office, and not necessarily all-the-way. But a good strong hug from the right person can squeeze the stress right out.
9. Perhaps the juxtaposition with #8 is a bit tricky, but the Doc is a strong believer that animals help relieve stress in humans. Dr. Ink’s family dog, Spot (get it?), seems to know when Doc is in the dumps. Nothing like a good face lick.
10. Let it out. Repressed stress grows into a tumor. Tell it or yell it to a friend. Express your anger in writing. Let it out.
