There’s a moment in the third season of The West Wing where President Jed Bartlet declares that stress is something that happens to other people. Sadly, many of us are holding ourselves to the same harsh standard with devastating consequences for our health.

Stress is a natural physical reaction and it’s useful - the problem is that in modern life we don’t give our bodies time to recuperate. Instead we subject it to yet more stress and the cumulative effect can lead to health problems such as high blood …

Tags: anxiety , GTD , personal development , self help , self improvement , stress , wellness

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In an idyllic world, you could file your stress along with completed assignments when the clock strikes five. In reality, it tends to follow you home after a taxing day at work. If throwing on a pair of cozy pajamas and sinking into your sofa with a good book just isn’t enough to rid your mind of worries, try aromatherapy. This fragrant method of therapy can alleviate much more than just anxiety:

If humdrum routines have faded your passion into apathy, take a bath enhanced …

Tags: anxiety , aromatherapy , depression , fatigue , loneliness , self help , stress , therapy

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I’ve stood up in here and proclaimed my love of lists, and the healthy joy of being slightly control-freaky. But it’s all going wrong. We’ve gone all judgemental.

It’s a fact that keeping a food diary (a hastily-jotted list) can help you lose weight. But there’s a better reason for anyone to do it. If you want to really enjoy your food, a food diary points to where your palate might be getting tired. List what you eat, scan back over a week’s worth, …

Tags: GTD , health , personal improvement , self help , wellness

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So they’ve done it again. The folks at Harvard University have managed to distill stress relief into SparkNotes (or Cliffs Notes for those of you over the age of 35). This mini-therapy session will have you seeing the glass half-full in no time and leave that co-pay cash in your pocket to enjoy the holiday season. Whether you have one minute or half an hour, you’ll find ways to ease your day.

Take the sting out of 10 common stressors.

Sometimes just thinking about embarking …

Tags: guide , mental health , personal improvement , self help , stress , wellness

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You know, I really have to chuckle when science comes up with well-researched conclusions that most of us have already known all along. Here’s the latest: having happy friends can make you happy. In an extensive 20-year study, Harvard Medical School and UCSD researchers concluded that happiness is contagious but sadness isn’t.

What was really interesting about the study, though, is that they found a holographic effect with happiness. If something makes you happy, your friends, who may not even be around, have a higher chance of feeling happy, …

Tags: happiness , health , personal development , self help , wellness

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