Too Busy for Your Own Good by Connie Merritt Read Free Book Online Page A

she found herself hyperventilating and nauseated while working with one particular high-profile “bridezilla” who could potentially influencemany more jobs. Bonnie confessed in a letter to me later that she came incredibly close to losing her cool with the young woman (and her mother), but then she locked herself in the bathroom and applied this five-minute first aid. She was able to pull herself together, resolve the hovering difficult situation, and even get all the people involved laughing and lightening up.
    While you might not always have as much at stake as there was with Bonnie, this exercise can be very helpful since your health is at stake in the long run. Do this exercise whenever you need immediate pressure relief. If you’re too busy and you find yourself on the verge of becoming stressed-out, it’s time for your five-minute first aid!
    Go to a place where you won’t be disturbed. (Trust me, unless it’s a dire emergency, the world will survive without you.) Bring an eight-ounce glass of water at room temperature.
    1 . Loosen any constricting clothing, such as a tie, neckline, waistband, or belt. (Go ahead, nobody’s looking.)
    2 . Drink your water.
    3 . Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and close your eyes. Put your hands in your lap or hang them loosely at your sides.
    4 . While allowing your stomach to “pooch out,” take deep, slow breaths. Inhale through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat ten times.
    5 . Starting at your toes, “tighten” and hold them tightly for a count of ten. Move slowly and concentrate only on the muscles that you’re tightening.
    6 . You are now going to be moving upward on your body, holding the “tighten” step for a count of ten. When you’re finished with each body part, inhale and exhale slowly:
    Tighten and relax your calves.
    Push your knees together tightly and release.
    Tighten your buttocks and release.
    Tighten your stomach and release.
    Squeeze your fists tightly and release.
    Flex your biceps and release.
    Squeeze your upper body with your arms and release.
    Scrunch your shoulders toward your ears and release.
    Crumple your whole face and relax.
    7 . Drop your head to your chest slowly. Inhale as you roll your head to the left until it is hanging backward with your jaw loose. Exhale as you slowly roll toward your right shoulder, then back to the starting position. Repeat, rolling from the right to the left slowly.
    8 . Open your eyes and stretch like a cat waking up. Stand up slowly. Align yourself as if there is a string pulling you straight up from the ground.
    You might feel a little groggy or “spacey” right after you complete this stress first aid, which is completely normal. Walk slowly with good posture and continue to breathe slowly and evenly. You will feel refreshed and alert again in a short time.
Calling Dr. Heart
    Early in my nursing career, I worked in the intensive care unit at a small community hospital. Along with the standard duties we performed for patients in the unit, we were also responsible for responding when a patient “crashed”—their breathing or heart stopped, or they had a sudden loss of consciousness. Instead of hollering for help, someone picked up the phone and alerted the hospital operator.She got on the PA system and called for help. So the entire hospital wasn’t alarmed by, “Patient trying to die on us in Room 301,” a certain code was used instead: “Dr. Heart to Room 301.” I’d sprint to the room to take over the resuscitation until a physician arrived. Hospitals and medical centers today still have dedicated crash teams whose sole purpose is to save those patients who are in the most immediate danger.
    The symptoms of depression are important but the following are urgent symptoms that you’re “crashing” and in immediate danger. According to the
DSM-IV
, professional help should be