There have been times where I found life to be really difficult to cope with. During those times, I have succumbed to stress, had low self-esteem and felt that I just could not carry on. Fortunately, I have come through and this encouraged me to share with you 5 simple but effective ways to cope with life.

Recognize your situation

Sometimes, one of the most difficult things to do is to recognize your own situation. When life is tough, it becomes difficult to see what is actually happening.

Negative thoughts can make it hard for you to think clearly. They can make you feel as if there is no way you can continue.

To break this kind of thinking, ask yourself: Have I changed?

Take note of the things you have been experiencing lately, like struggling with sleeping, not eating well, drinking excessive alcohol and no longer doing the things you enjoy. These are all signs that you are not effectively coping.

Recognizing these signs is the first and most important thing you should do. Once you are able to recognize your struggles, you can start finding ways to improve things and make your life better.

Try to identify what is triggering your anxiety. It can be the sad passing of a friend or family member, money problems or relationship difficulties. Or it could be a combination of things which are mounting up.

See Also: 3 Healthy and Inexpensive Ways to Cope with Anxiety

Make time for yourself

You are important and you need to recognize this. Failure to see your importance can easily make you neglect yourself.

Ensuring that you are eating a healthy diet is one of the best things you can do. When your body is healthy, so is your mind.

Try to engage in some form of exercise. This doesn’t have to involve a trip to the gym. In fact, you can start with a gentle stroll around a local park.

Although exercise can’t instantly cure your stress, it can help reduce your anxiety as well as help divert your attention. In addition to healthy eating and exercise, you can also do meditation.

There are a number of resources online that can give you advice on how to meditate. If that isn’t up your alley, you can try breathing exercises. For this one, you need to:

• Find a quiet area where you will not be disturbed for five minutes. Get comfortable and switch off your phone.
• Close your eyes and slowly breathe out through your mouth over a count of ten.
• Hold your breath for a moment
• Breathe in through your nose slowly, over a count of ten
• Hold your breath again for a moment before repeating the process.
• Repeat the steps ten times

With each breath, concentrate only on your breathing. Feel how the air enters and leaves your lungs and pay attention to how your chest expands and tightens.

As you perform the breathing exercise, visualize the times you were happy and imagine that you are there, at that exact time and place. As you visualize your happy place, try and think of every detail- what you see, smell and feel. You need to involve all your senses and really immerse yourself in the image you are creating in your mind. Now, as you do this, touch your thumb and index finger together.

At first, this may seem unusual, but, in the long run, this technique can make you easily recall your happy moments easily.

Plan a way to move forward

Once you know what is causing your stress, you can start looking for ways to solve it. If you know you won’t be able to solve it on your own, don’t hesitate to ask for help.

In case you are being stressed by money problems, for example, there are organizations that can help you with advice and support. For bereavement, there are counselors who can give you practical help to move on.

There are a lot of organizations online that can give you support. If you find this uncomfortable, you can go see your doctor.

Keep a ‘Positive Diary’

A “positive diary” works similarly to a journal. However, instead of paying close attention to negative thoughts, you write down positive things about your day.

For each day, you need to record three positive things. They can be things you felt or thought of during your work at the office, while working out in the gym or during your walk home.

As much as possible, disregard the negative things that may have happened. Focus only on the positive things to attract more of the good energy into your life.

See Also: How To Overcome Negative Emotions Using 5 Writing Techniques

Know that you can carry on

As I said above, there will be some days where you will encounter setbacks and there will be times when your best-intentioned plans will fail. You need to know that this is something that happens to everyone and is not a reason to give up.

Some time ago I went through some pretty tough times. At that time, I thought they were insurmountable. However, I kept going, looked for positives and got through it.

I was reminded by reading some of my Facebook memories which showed some pretty bleak posts from previous years that showed me how I found a way to get through. In time, things did get better.

Don’t give up

You may feel that there is no solution and that the only way forward is to leave this world. Although tempting, this isn’t one of the best ways to cope with life. If you ever feel this way, please get professional help.

I recently had to attend the funeral of a very good friend who took his own life. It was devastating to look around a room and see his work colleagues, friends and family all wondering if they could have done anything to help him.  Actually, we could have done something- had he only asked.

Moving on and finding ways to cope with life can take some effort and time. This, however, doesn’t mean that they aren’t doable.

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Eye safety in the workplace is a commonly overlooked issue. Unless a worker is assigned in a hazardous environment, he’s not likely to wear any protective eye gear.

Unfortunately, the industrial setting isn’t the only place you can compromise your vision. Even working at home can negatively affect your eyes.

As a guide, here are some of the ways you can promote eye safety at work.

Maintaining Eye Safety in Factories/Industrial Settings

Job-related eye injuries are common, especially for carpenters, mechanics, plumbers and other craft workers. Serious injuries could leave your vision impaired for life so make it a point to protect your eyes while at work.

Here’s how:

1. Understand the Risks

Most eye injuries are caused by small particles or larger objects hitting the eye. It’s a fairly common incident among people who work in factories and construction sites.

In addition to that, exposure to chemicals, radiation and bodily fluids could also raise the risk of injury, contamination and blood-borne diseases.

If you work in an industry where you’re exposed to these dangers, pay special attention to your environment and gauge how at risk you are.

2. Protect Your Eyes

The best way to prevent eye injury while at work is to wear protective eye gears, which are considered 90% effective. Because of this, most industries require workers to wear impact-resistant safety goggles, protective glasses, face shields or helmets.

You can also get prescription safety glasses or special eyewear that can protect against radiation and chemicals.

3. Replace Eyewear Regularly

Replace glasses and protective gears if they show signs of damage. In addition to their negative effects on your eyesight, they can also potentially cause injuries.

If you wear contact lenses, make sure to have them replaced before they scratch your eyes. Scratched eyes can disrupt your vision and make you more prone to infections.

They can also increase your sensitivity to light, too.

If you wear prescription glasses, it’s a good idea to consider LASIK eye surgery to get rid of them. It’s safe, painless and the best choice for vision correction.

Maintaining Eye Safety in an Office

Industrial settings are not the only ones that can put your vision in danger. Working at an office or from home can also affect your eye health, especially if you spend long hours in front of a computer.

Digital eye strain has become a common complaint. In fact, over 70% of Americans suffer from it today.

To make sure you don’t end up adding to that number, here are some of the best tips you can try:

Modify Your Workspace

The area where you work should be set up in an eye-friendly manner to prevent strain and improve comfort.

Ideally, the center of your computer screen’s display should be 10-15 degrees below your eye level and 20-24 inches away to keep your eyes and neck comfortable.

Keep the brightness of your computer screen at a level that matches the area around it. Make sure to reduce the color temperature and enlarge the text so you can read easily.

See Also: 8 Ways To Set Up An Awesome Home Office

Install Proper Lighting

The wrong lighting can affect your eye comfort, especially if there’s glare on your computer screen or work surface.

To ensure proper lighting in your office, avoid placing lights directly over your head or behind you. If you use a desk lamp, ensure that it doesn’t shine straight on, over or behind your computer screen.

Use blinds or drapes to reduce glare from windows. You can also install adjustable lighting so you can choose a comfortable level of illumination for your work.

Take Frequent Breaks

If you stare at a computer screen for too long, your eyes are going to get strained. Give them a break by following the 20-20-20 rule.

This technique involves looking away from the screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Blinking 20 times every few minutes can help as well.

Stepping away from the computer for 5-10 minutes to stretch and walk around also improves eye comfort. In addition to that, moving around reduces muscle strain and boosts productivity, too.

See Also: 7 Foods that can Improve your Eyesight

No matter what your job is, your eye safety in the workplace should be a top priority. It won’t only ensure your health, but it can also boost your productivity and efficiency.

If ever you face an eye injury, blurriness or loss of vision, seek medical attention right away. The earlier you receive medical help, the more you’ll be able to prevent severe eye damage.

The post Eye Safety In The Workplace: Effective Ways To Protect Your Vision appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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