Personal Stress Management Plans

Q4 is where careers are made... and health quietly collapses. Working 55+ hours a week raises stroke risk by 35% and heart disease by 17% (WHO, 2021). Many of you reading this are doing 80+. The goal isn’t to slow down but to survive the pace without paying the price. Here’s your evidence-based Q4 survival plan; the same I share with execs running at 120% capacity. 𝟭. 𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴. 55% of executives don’t get enough. Each 45 minutes of lost sleep cuts cognitive control by ~10%. Target: 6–7 hours minimum nightly + a 20-minute nap after lunch. Optimize: cool room (18–20°C), same wake time daily, no screens 90 min before bed. 𝟮. 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲. Long days = glucose chaos. Eat every 3–4 hours to stabilize energy. Focus on protein + healthy fats. Avoid simple carbs. Hydrate: at least 2.5–3L daily. Mild dehydration kills focus faster than caffeine fixes it. 𝟯. 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿. 20–30 minutes of training a day: short, intense, and consistent beats heroic once-a-week efforts. Micro-move: walk during calls, do air squats between meetings. Weekend rule: recharge with longer outdoor sessions. 𝟰. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼. Breathing resets your nervous system faster than any pill. Try box breathing (4-4-4-4) or the 4-7-8 method between calls. Schedule micro-breaks every 90 minutes to prevent burnout buildup. Protect the final 30 minutes of your day: no screens, no Slack, no stimulation. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. Use HRV (Whoop, Garmin, Oura) as your early stress indicator. If your HRV tanks 3 days in a row, it’s not a badge of honor... it’s a warning. 𝟲. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸 (𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲). Creatine: 5g daily – brain + muscle ATP buffer. Magnesium glycinate: 200–400mg – sleep and stress regulation. Omega-3s: 1–2g EPA/DHA – anti-inflammatory shield. Ashwagandha: 300–600mg – lowers cortisol. The truth? You can’t “outwork” biology. But you can design a system to sustain performance under pressure. Start small. Pick one pillar (sleep, movement, or nutrition) and lock it in for the next 30 days. Consistency beats optimization every single time. Q4 starts now. Don’t just deliver results. Outlast the chaos. Read the full framework in my newsletter the Upward ARC. Link in bio. #UpwardARC

Been through product launches, 100-hour weeks, impossible deadlines. Here's how I manage stress—no fluff, just real tactics 👇 1. Intentional Pauses Even when swamped, I schedule 5-minute breaks between tasks. Sounds counterintuitive, but it's a game-changer. Microsoft research backs this up: short breaks reduce cumulative stress. I step away from screens, breathe, or stretch. These "unproductive" moments boost clarity. 2. Tech Boundaries No badge of honor for always being "on." I use Do Not Disturb, block notifications, and set clear availability windows both during and after hours. The Digital Wellness Institute confirms: boundaries reduce burnout and boost productivity. Tip: Designate "deep work" hours. Share this with your team to align expectations. 3. One Non-Negotiable Routine When busy, don't drop all self-care. Double down on one thing. For me, it's a midday walk without my phone. Find your one habit and protect it fiercely. Real-world example: During a major client workshop with tight deadlines, I used these tactics. Result? More clarity, energy, and presence for both team and clients. Remember: Small acts compound over time. Prioritize what truly matters. Your well-being isn't indulgent—it's essential for peak performance.

Tracy was suffering. Between her new job and caring for her two kids, she felt like her health was always last on her list. → 4 hours of sleep the last 4 nights → body aches → that awful yuck feeling in her stomach She had to make a change. But she knew it was more than just one change she needed ↳ and she felt overwhelmed. So we talked. I told her that even though big lifestyle changes take time ↳ there were things she could do that would benefit her right now ↳ as well as in the long run. So we → identified the biggest health concerns → talked about the changes that were easiest for her → picked a place to start ☝️ She would focus on things within her control ✌️ Not let perfect be the enemy of progress Here was our initial plan: 1️⃣ Focus on getting more sleep. → This couldn’t go on ↳ so she had to make it a priority. We picked a “stop everything and get ready for bed” time. 2️⃣ Sleep planning → For 1 hour before bed: ↳ no screens ↳ lights down low ↳ calm (yet important) tasks like: –fold laundry –pick up kids toys –write out nonnegotiable tasks for tomorrow (on paper) 3️⃣ Improve sleep quality → make bedroom dark, cool and calm ↳ clothes-pin curtains closed so no light comes in ↳ keep baby monitor face down so screen is not visible ↳ keep smartphone in adjacent bathroom at night 4️⃣ Move more during the work day → she’s active with her kids but sits at a desk → put a big cardboard box on her desk, her laptop on the box, and stand while on video calls → 5 minute walk before going into work and at lunchtime 5️⃣ Better food choices → bulk healthy meal prep on Sunday → bring lunch to work (for more control) → start replacing highly processed foods with no drama healthy snacks: ↳ nuts ↳ fruit ↳ veg + hummus 6️⃣ Manage stress → husband takes on a little more responsibility → daily reflection at night → take a 10-minute break in the morning and the evening: ↳ no screens ↳ no kids ↳ sit outside and relax 7️⃣ 30-minute walk with kids in stroller on days she's off from work → outdoor family time that benefits both her health and her family's health (it's not either/or) It was a process. 3️⃣ & 4️⃣ were the easiest for her 5️⃣ was the hardest 1️⃣, 2️⃣ & 3️⃣ were the most impactful But she’s doing it. And feeling better already. And is more optimistic about the direction her health is going. Better health is possible ↳ even with a busy lifestyle. You just have to find it. 👉 Want clear, actionable guidance, specific to you and your fitness issues? 📱 Schedule a 1:1 with me and I’ll give you 3 healthy changes you can make RIGHT NOW! 💪 Check my featured section. Did you find this helpful? ♻️ Repost to share with others! Want more information on healthy living? ➕ Follow me Steve Schlenkermann 🔔 Ring the bell

74% of us are working more hours now then we were before the pandemic I felt this pain daily. I was in the office before the sun came up and going home after it was pitch black. It caused me to feel disconnected from my family, friends and my own life. I was on Zoom calls all day so I should have felt connected to my co-workers. I didn’t. It led me to do something drastic. I quit my job. Here’s a powerful way to guide you through life (before you quit too): Self-care ↳ Prioritize activities that promote mental and physical well-being ↳ What I do: Get 5 minutes of sunlight, sauna 1x/week and phone detox for the 1st hour of the day Stress Management ↳ Develop strategies to cope with and reduce stress levels ↳ My plan: Walk away and take deep breaths when you feel it coming Work-Life Balance ↳ Establish equilibrium between professional and personal life ↳ My plan: Look at my calendar on Sunday and remove the unnecessary Setting Boundaries ↳ Define limits to maintain a healthy work and personal life balance. ↳ My plan: Learn to say ‘No’ more. It’s the most powerful word in our language. Time Management ↳ Efficiently allocate time to tasks and prioritize responsibilities ↳ What I do: Eat the Frog. Do the hardest task first and you’ll have a successful day. Meditation ↳ Find a space that allows you to sit and breath for 1 minute. Just focus on your breath. ↳ What I do: Whenever I feel something overwhelming, I take 1 minute to do deep breathing. When my mind wanders, I bring it back to the breath. Exercise and Physical activity ↳ Find a way to get to the gym 3-4x/week. If not the gym go for a walk outside for 20-30 minutes. ↳ My plan: 4:30am 3-4x/week at the gym lifting heavy weights Healthy Diet ↳ Find a balanced diet and stop drinking alcohol while minimizing caffeine (it’s hard to do) ↳ My plan: Eat 3-4 healthy meals and just drink water (no alcohol but sometimes Red Bull) Community ↳ I joined a Men’s group that meets 1x/month around a campfire. Find your community. Goal Setting ↳ Define clear objectives and create actionable ↳ My goals: Using Dan Koe’s FOCI planner that helps organize my quarter, month and week. Career Development: ↳ Continue to enhance skills and find opportunities for growth ↳ My plan: Learn to clarify who I am and spend time writing for 30 minutes (at least) per day Sleep ↳ Prioritize sufficient and quality sleep for overall well-being ↳ My plan: In bed at 9pm and up at 4:15am. It’s not enough but it’s a start. Click 👉 'Visit my Website' (under my name/bio) to join my free newsletter and get actionable methods to prevent burnout.

I've helped hundreds of professionals manage workplace stress. Here's what actually works for stress management: 1. Use the "what's the worst that could happen?" technique. 2. Keep a clean desk policy - less clutter, less stress. 3. Start your day with a 5-minute breathing session. 4. Schedule breaks, don't just take them randomly. 5. Practice saying "no" to non-essential requests. 6. Use the "brain dump" technique before bed. 7. Take your lunch break away from your desk. 8. Schedule "worry time" - 15 minutes daily. 9. Create a dedicated workspace at home. 10. Turn off notifications during focus blocks. 11. Implement the "one task at a time" rule. 12. Use the 5-5-5 method for instant calm. 13. Use the 2-minute rule for small tasks. 14. Document your wins, however small. 15. Keep a "worry log" to track patterns. 16. Create transition rituals between tasks. 17. Practice gratitude before starting work. 18. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. 19. Use time-blocking for better focus. 20. Set firm boundaries for work hours. Bonus: There's no such thing as being "too organized". Feel free to share this with your team. But remember: These techniques only work if you actually implement them. Start with one, master it, then move to the next. P.S. Which technique (1-20) resonated with you most? Did I miss any that work for you? #stress #workplace