You’re stressed. But why not take it to the next level? You’re probably already doing a lot of things that are making you feel even more stressed. Here are ten strategies that are sure to get you ever closer to a complete melt-down – or that heart attack – in record time.

1) Think of the scariest things that could possibly happen

Come up with ever more dramatic scenarios. Make a list and consult it often. Try to beat your personal worst.

2) Seek out your most gloomy and pessimistic friends

Share your worst case scenarios with your worrywart friends. They can be counted on to top them and add kindling to your worries.

3) Always wait until the last minute before you do anything

See if you can get across town in half the time it usually takes, and try it during rush hour before a crucial presentation you have to give. While driving, imagine getting fired over your chronic tardiness. Repeat often. Sooner or later, you WILL get fired, which is an amazingly effective stress booster!

4) Never keep track of anything

Just throw your keys anywhere when you get home. Ditto for the bills. Get a dog that likes to hide things. Then play “Must find keys NOW” when you’re late for work in the morning.

5) Skimp on sleep

You’re probably too stressed to sleep anyway, so why not try to get some work done instead of wasting time on sleep. So what if you’re not very productive. At least you tried.

6) Add stimulants

Remember that sugar and caffeine will give you an instant boost. So what if it won’t last very long. Just have another cup of coffee or another candy bar every half hour or so. Add cigarettes as needed.

7) Vitamins Shmitamins

Don’t worry about nutrition. It’s such a touchy-feely thing, and who has time for that anyway. If another pint of ice-cream sounds like a good idea, why not make it dinner.

Avoid exercise like the plague

Or at least strictly limit it to real-life emergencies, such as running after the bus when you are late – again (those darn keys!).

9) Don’t ever prepare ahead of time

Never, ever prepare the night before what you need in the morning. It would take all the fun out of trying to find clean clothes that fit and go together while you’re running late for another important meeting.

10) Say whatever pops in your mind

If it upsets people, so much the better. Being surrounded by people who are mad at you can enhance your stress levels beautifully.

To recap… It’s so easy to take your stress levels and raise them even higher. Then again, maybe you’ve had enough and would like to reverse the trend. For instant stress relief, just do the opposite of what’s recommended here.

And you may also like Elisabeth Kuhn’s FREE stress tips report to help with staying calm. And here’s a related article on stress and time management.

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Tags: stress management, stress management strategies, stress relief