(0) Get a check up by your physician. I.e., check for and treat any medical factors (high blood pressure, obesity, sleep disorders, etc.). (1) Start regular ex

(0) Get a check up by your physician. I.e., check for and treat any medical factors (high blood pressure, obesity, sleep disorders, etc.). (1) Start regular exercise. For stress, it's better to do smaller amounts/intensities more often than to do too much but infrequently. (2) Check your diet. Too much processed sugar and caffiene in addition to the usual issues around sodium imbalance. Also good to look into what and how much you eat later in the day and how that affects your sleep. Also, make sure that you're staying well hydrated. (3) There are lots of different things that people jumble together under the notion of "meditation" -- especially as it's accreted into a big business for some people. Serious, hard-core forms of meditation that have been shown to have long-term transformative effects physiologically often induce (certain forms of) stress (otherwise, how are you going to learn to deal with it? :-). I'm all for learning this but it's not a quick fix to stress management. (4) A lot of the basic, introductory techniques that are often passed on as being part of "meditation" are really just relaxation techniques. They are great to learn because you can often apply them nearly anytime and anywhere. In particular, self-guided relaxation of each area of your body is a fantastic tool to help with stress. It's also each to fit into whatever chunks of time you have available (3 seconds, 3 minutes, 3 hours, whatever :-). For those quick, at your desk, self-checks I would suggest especially focusing on tension being carried in and around the mouth, face, head, neck and then shoulders. Also a good time to tune up one's posture. (5) Do more (light) stretching. The lighter side of yoga, etc. (6) Take more small breaks. Get a drink, pee, stare off into space, stretch, do some relaxation, take a walk, listen to some music, etc. (7) Get enough rest. (8) "Clean your plate." I.e., really finishing things so that you can let them go. Even seemingly silly things like keeping the sink clean, dishes washed and put away, etc. can have a bigger affect on stress levels than you might think. Doing a nightly list of things you need to deal with tomorrow is also a good ritual to start. (9) Write in a journal. Self-reflection, venting, etc. but be sure to also celebrate, too. Hope this helps, John