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OT stress relief

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Dave from MN

Well-known Member
With financial turmoil in many people lives and with constant gremlin of stress in peoples lives. I thought it would be interesting and beneficial to see what we all do for stress relief. Many of us hold our stress in way too long and it'll hurt us physically and mentally. So lets share what we do.
I personally stress out way to much I am kind of a anxious person. I have one cow that likes to sit and listen to my woes, her daughter has also started to come and lay down for some conversation. A lot of times I just hop in the truck and go for a drive down a few roads I havent been down for a long while. Duck and deer hunting is a big stress releiver in the fall. A morgan/DR Pepper or beer is my other alternative, but I think that may be just be making things worse in the long run. When the birds are laying, just sitting there having a cold beer, picking them 10,000+ egg's listening to Johnny Cash on a 70 degree day is pretty relaxing.
 
For me , it's Cutting /splitting wood. Cold beer, or EJ brandy and DrPepper . Watching the dogs work birds. Fishing .
 
I just keep in mind that no matter how bad things might seem, someone else has it much worse. Compared to cancer and kids coming home missing arms, and legs or coming home in a box, most everyday stresses are back of the bus.........

However....... On real sh!tty days, I grab a dog or two and go hang out with the horses.


Dave
 
In 97, stress put me in the hospital during Superbowl weekend. From that time on I've just learned to say "Bucktit" and turn away from whatever is bothering me to do some wood turning, (winter)or driving around on my JD 530(spring) through fall.
 
I have Migraines, Colitis, hyper active colon, Shingles, and high blood pressure. My doctor say's I'm a time bomb. I loose my patience VERY easily. Covering my face with a pillow and screaming helps, but gives me a headache.
Hey MN Joe, what's the 80/20/2 rule? Ron
 
To be honest,the cattle business ain't that bad right now. Or I've reached that point financially in life where I don't need much,one or the other. I've found though,that not paying much attention to the news,not listening to talk radio,listening to classical music and bluegrass keep me on an even keel. Spending as much time as I can with my wife on her days off is a big help too. I guess just having an attitude that this is the only life I'll get and there's no sense getting worked up over things that don't even effect me and I couldn't do anything about them even if they did is the answer.
 
For me, fixing something, seat time on a tractor, or fishing.

I'd better reconsider my fixing something statement. If everything pretty much goes as planned it is wonderful stress relief. Worst case scenario and the job grows exponentially... I might get aggravated, but at least I am not thinking about the economy :>)
 
Well, right now money os starting to stress me out. I just got laid off for this week, supposed to call on Thursday to see if I can go back or not.

I did put my resume online again just in case, but if they can organize things again I'll gladly go back. Just loved working for the company and with the people I worked with.

That being said, I'm going to go home and help Dad on the farm. Might start up my 1600 and go for a drive, been a while since I ran that one. Been a while since we ran our 1855 too, but no reason to start up that big deisel till we got work to do. I like to hop in my car/truck and go for a drive once in a while too.

Speaking of which, my car is dead and needs to be replaced too...

No worries though, just gotta keep at it and can't let it get me down.

Donovan from Wisconin
 
I guess this is an iffey answer but I find going to visit with one of my christian church friends and just talking about my problems is my answer. Cant drink alcohol(alchoholic). Have no horses or cows to talk to, just me and my two red tractors. On warmer days a ride up the hills on my A gives me some relief. When you are 77 or younger prayer helps a lot when done out loud up on the mountain far away from others. He is always listening. Henry
 
I remind myself it was alot worse a few years back.

I'll go spend some time on any one of my un-finished projects, cruise the internet, or fire up the kubota and go for a drive.

Since its kinda hard to find farm work in febuary its fun to clean something up and sell it, believe it or not im still selling C remains after all these months.

In the spring and early summer last year, id go cultivate our few acers of corn. Its a job not even i can screw up (errr....well....accually...) but its nice to crank up the radio on a nice hot sunny day and just cruise rows for a while. Sometimes id do it all again just for the heck of it. That was the most fun id had in a good while

I think today i'll try to pull start the B again since the coil wires fixed :)
 
Yes they do, especially the ones that get me in trouble.

90% of those are me taking a camera along while i do what i usually do, but theres some that are accually projects and take a fair bit of thought and time to pull off and keep me busy, which like anyone, takes ones mind off its problems.

Theyre alot of fun to make, and theyre something people accually want to see, and i get to meet alot of new people on youtube as well. Ive got the biggest following there ive ever had anywhere, and i think its great. And besides, theres alot of much worse things i could be doing with my time.


So yea, they do
 
Advice, when given with good intentions, is always always appreciated. Once the advice has been given it is up to the reciever to decide if he/she should follow. I have been given a lot of well intentioned bad advise over the years.
 
(quoted from post at 09:22:45 02/16/09) Advice, when given with good intentions, is always always appreciated. Once the advice has been given it is up to the reciever to decide if he/she should follow. I have been given a lot of well intentioned bad advise over the years.
Click to expand...

Ask, and Ye shall receive.........
 
Grouse or deer hunting (in season, of course!) work for me... or a trip to the rifle/pistol range with some friends, working on a project tractor.. (not reapiring a tractor/machine that's needed -NOW- one that can get done...whenever it gets done) and spending time with my boys...
 
When I had a high stress job--I was responsible for testing submarine following new consruction--I would work on the farm. Particularly preparing and seeding the ground, it can be mindless. Just drive straight lines and keep an eye on the equipment.
So I would suggest find something that is different then normal, that once started you cannot walk away from and from which you cannot be distracted and is easy. Then just do it.
 
I keep hearing that if you turn off your TV, those jobs will come back. And if you've got a good job and you're not in debt up to your ears and if you've got your retirement already paid for and your vehicles are all near-new but paid off, your stress levels will be considerably less.

I don't know if it's true, but that's what I hear all the time.
 
<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202007/?action=view&current=IMG_1219.jpg" target="_blank">
IMG_1219.jpg" width="520" height="420" border="0" alt="James Howell - Outstanding in His Field
</a>
 
Hey there HENRY:
I"m 76, and I know exactly what you mean.
We don"t have any mountains around here,
but a little talk with the "BOSS", (ya know
the Jewish Carpenter), sure does help, when you"re feeling down!!!
Bob
God Bless
 
If someone tells you to have a nice day, tell them you have other plans.

Or go into Walmart, pick up a box of condoms, and ask in a loud voice where the fitting rooms are.

Seriously, one of the best pieces of advice I've ever gotten was from the Publisher of a newspaper when he made me General Manager. He said, "The best advice I can give you is, work like he11 when there's work to do, and if a football game or something comes along just say 'he11 with it' and walk out the door".

My days with the newspaper are long gone, but that advice has worked equally well in other situations over the years.
 
Workdays, its Lexapro and a lot of prayer...
Ambien CR at night. Sundays-church, wood splitting, hanging out by an evening bon fire with my kids....
adrenaline is the enemy- just gotta work on "being still" like the Good Book says.
 
Stress relief for me is when I walk down the basement stairs and go to work on my model railroad. I turn off the TV, News/talk radio, and the internet. I turn on some country or classical music and forget all the world's problems.
I relax, too, while mowing lawn.
Brian(MN)
 
I have found if you can find humor in the worst situation. It is a great stress relief.
laughter is a good medicine

Stress can be brought on just by being too serious In all you do. I used to work hard to please everybody and that caused me stress now I just please myself and the world seems to follow suite causing me to have less stress.

All of life will pass you if you don't take time out to enjoy, so you got to stop and "smell the roses" before it's too late.

Enjoy what God has given you, Not what you think you need. the stress will leave and you'll feel like a new man. ___ {Been there myself}
 
Dave,
the key, I believe, is to think about something other than that which is giving you stress. I'm a positive person by nature, so I don't get stressed easily. I operate under the guidelines that there's always someone who has it worse than I do, so I'm pretty thankful for what I DO have. I also feel that it will work itself out in the end, somehow.

But if I'm having trouble falling asleep thinking about problems, I just go to my "happy place" which is usually building something. If I have an ongoing project, I'll think about the next series of steps in the plan or if I don't have anything going on, I'll START a project in my head (eg. building a Pole Barn) and I'm usually asleep in a few minutes. (Never get far in the plans LOL).

As for relaxation, I don't think it's the activity as much as it is the person. I enjoy playing golf as a hobby but know guys who will get incredibly stressed out during the game. Some guys love fishing or hunting. I find walks in the woods very soothing. Key is to find something that you can use to go to your own "happy place".
 
for me just talking to someone is all it takes. found that out after we lost our daughter. no particular subject matter is needed. praying helps as a short term mind diversion to keep from 'blowing a fuse'.jim
 
I always try to keep some kind of mechanical project going.It helps occupy the mind which always tends to drift back to the problems of the day, year,etc.I stopped drinking alcohol over a year ago so the demons don't come anymore.If you know what I mean.That was a major improvement to solve my depression at times.
I look at everyday as a new opportunity and try to keep a positive outlook.

Vito
 
Stress can definitely get to you, depends on how thick your skin is and how well you adapt and overcome, much easier said than done.

I lived it when working on high rises in NYC, jobs with stress levels like these can make a person over anxious, especially when you workload is ay over the limit and your back is against the wall with a deadline or time sensitive problem to resolve.

I think any vocational activity can work like what many metioned already, time to go turn some wrenches on something that is not work or job related, some seat time is also good, can remember doing that a few times on jobs where equipment was available on site.

I think one of the best things to combat stress is aerobic or some aggressive physical activity, play some hoop or in the winter we try to get pick up hockey games going etc. When alone, a kick bag or punching bag, practice your self defense or something you may have been trained in, go spar with a partner, but even a simple walk somewhere, especially if you have some land or a semi quiet place to go will work nicely. The hardest thing to do is to stop and make the change, take that breather and regroup later a little fresher it can be difficult to take the initiative to do one of the above before it gets to you, even in small increments, I find taking a break is well worth doing when under stress. Nothing like a pick up team sport game like hoop or hockey to take your mind off things, something to tax you physically and change your mindset, all the while doing yourself some healthy good, cant be too stressed when tuckered out or having some fun playing some sports !
 
I remember the day I went crazy...I was great!

Everything is Ok now, I still bury tin foil in the back yard and tape toast to my ears so no one can hear my thoughts, I often sit back after a hard day a lick the windows :)
 
The first sentence of your second paragraph did not surprise me- just the impression I had of you from your posts. Not meant to be an insult, just an observation. Seemed like you were always very studious about trying something new, and always looking to learn something. I went through an awful lot of financial stress in the mid-80s, when farming was tough, after starting from scratch with no family farm, etc, and debt was horrendous. Came through it courtesy of the attitude I had in the military, paratrooper and Green Beret- I WILL NEVER QUIT, they have to kick me out! Especially when dealing with lender wimps that never did anything after mommy and daddy sent them to school because they were too dumb/lazy to farm, while I worked my way through college. You get to that "epiphany" moment, (that"s my birthday, too!) when you simply tell them all to go to he!!. And you know that they do not have enough gonads to take your place! That"s why they do what they do, for 5 days per week, while you work 7. Knowing your background and status- something tells me that you are not posting the issue for yourself- but rather to start a discussion for the benefit of others, that need a boost in these troubled times. Personally, what else got me out of it?- avoid isolation, turn the radio on to some good music, talk to others...I was surprised as to how many neighbors were going through the same thing- ones I thought were well established, took over the home farm, etc. Remembered the comments of a previous lender when I asked him how I compared to others he started out- "dogged determination" was his reply, along with- no one else did so much so fast. Like Red Green says, we"re all in this together. Networking and sharing with friends is a big asset.
 
I just surf YTmag. And look at the Deere.com site and the caseIH.com site. And I also look at the gun websites. Like HKpro.com and others.

I also think a good way to relieve stress is to go outdoors and cut up trees, I just did that yesterday with a friend--He needs firewood and I got standing dead elm trees.
 
A glass of white wine (or two), the cat hanging out sleeping in my lap (or on my shoulder) with the TV on and mindlessly cruising the internet. Significant other sitting beside me reading some trashy romance novel, and the kids all out of our hair. Now thats stress relief.
 
I'm a little surprised and also saddened that no one has mentioned picking up a good book. For a few hours at least you can escape from the daily grind and find yourself in a place where your troubles are replaced by the hero's troubles. So when you finish it or set it down to go do your chores your blood pressure will be down to normal again.
Don't scoff at me here but when was the last time you read Treasure Island?
Yes it is a boys' book but there's been few novels written that can fire up your imagination and whisk you away from the here and now as that one can. I have a copy here that I have read many times in my life - often when times were rough and I needed a few hours escape.
Ho Ho Ho and a bottle of Rum!

treasureisland.jpg
 
Thanks for the compliment [b:654c4848f0]Chester5731[/b:654c4848f0].

Every weekend Nancy and I take a 2 day vacation at our farm.

We both enjoy the escape from the big city madness.

This is one of my favorite photos when I need a little stress relief.

Most folks see a part-time hay farmer knee deep in grass.

I see my grandfather's cotton farm of the 1940's and his cattle that grazed this field in the 1950's.

I see him drive up in his sheriff's car, a white 1960 Ford Failane with a whip antenna on the back bumper, and turn on the sirene to call his cows.

I see my father's cattle leaving this field and crossing the road to get fed range cubes.

I see our border collies, Peaches and Ginger, herding his cows across the road in the late 1960's.

I see my father standing up on his tractor while spreading fertilizer during the 1990's.

I see Nancy helping me clean the fence row that completely hid this field from view from the road in the late 1990's.

I see Nancy riding on her father's JD 48A spraying the field for weed control last Saturday.

And now I am smiling because of all these good memories.
 
Well, I never tried Captain Morgans and Dr. Pepper, but have heard of it. May give that a try as I usually put it in Coke.

My stress releaver? I have this homemade cannon with a 1" bore that makes a really big booooommmm!! That's kinda fun, of course there is always the ole standby, the AR-15 with a 30 or 40 rd magazine full of inexpensive ammo. Problem is the inexpensive ammo is a thing of the past, but I still let at least one magazine a month rip. Great for stress!!!


Gene
 
well I think Ive tried about everything mentioned over the years.nowadays its mostly gardening,reading,working on projects and hunting.not neccessarily in that order.
 
I think thats a title I need to read. Most of my reading gets me more worked up than relaxed. That and my view of books as 'single servings', kind of like cookies, whatever is there is meant to be consumed in one sitting.
 
Your pretty accurate. My life is going pretty darned good. Cash flow is positive, so far farming has been productive. I do at times get a little stressed out and dont always deal with it the best way. I posted the topic mostly for everyones benifit as I do beleive that alot of our fellow friends and neighbors are currently going through some very challenging times, with worse t come. I am a very lucky person to have what I have and to have the people in my life that I have.
 
i just go out and piddle around the farm doing different things cut firewood brushhog build fence.all these sort of things i love doing so it must be my stress release. RICK
 
A trip to South Dakota to burn gunpowder and kill prarie dogs is a great stress reliever for me. can even name them when you get them in the cross-hairs if certain individuals have been stressing you. Kind of like "Going Postal by Proxy"
 
Walk 2 dogs every day across the field & into the woods, down by the river. Eat an apple a day. Read some of "Tractor Talk." Watch an Enya video on "Youtube."
 
Looking back, it seems all my stress was generated by people,now that I am retired I have adopted the principal,

There is only one um.
f... um.
 
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