stressed?

If you’re like most people, the answer is probably an affirmative. A recent article from BYU Magazine detailed some tips on how to reduce stress. Most of the five were pretty standard—get enough sleep, eat good food, exercise—it was the last one that really impressed me.

Tip number 5 is “Do something permanent every day,” and it sure makes a lot of sense to me. As the author points out, we all do so many of the same things over and over again, day after day. If you work in an office, you can’t check your email on Monday and forget about it until Friday. Dishes get dirty again. Clothes become dirty, clean clothes need ironing and folding and putting away. Rinse and repeat. Every day. The wear of these repetitive, never-ending tasks is huge, and many people have voiced their complaints about it in the past. How do you fight it? Do something that will last:

Write in your journal, teach a child a skill, give service, read something new and share it with someone, make something that can be used and enjoyed, or create a work of art. You will gain a sense of satisfaction from doing something that will last beyond tomorrow.

Amen to that. I guess that’s why I started this thing (and this thing, too, for that matter). And even though I only have 3 loyal readers, it does feel good to know that I did something, that I left a mark, that I can look back on this tomorrow and it will still be there, not needing to be changed, wiped, powdered, pressed, cleaned, folded, dried, put to bed, entertained, read to, or disciplined.