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Amanda Adolph, College of Arts and Sciences, practices Tae Kwon Do to relax.
Frank Blechman, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, says hugging
his children is a great stress buster.
David Kaufmann, Philosophy and Religious Studies, pictured above with his
wife Sharon and daughter Zoe, practices Ashtanga yoga at the City Fitness Gym
to relieve stress. "My wife teaches yoga so I have a home-team advantage,"
he says.
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How Do You Stay Stress-free?
By Lynn Burke and Michelle
Nery
The holidays can be stressful even in a good year, and in light of recent events,
this year’s holiday season may be one of the most stressful yet. So we asked
George Mason faculty and staff how they cope with stress and discovered some helpful,
funny, and surprising strategies.
Exercise and releasing pent-up energy were common themes in a number of responses.
Folks at Mason spend time running, walking, swimming, playing tennis, and weight
lifting. “The best way I find to deal with stress is to participate in strenuous
physical activity that engages you so completely that you cannot think about what
is causing you stress,” says James Pfiffner, School of Public Policy. “When
I play basketball I have to be fully focused or my performance will suffer. Both
the physical release and the concentration help take me away from the sources
of stress, and I can come back to work in a better frame of mind.”
Others following this school of thought are William Reeder, College of Visual
and Performing Arts, and Amanda Adolph, College of Arts and Sciences. Reeder finds
skeet shooting relaxing (“Can’t wait to bust some birds!” he says),
and Adolph says the key to her stress relief is Tae Kwon Do. “I punch and
kick people and yell! It is the best way I have ever found to manage stress,”
she says. “All the stress I have at the beginning of the session completely
melts by the end.”
Others on campus escape stress through meditation and other quiet activity.
A number of people mentioned yoga and other activities that give them a chance
to reflect. Among them is Marilyn McKenzie, English and African American Studies,
who uses a “journal every morning to express my concerns, to think through
challenges (whether personal, professional, emotional, or intellectual), and to
count my blessings…. In the weeks since Sept. 11, I have found this quiet
time to be an almost indispensable way to get centered, to focus on what really
matters, and to be ready to meet the challenges of the day with faith that I can
handle them no matter what form they may take.”
Sara Cobb, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, combines exercise
with quiet time. “I run every morning at 5 a.m. and get to watch the sun
come up much of the year,” she says. “The sunrise is always an invitation
to enjoy the day.” Early morning and quiet also work for Archie Tinelli,
School of Management. “I wake early, before the bustle of the day, and have
a cup of coffee in my gazebo and just sit and watch the pond in my backyard,”
he says.
Sometimes just breathing will bring relief. Julia Morelli, Capital Connection,
will “sometimes simply take a long deep breath (with emphasis on the exhale!),”
and Judy Palmore, Health Education Services, will “sip a cup of hot green
tea while sitting in a sunny window, breathing (belly breathing), and sighing
deeply in between sips.” At the other end of the spectrum, Joy Hughes, Information
Technology, will “do deep breathing exercises that make so much noise that
people who aren’t familiar with them attempt to break down the door to rescue
me.”
Organization is the solution to stress for a number of folks at George Mason.
“I set priorities for the day, and assign finite goals,” says Sean Watkins,
Art and Visual Technologies. “That way I don’t worry about all those
uncontrollable things that can occur in the meantime.” Carol Henderson, Human
Resources, says “My first strategy is to avoid [stress]. I’ve learned
that if I take deadlines seriously, start promptly, plan ahead and don’t
procrastinate, I can avoid a lot of stress altogether.”
Ida Barbour, Community Relations, looks for the source of her stress. “If
it’s a person that’s causing the stress, then I usually contact that
person to discuss the issue involved,” says Barbour. “If it’s a
project or work assignment that’s causing the stress, then I normally break
the project or assignment into steps and handle it in pieces.”
Some find solace in their families and pets. Frank Blechman, Institute for
Conflict Analysis and Resolution, will hug his children, and Janette Muir, New
Century College, will read to hers. Tracy Viselli, University Computing and Information
Systems, has set up a picture of her niece as her computer desktop background.
“She is sitting on this huge stuffed tiger like a conquering hero. Every
time I look at it, it makes me smile,” she says.
Julia Findlay, International Programs and Services, says, “I deal with stress
by playing with my great kids, getting together with close friends and family
on the weekends, and e-mailing my sister in Indonesia, who always helps me keep
my life in perspective.”
Robert Ruhling, Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources, says that “being
the parents of nine children, my wife and I always felt that it is important that
we have time together. Even before we had children, we would take a walk together
to start the day and to end the day. More important than the walks themselves
are the talks that go along with them—that is our stress reducer—walking
and talking or talking while walking!”
Music’s power to soothe is well known and brings serenity to some on campus.
Listening to jazz relieves stress for Karole McKalip, BIS and MAIS, and Connie
Kirkland, Sexual Assault Services. Janette Muir sings in her church choir, and
Nora Olgyay, Art and Visual Technology, sings “off-key” at the top of
her lungs during her commute.
Olgyay also credits her allegedly “peculiar” sense of humor with
keeping her steady. Others who find humor a stress-buster are Dave Harr, School
of Management, and Jane McDonald, Graduate School of Education, who watches Laurel
and Hardy videos with her husband.
Anne Agee, Division of Instructional Technology and Support Services, will
treat herself to fresh flowers in her office every week, and Jeff Offutt, School
of Information Technology and Engineering, will treat himself to a small present
each day—a walk when the weather’s nice or a piece of cake. The miracle
of chocolate works wonders for Vicki Salmon, Community College Education, and
Alissa Karton, University Life, while the power of ice cream works for Barbara
Given, Graduate School of Education. “ It’s not particularly helpful
for my waistline,” she says, “but in times of stress, my waistline carries
less stress than weight. (that’s a pun!)”
And what is President Alan Merten’s stress-relief method? His is a three-step
solution: “1. Think of something humorous from one of my favorite Mel Brooks’
movies. 2. Put on very casual clothes and watch something mindless on TV. 3. Go
for a brisk walk of at least three miles.”
Many thanks to all who responded to our request for stress-busting ideas. We
apologize that space keeps us from publishing all your great ideas and wish everyone
a stress-free holiday season.
—Compiled by Elena Barbre, Robin Herron, Jeremy Lasich, Colleen Kearney
Rich, Fran Rensbarger, and Patty Snellings.
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