Surely someone has said to you at some point, Youre just under too much stress. What did you want to do? Scream? Deck em? Of course youre under too much stress! Who isnt? The question is, what can you do to reduce the level of stress in your life?

You may think that everything you do is necessary, so there is no way to reduce stress. But is that really true? Do you find yourself enrolling your children in every activity they want to try, or perhaps encouraging them to join every club yourself? And many parents insist on being involved with every activity their children do. Is that really necessary? Dont your children need to develop independence and freedom?

Maybe its your job thats causing stress, and you think theres nothing you can do about that, either. But how often do you volunteer for projects that may not even be part of your job description? How often do you say, No, Im sorry, but I cant make that deadline when your boss puts unreasonable expectations on you? If you never draw the line, people will assume that you dont have one, and they will take advantage of you without meaning to.

How often do you spend doing nothing? Really, actually just doing nothing? Too often, when we have a free moment, we spend it watching television or attending to chores that could easily wait until tomorrow.

When it comes to reducing stress without losing your mind, sometimes it comes down to one simple, two letter word: NO. Use it fearlessly, dont apologize, and watch your stress levels drop.