Five Rules Guaranteed to De-Stress Your 2020

Every year, we embark on the same routine of setting New Year's resolutions only to feel stressed when we fall short. Break free from this cycle and de-stress your life with these principles for the new year:

1. Decrease Distractions

   - Rule: The fastest way to get more out of life is by doing only what is most important and doing it well.

   - Key Principle: Multiply by subtraction. Eliminate distractions, such as excessive TV and phone use, freeing up time for meaningful pursuits.

   - Possible Resolutions: Cut phone usage by a third, reduce social media engagement, set stricter usage rules.

 Either Act or Eliminate the Activity

   - Rule: Effective and consistent action on what worries us decreases our worry.

   - Key Principle: Engage or disengage. Actively participate in areas of concern or disconnect from stress-inducing activities.

   - Possible Resolutions: Get involved in local activities, turn off stress-inducing media, prioritize proactive engagement over passive observation.

 Prioritize Your Most Important People

   - Rule: Ritualizing time for who matters most gives you less time to focus on what matters least.

   - Key Principle: Schedule uninterrupted time every day for significant relationships, turning off distractions to enhance connection.

   - Possible Resolutions: Schedule daily one-hour tech-free time, prioritize date nights and family activities.

 Inform Your Worries Away

   - Rule: You can't eliminate a fear or problem you don't understand.

   - Key Principle: Dive deep into self-understanding to uncover the root of issues, replacing surface-level resolutions with meaningful insights.

   - Possible Resolutions: Study emotional issues, seek therapy or coaching, engage in open conversations with others facing similar challenges.

 Tune Into Your Higher Power

   - Rule: We need to learn to tune out the world around us and tune into our own body, mind, and spirit.

   - Key Principle: Lead life from an inside-out approach, fostering self-awareness through practices like meditation, prayer, and spiritual connection.

   - Possible Resolutions: Embrace yoga, meditation, exercise, spiritual practices, and immersive experiences like retreats for a more balanced and aligned life.

 These rules offer a holistic approach to de-stressing, encouraging intentional living and a focus on what truly matters in the year ahead.