We live in a high input society. Every day, we are bombarded with information, To-Do lists, projects, code, designs, “actionable items” and a host of other sinks on our time. One way to deal with information overload is to learn to be more productive. Another, possibly more important trick to living life in this Web 2.0 culture is to learn to manage stress. Here are a few quick tips to get your stress under control.

The Tips

Give yourself time. One of the worst things you can do to yourself is wait until the last minute. Some people believe they work best when they are under a crunch, this might be true but once things go wrong and your bravado gives out to fear what could have been an easy project, quickly becomes a nightmare. Make deadlines for yourself well before a project is actually due. Even if you miss these deadlines, you’ll still have time to make up the slack.

Stop Procrastinating. Just don’t do it. Make a list, check it twice and once you start a task see it through to its completion. If you need more help, take a look at this article on time management.

Talk It Out. When you feel that a situation just “isn’t right,” talk it out. It’s better to have a spirited debate about a topic while you still have control of your temper, than to storm into your bosses office telling him where he can put your two-weeks notice once you’ve lost your cool. Keep the lines of communication open, and you’ll find your stress greatly reduced.

Laugh It Off. Science has proven that laughter really is quite good medicine. There are very few situations that we run into on a daily basis that don’t have some comedic value. Try to find humor in your stress and take some time out of your day to laugh at yourself. A lot of times, things that we consider “big deals” are really nothing more than lack of perspective. Step back, look at yourself objectively and laugh your stress away.

Find A Hobby. Find something that you like to do during the day that is completely unrelated to work. Schedule some time to take a break and enjoy your hobby. Having something to look forward to is a great way to reduce the amount of stress in your life.

A Stress Free Lifestyle

Here is a check-list of ways to hack your stress.

Exercise. Three times a week, thirty minutes a day. It will keep your energy up, increase the flow of endorphins and give you a better outlook on your life.

Sleep. Find your sweet spot, 6-8 hours a night is great. Getting enough sleep will enhance your mood and help you better cope with stressful situations.

Drink Plenty Of Water. 6-8 glasses a day will keep you from feeling rundown, and it might even get rid of that mid-day headache you get when the guy in the cubicle next to you turns on the Lindsay Lohan karaoke video on YouTube.

Eat Right

Antioxidants. Eliminate free radicals which cause, among other things, heart disease and cancer. A few choice foods are: oranges, grapefruits, berries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, olive oil and green tea.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Regulate the immune system and are an anti-inflammatory. The foods include: salmon, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and soybeans.

Folate. Helps prevent memory loss and other forms of cognitive decline as we age. Folate rich foods include: spinach, romaine lettuce, beans, legumes, beets, asparagus, okra, and brussel sprouts.

Web 2.0 Roundup

Now, for the Web 2.0 solution.

Take a break with some AJAX games. AJAX is not only for draggable, droppable, no server refresh UI elements. It’s also a fairly powerful platform for web games.

Take a bit of time out of your day to check out some of the AJAX Game projects. If nothing else helped, wasting some time in the office is bound to relieve some stress. At least temporarily.

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