Heres what you need to do. Schedule some time and lock yourself away for at least one hour. Somewhere quiet. Switch off the mobile phone, the television and devote this time to you.

You dont need to sit cross-legged on the floor for this, but I want you to do some contemplation. Think about your everyday life. Run the video in your mind. Take yourself through a regular week. But pay attention to your feelings. Where does it grate?

What negative feelings do you have about any part of your regular schedule? What are the feelings? Why do you feel that way? Perhaps a job that you loved 5 years ago is now just a 9-to-5 grind. Why? What happened?

Write it down. All your thoughts. Try to identify where in your life you are stressed and why. Then I want you to keep a diary for the next week. If you think about this period of contemplation often, during the next week, I will guarantee you will find a lot more issues or problems. Write them in your diary.

By the end of the week you should have a comprehensive list of your stressors or pressure points.

You may also find a combination of circumstances pushing the boundaries on your natural coping skills. And dont forget that recent house move or job redundancy.

Calculate your stress levels

Here is a test to determine how stressed you are. In the past 12-24 months, which of the following major life events have taken place in your life?

Death of a spouse

Divorce
Marital separation
Jail term Death of a close family member
Personal injury or illness
Marriage
Fired from work
Marital reconciliation
Retirement
Change in a family members health
Pregnancy
Sexual difficulties
Addition to the family
Business changes
Change in finances
Death of a close friend
Changing jobs
Increase in number of marital arguments
Taking out a large mortgage or loan
Foreclosure of a mortgage or loan
Changes in work responsibilities
Trouble with the in-laws
Outstanding personal achievement
Spouse begins or stops work
Starting or finishing school
Changes in living conditions
Changes in personal habits
Trouble with the boss
Changes in working hours and condition
Moving house
Moving school
Changing recreational habits
Changing church activities
Changing social activities
Changing sleeping habits
Less family gatherings
Change of eating habits
A Vacation
Christmas period
Minor violations of the law

These changes are ranked in order of impact on your life. How many of these did you tick? The more you ticked, particularly from the top of the list, the more stressed you are.

Now that you know where your stress is coming from, its time to find some solutions. And there are many to choose from. The trick is to find techniques and strategies to suit you.

Now that youve started thinking about it, dont stop. Resolve to find and and try one new technique every week.