We all get stress from working with computers. Even those of us that can make a computer do our bidding by just thinking a command. If you find that computers stress you out, try these techniques to help cope with your computer.

1. Organize Your Work Space. Having an organized workspace helps you to clear your head and feel comfortable with where you are at.
2. Make sure that you are with the task at hand both in mind and body. Do your best to remove distractions from your work time.
3. Buy a set of ear muffs that reduce sound or sound proof headphones. Wear them to remove ambient noises that may otherwise distract and bother you.
4. Play music while you work. Depending on the kind of person you are this can help you to concentrate and focus on your work.
5. Do all (or most) of your computer work outside of your home. Leaving the home will give you a sense of purpose which you can leverage to achieving your goals.
   1. You can go to an internet cafe.
   2. You could work at a friend’s house.
   3. You could work at the office.
   4. You could work at your local library.
   5. If you want to get creative, then work at the park.
   6. You can work at a local college campus. Be sure they allow non-enrolled students to make use of their cafeteria or local lounge (unless you are enrolled).
6. Turn off your cell phone. You can talk to people when you are done with the task at hand.
7. Turn off your TV.
8. Turn off your Radio. If the music isn’t doing it for you, then turn it off in order to generate some peace and quiet so you can finish your work.
9. Try not to get yourself into a time crunch. It happens, but working to avoid it can save you a lot of stress when something goes wrong (and it will!)
10. Start working on all of your technology projects earlier than you think you should. Starting major technology related project a week (or more) before you need to complete it will help to ensure that you have enough time to finish it.
11. Work on your computer in the morning and use the afternoon for other activities. You will be more alert in the morning.
12. Work on your computer when you are most alert. If you find that mornings don’t work for you, then work on your computer in the evening or whenever you are most alert (3am for some people!)
13. Schedule a realistic amount of time to do the tasks that you intend to do. If you think a task is going to take you three hours to complete then assign it four and then use that extra hour (if you don’t use it for the project) to take a break and relax for a little bit.
14. Be sure you eat Breakfast! Your mind won’t work as well without its morning fuel!
15. Go experience something new. If you are at a block in whatever you are trying to work with then go do something new and exciting. Take a few minutes to experience something like a new song, a new image, a new website, etc.
16. Form a support group. Find people who are at a similar skill level with technology and encourage each other to press onwards when you each reach a stumbling block.
17. Ask a techie for help. If you are stressing over a problem, don’t try to solve something at the expense of hours when someone else may be able to do it in five minutes. Talk to your LCG and get him/her to help you.
18. If you don’t have an LCG, then hire a techie to help you out. Sometimes it is better to pay someone then to stress over it yourself.
19. Set a timer and only work with that piece of technology until the timer rings and then move on to something else and come back later to finish the project.
20. Buy an “Easy Button” from Staples and press it for a quick victory.
21. Utilize Google to find the answer to your problem. Someone often has had the same problem you have had and may have put up the answer you need to overcome your problem.
22. Buy a stress ball, and squeeze it!
23. Scream into your pillow…. Don’t worry, I won’t tell a soul you did it.
24. Find software to make a common task you perform easier and faster than before. Automate your work.
25. Take the time to master the basics of your computer and software. Knowing how something works on a basic level will help you to tackle the occasional advanced task you encounter.
26. Teach a friend how to do a computer task you recently learned. Teaching is the best way to solidify an understanding of a concept.
27. Reward yourself for tasks you complete successfully. (I’m thinking ice cream — and invite me too!)
28. Write down all of the goals you intend on accomplishing during your session on your computer and then break them out into sub-points. Check off each sub point as you complete it to help encourage yourself to move on.
29. If you are really frustrated, instead of taking it out on your computer. Hit something you can afford to hit, like an old piece of wood in your garage or a solid wall that you know you won’t break. Be careful though! Don’t hurt yourself in the process.
30. Exercise Daily. Especially exercise every morning. Gets your mind in gear and allows you to be sharper during the day.
31. Make sure you get enough sleep. Find out how much sleep is enough for you and then do everything in your power to get that much sleep.
32. Take a break. 2-5 minutes should do you. Visit a friend or loved one that is in a nearby room and say hi.
33. Switch between activities. If you hit a road block, instead of pushing against it do something else that you have to do. When you finish your second activity, return to the first and see if you can solve it quicker. Often you can.
34. Eliminate destructive intra-personal communication. In other words, stop putting yourself down! You are better at this than you think.
35. Allow yourself a bit of quiet time on a daily basis. A little bit of quiet time to think through your day clears your mind and gives you the ability to work sharper.
36. Make sure you are eating enough. Computers make people miss meals.
37. Do not miss lunch. Don’t overeat at lunch, but eat enough to make it through the afternoon without passing out!
38. Take a power nap. 10-20 minute naps work wonders for problem solving as well as a boost of energy. A 20 minute nap is better than three hours of working on the same task because you can’t figure something out.
39. Drink lots of water.
40. Make sure you take bathroom breaks. If you have to go, then don’t finish that one last thing: GO!
41. Every 20-30 minutes take a moment to refocus your eyes on another part of the room. Use a timer to keep track of the time. Your eyes will thank you and you’ll feel a bit less stressed because of the break in continuous activity.
42. Remove caffeine from your diet. As convenient as it is, caffeine causes a lot of stress and also acts as an enabler for you to operate in stressful situations. Removing caffeine will help you to remove the greater problem causing you to stress over your computer.
43. Lower your sugar intake. Too much sugar will hurt your ability to think clearly.
44. Snack while you work. Sometimes moving your mouth helps you to think through problems!
45. Check your email. Taking a 30 second break from what you are doing might refresh your clarity of what is going on.
46. Talk on instant messenger or the phone to a friend. Taking a break to talk to someone else will give you a chance to get out some of your tension built up from working with computers too much.
47. Just do it later. Don’t use this as an excuse to procrastinate, but sometimes you just can’t do what you are trying to do when you are trying to do it. Give it time to sink into your brain. You’ll feel better about the task at hand when you return later.
48. Stand up and stretch.
49. Go for a walk. A short walk will get the blood flowing again.
50. Just laugh. Sometimes you just gotta laugh!

Use these methods to reduce the stress that builds up from your everyday life with computers. They are stressful, but you are in control of how you react. Performing even a few of these above methods may save you from ripping out a lot of hair!

God Bless,
-Daniel Kolansky