This planning worksheet is most effective when used in conjunction with the book 8 Keys to Stress Management by Elizabeth Anne Scott. 1) Choose a few ideas from each chapter that you may want to implement in your life, and write them down on the “Change” lines. Writing them down does not commit you to working on all of them at once (in fact, it is recommended that you focus on only one or a few at ‘one time), but this provides you with an overview of where you would like to focus in the next several months. If you only want to focus on one or two areas, this is okay, too. 2) Decide which area of life (or “Key”) you would like to address first, and prioritize them by writing a number in front. For example, if you have written “Get more sleep" and “Begin a meditation practice” on the “Change” lines, but consider sleep to be a higher priority than meditation, write a “1” before “Get more sleep" and a “2” in front of “Begin a meditation practice." You may want to focus on areas that are currently causing you the most stress, or might bring the greatest benefit. You might want to focus on changes that may be the easiest to implement. (For a discussion of how to decide which changes to prioritize first, see the book's final chapter, “Creating An Action Plan’) 3) Write what specific steps you will take to implement each change, and write them in the “I will..." lines below each “Change” you will make. For example, “I will go to sleep at 10pm every night for the next three weeks" might fit under “Get more sleep.” Change is most effective when specific plans are made to show how the change will occur. 4) Choose how you will “reward” yourself, and write this down. It is true that these changes are their own reward in that they will help you to feel better about yourself, but choosing a tangible reward to give yourself in addition to this can help you to maintain your focus. This can be a symbolic reward like a celebratory dinner with friends, or a tangible reward like a massage at spa or an afternoon movie. Just pick something that you can look forward to, and that you can afford. 5) As you meet each goal and the new changes become habit, begin to prioritize new changes as you maintain the old. You may want to choose new areas of focus each month, ‘or as your current changes feel easier to maintain. As you choose a new change to focus ‘on, repeat steps 2, 3and 4,'s Personalized Stress Management Plan Key 1: Become Aware Of My Stressors Change: | will: Change: | will: Change: | will: Key 2: Reverse My Stress Response Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Key 3: Take Care Of My Body Change: | will: Change: | will: looChange: Iwill: 's Personalized Stress Management Plan Key 4: Get Into The Right Frame Of Mind Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Key 5: Cut Down On Stressors Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Key 6: Cultivate Healthy Relationships Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: Change: Iwill: leo’s Personalized Stress Management Plan Key 7: Put Positive Psychology Into Action Change: Iwill: Change: twill: Change: twill: Key 8: Practice Long-Term Resilience-Forming Habits Change: twill: Change: twill: Change: Iwill: For more resources like this one, check out: http://8keystostressmanagement.com/ then click on the “Resources” Tab. Designed in 2013 by Jonny Hyman / Content by Elizabeth Anne Scott © 2013