Instant stress relief is something many people would enjoy, especially those of us with too much to do and no real plan to get it done.

People who are disorganized can experience stress simply because of the disaster that they face every day. Rather than jotting down all the things they need to do, they keep the list in their heads. That’s a big mistake because eventually, they become overwhelmed with stress-related anxiety.

They seek various ways to achieve instant stress relief. Smokers get it when they light up. Mothers get it when they shunt the kids off to day care and relax in a hot tub. Workaholics look forward to that glass of wine at the end of the day. Meanwhile, the work goes undone.

The problem with these strategies is that they are short term. If the stress comes from having to fit too much into a day, the situation repeats itself day after day without resolution.

A better option is to create to-do lists because they offer a way for you to schedule an otherwise chaotic life. Plus, they have a more long-lasting effect.

If you are such a person, perhaps it’s time for you to start your to-do lists. They will provide a sense of order and a short or long term plan for you to follow.

Realize, however, that to-do lists themselves can trigger stress. In fact, if you don’t do it right, they can stress you out.

You’ve probably come across the suggestion to use to-do lists as a stress relief strategy, which is good advice. What they don’t tell you is that it’s equally important to know how to schedule your time.

To schedule effectively, you have to be able to determine how long each task is likely to take. This can be difficult if you haven’t paid much attention to the clock in the past. How many people actually time their tasks, unless they are in an office with specific deadlines?

If you lack this time-management skill, it can jeopardize your strategy of using to-do lists for instant stress relief. Yes, you will get some immediate relief getting all those tasks out of your head and onto paper, but it also can trigger stress.

Imagine writing down a huge list of things you’ve been meaning to do for the past year or more. The list will be huge and overwhelming. You need to break that larger list down into shorter lists that you can handle.

Create weekly and daily to-do lists, beginning with the most important items and leaving the less crucial ones until the end. Go through each list and strike off each item as it is completed.

A common problem for many stressed people is that they put too many things on the list, only to be discouraged and more stressed when jobs aren’t done.

If you’ve never timed yourself before, this is a good time to start. Work on your first list. Don’t forget to allow time for breaks, lunch and recovery between tasks. Don’t worry about whether you accomplish it all. Do each task at your own pace and see how long it takes. Mark down the time next to that item on your list. Go through as many items as you can in one day.

The next day, go back over your first day’s activities and see how many tasks you accomplished and how long each one took. How long did it take you to do all the tasks you completed?

Now go back through your big list and select items that you figure will take you the same amount of time to complete.

Don’t let your to-do lists stress you out. Start with your main list. Create one short list of things you want to do the next day. Reschedule the uncompleted items for the next day. Before long, you’ll find it easier to create to-do lists that you can accomplish easily.

Get into a routine and make to-do lists work for you. They will provide that instant stress relief you desire.

Need more stress relief tips? Read this review I wrote on a program that provides relaxation through biofeedback . If you haven’t tried biofeedback, you might be surprised how effective it can be. What I like about this program is that it’s fun as well as relaxing.

Are you still looking for the stress relief technique that works for you? It can be difficult. I know.

What I discovered about stress relief is that if you’re too wound up, nothing seems to help. It’s a catch-22. You need a method that will relax you, but many methods won’t work unless you can relax.

When I worked for the Canadian Mental Health Association, I ran a set of Relaxation Workshops for the entire community to experience. I contacted community service providers who willingly agreed to provide their services for free for this one-time event.

It was a fun project to organize because once everything was set up, I got to experience all of the stress relief methods demonstrated.

It was wonderful, because I am tense by nature!

The stress relief techniques offered included Shiatsu, Therapeutic Touch, Massage, Progressive Relaxation and Hypnosis.

1. Massage

I’d heard a great deal about the benefits of massage and expected that to be the best choice for me. I don’t know whether the masseuse was just too rough, or whether that’s what it’s supposed to feel like, but it hurt. When she was done, I felt strangely ill. Maybe you need more than one treatment for it to work. Many people swear by them.

2. Progressive Relaxation 

Next on the list was progressive relaxation. That’s where you sit with your eyes closed and gradually relax your entire body, starting at your feet and working your way up to your head. It helped, but the effects weren’t quite as dramatic as I would have liked.

3. Hypnosis

Hypnosis sounded ideal. If I could have quieted my mind, I’m sure it would have been effective, but I kept wondering if what I was feeling was “it”, or was I supposed to go into a trance. This preoccupied my mind so much that this method didn’t work very well either.

In fairness, I must add that since then, I’ve discovered that hypnosis combined with progressive relaxation do work well together to bring stress relief. Now, when I do these exercises, I feel relaxed and refreshed and come away with a much clearer head. They work well to improve your sense of well-being, especially mentally.

4. Therapeutic Touch

Therapeutic Touch was interesting. The idea here is for the practitioner to run her hands over your body without touching you. Our bodies have energy fields flowing around them. By running her hands over this energy field, the therapist helps free the flow that has become blocked by tension. While I didn’t get much from this exercise, it is best applied in more than one sitting for maximum benefit.

5. Shiatsu

The exercise that surprised me most was the Shiatsu. If you aren’t familiar with this technique, it involves the practitioner applying pressure to certain stress points throughout your body. For me, it was the muscles between the shoulder blades and on top of the shoulder. Most of you probably know exactly what that tense spot feels like.

When pressure was applied to those muscles, it was quite painful for the first few seconds, but gradually it eased and suddenly my entire body felt a kind of ‘weakening’. I think it was because the pressure she applied released energy that was tensing my other muscles as well.

It was quite pleasant to feel all that stress melt away.

In the end, I decided that Shiatsu was the absolute best stress relief option for me.

I recommend that you try each of these stress relief methods for yourself and see which one works for you. At the very least you will get to experience some interesting sensations.

Another natural remedy for anxiety that has proven to be highly successful for thousands of people is The Linden Method. It is one of the top programs and is produced by a man who suffered with anxiety and panic disorder for many years. This package includes relaxation and instructional audios, the main manual and one full year of counselling to help you recover from your disorder. It is fully guaranteed and risk free. Take a look at what the Linden Method can do for you.