Stress! How do you deal with it?

I'm interrupting my venue research temporarily today to write this little post on stress and my advice on how to tackle it.

Working as a wedding planner stress is something I come across a fair amount. Of course couples getting married tend to be stressed, or at least go through stressful times; wedding suppliers can get stressed and believe it or so can wedding planners ;)

We all get stressed about things that rationally we know aren't really important. And we get stressed about things that definitely are important. I'm not sure it really matters what it is that makes you feel stressed, the feeling itself is what's so damn horrible!

But I thought I'd post about what I tell my couples when they go through difficult times, and indeed what I tell myself. Nothing beats stress better than getting out of the situation (when it's possible obviously). So for brides buckling under the pressure of seating plans and guest accommodation; or for wedding industry peeps struggling with an aspect of their business I urge you to take time out. Whether you can only afford an hour or if you're lucky enough to have time to take a day or so off do it. Do anything and everything that doesn't make you think about your current stress.

So for brides to be, go out for dinner with your fiancee and talk about when you first met, or what you want to do in 5 years time. Talk about anything or do anything that isn't to do with your wedding. And same goes for all you wedding suppliers running your own businesses. Go and do something that has nothing whatsoever to do with your business. Nothing benefits your clients more than you having a life outside of work. It clears your head, keeps you calm and when you feel like that you're in a much better position to tackle your stresses without letting them overwhelm you.

Tonight I urge you all to conduct a little experiment. For couples getting married - don't think or talk about your wedding. Put down those magazine and get off those blogs. And wedding professionals do the same. Because in my experience nothing beats distraction and escapism for a little bit of stress relief.

Obviously I am not a psychologist and know next to nothing about stress. This is just my humble advice! What about you. How you you tackle stress in your life?