This article gives practical tips on how deal with stress. Next it gives a series of links for further reading.  

First & foremost is MIND…so BE POSITIVE.

Second is EMOTIONS… BALANCE them.

Third is BODY…Keep it Supple and Slim.

BREATH…Steady, Slow and Subtle.

DIET… Moderate, But full of Variety. Have Breakfast like a KING, Lunch like a PRINCE & dinner like a PAUPER to fuel Your brain, body and soul in a systematic way.

Relaxation, Rejuvenation, Recreation and have no Remorse.

Avoid Dependence and Addiction.

When you exercise the BODY, you exercise the Brain & Breath.

Make time for friends, family & SELF.

Laughter is a good medicine, it releases more endorphins.

Entertain yourself in a way that ups your spirits.

Bulk up on STRESS-boosting foods.

Give your SELF a workout/Yoga/good Sleep. Doing household work can be a good stress buster and exercise too.

Drink WATER before you feel thirsty. Atleast 8 to 10 glasses every day.

When stressed with a situation, what to do? Fight, flight or flow? If no solution in sight LET GO.

Avoid finding fault and complaining or blaming.

Forget and Forgive. Love , Live and Let Live.

Live in the PRESENT, enjoy what you have.

Do things with pleasure not for the sake of pleasure.

Use your energy judiciously. Avoid delays or being lazy.

Physical pain or strain is ok but avoid mental or emotional pains.

80% stress is in mind , as we think negative or imagine negative.

How do you know you are stressed? Do you -

Answer mostly in the negative?

Laugh very little as compared to earlier?

Experience low energy levels / low libido lately?

Feel guilty when relaxing?

Feel confused about your goals in life?

Share/care others’ joy & sorrow? 

Consider yourself to be ambitious and very competitive by nature.

Work harder than most people?

Feel you aren’t well equipped/supported to handle work?

Easily become angry and jealous?

Have a constant need for achievement/appreciation and greed versus need?

Often multi-task?

Often you are in past or future ?

Get impatient if people or things hold you up?

Have any difficulty in sleeping?

Think that you are unable to enjoy life?

Often blame and complain?

Do you demand or greedy?

Believe that you overeat?

Consume enough raw or natural food?

Hesitate to say NO as an answer?

Think you are dependant or addicted to anything?

Do you postpone or delay ?

Are you lazy?

Often feel tired ?

If your answer to any 10 of the above questions is ‘Yes’ you are highly stressed and need to start YOGA immediately. 

Author is Joint Director, Kaivalyadhama, Mumbai. He has 36 yrs of experience and has written three books (New Horizons in Yoga, Yoga for Seniors & Yoga as therapy). Besides that also made two cd/dvd 'Yoga on Chair'. He is also Honorary Yoga Therapist to Governor of Maharashtra and was deputed by the Government of India to Indonesia as a Yoga teacher.      

Suggested reading tells you how to handle stress

1. Photos of Yoga Asanas

2. Rejuvenate yourself with Yog & Ayurved

3. Bhaja Govindam - An effective Stress Management Technique 

4. Life is LEELA, enjoy it to the fullest

5. Preserving Energy

6. Managing Anger 

7. Discovering your Sweet Spot

8. Inner Quest

9. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras