How do you beat stress?

Stress is part of life. And as we get older, as our responsibilities and priorities change, we experience stress at different levels. Stress signals us that it’s time to slow down, time to sit back and take it easy. Maybe it’s our mind’s way of telling us to stop and take stock of our life.

Read on as some personalities share with us how they deal with stress.

Gretchen Barretto, actress

“I simply surround myself with positive and happy, loving friends. I work out to let it out.”

Cheri Mercado Santos, senior correspondent/anchor, TV5 News and Information

“If I’m stressed/sad, I quiet down and try to put it in perspective. If I’m stressed/mad, I call my husband. He’s got the reliable wisdom for these moments. If I’m stressed/confused and in need of answers, I drive and listen to music. For any kind of stress, a few days at the beach always works. Right after conquering stress, I always top it off with playtime with my kids or a date with the hubby.”

Jessica Soho, VP for News Programs, GMA News and Public Affairs

“A good massage or hilot. Acupuncture, a cooking or travel show on TV. And lately, Candy Crush to empty my head. (Please don’t ask what level I’m in!)”

Wanggo Gallaga, writer and HIV activist

“Stress is very important for me to manage because of how stress can affect your immune system. As a person living with HIV, stress management is really important. While I wish I could do yoga or take dance classes regularly, at the moment, my only way of dealing with stress is making sure I get a full seven hours of sleep, to try and sleep before midnight, and if I feel stressed out, I hang out with friends or family and do not talk about work. I just hang out and do ordinary things to get my mind off of things. Watching movies or reading is also very good. I try to take at least two or three days off in a week and do non-work-related things because that space gives me a chance to regroup and reorganize my thoughts.”

Bettina Osmeña, businesswoman

“Prayers, meditation and my husband’s reassuring presence.”

Mikee Romero, chairman, Globalport 900, Manila North Harbour Port, and Air Asia Zest

“As my work hours are quite long, toxic and heavy, Stress busters are already a big part of my daily routine. Sports, a healthy lifestyle and daily vitamins are the stress beaters I take to make me combat-ready for any stress-related activity that would come my way during any day. I usually start my morning by running and lifting weights, then go to my office at around 9 a.m. In the afternoon I usually sneak an hour or two to do other sports such as play basketball, pistol/rifle shooting, boxing, riding or training for polo. After being rejuvenated, I then go back to my meetings until the late hours of the evenings. For me, sports occupy a lot of my time in beating stress and giving me a better outlook on life. I hope many people likewise do the same as sports really promotes a healthy lifestyle which makes one live a little longer.”

Senator Koko Pimentel

“I beat stress by ‘finishing’ the matter which is the source of the stress. If it cannot be finished then best to ignore it or take your mind off it in the meantime by doing ‘trivial things’ or activities we take for granted like eating good food, exercising, organizing things and getting rid of clutter.

JC Buendia, fashion designer

“From one deadline to another, my job can get very stressful. I’ve made a playlist of light classics and pop instrumentals that I listen to for instant calming. When it gets really tough, a road trip does the trick.”

Rep. Luz Ilagan, Gabriela Party list

“Well, I lead a very stressful life. So I distress by undertaking a variety of activities. 1) I play the piano. When I pound the ivory keys, playing the old pieces of my childhood and the favorites of yesteryear, I feel soothed. Music can certainly calm the troubled breast. 2) I do needlepoint, although recently I have converted to the use of colored pins stuck on Styrofoam to create a design. Controlling the push and pull of needle and thread has a relaxing effect on me. It forces me to let go of the tensions within because tight and tense handling of the needle does not result in a smooth handicraft. 3) Lastly, when I go home to Davao, I play cards with my grandchildren. I have so much fun with them I forget all the stresses of my daily life.”

Dr Henry Lu

“As a practicing pain medicine physician, it’s always very stressful when one is dealing with cancer pain. I have realized through the years the importance of ‘de-stressing’ or one may suffer burnout. Definitely spending good quality time with my growing family, watching a feel-good movie, eating out, or running and biking on a weekend are always relaxing and rejuvenating. Most importantly, spending a private moment with The Lord in this small chapel on the ninth floor of Makati Med, amidst the rigors and grind of daily preoccupations, never fails to calm and focus me on what really matters in this life — family, friends, and being at peace with myself knowing that at the end of the day, I am giving the best in everything that I can do so that I can be of service to others, as a doctor, as a friend, and as husband to my wife and father to my kids.”