A friend of mine went on vacation a couple of weeks ago and commented that he was almost instantly able to relax and enjoy his time away. I must admit a tinge of jealousy at the news. It often takes me much longer to get lost in the enjoyment of my entertainment. And even then, it is sometimes accompanied by a feeling of guilt for not doing something more “productive”. It started me wondering about the importance of how much time it takes to someone to become fully unstressed. The idea reminded me of deep sea divers and the complex process of decompression when they have been on a deep dive for an extended period of time.

According the Merck Medical Online Library, The risk of developing decompression sickness increases with increasing pressure and with the length of time spent in a pressurized environment.

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What are you actively doing to prevent the onset of decompression sickness in your busy life?

Sadly, some people don’t ever disconnect from their stress. At 1010 Living we understand how to use stress to increase our mental, emotional, physical, relational and spiritual capacity. But remaining in a high stress environment without relief for an extended period of time can lead to some very undesirable results. If you are not intentional about actively using recovery and stress in combination with one another, then you are destined to become a victim of your own circumstances. Examples of victims are all around us in the form of people who, on vacation, stay in touch with colleagues via their Blackberry and are frequently taking “urgent” calls; parents who sometimes become so engrossed in their children’s lives that they forget to take time out and recover; and sick family members that can often take round the clock care and leave no margin for rest or rejuvenation.

Be careful how deeply emerged you become engrossed in your stressful situations. Be conscious of how long you are in stress without disengaging. Taking frequent breaks from the stress (even if it is just a quick walk around the block to clear your head) can help keep you from succumbing to the increasing pressure and can reduce the length of time you spend in a pressurized environment. As a simple gauge, you should determine how long it takes you to feel a sense of relaxation when you engage in your favorite activities.

What helps you to decompress? What are your 10 minute decompressions? What are your 10 hour decompressions? How about your 10 day ones? Being Fully Alive involves understanding yourself well enough to know what fills your tank and how to use those things as part of an integrated lifestyle. And, more importantly, have you been missing out on those key activities in your day/week/month? Whatever you do, don’t neglect that important part of counter balancing your stress.

Have you been “down” for an extended period of time? Are you to deep? Have you been under pressure without taking the time to rest or recover?

Savor your decompression time. Know that it can make you more effective when you are in the crucible of pressure…failing to strategically decompress can kill you.

Going Further:
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