如果總是懷揣沉重的負擔，我們會覺得壓力越來越大，并因此崩潰。所以，我們需要放下壓力休息一下，調整自己，繼續前行。

While explaining stress management to an audience, the lecturer raised a glass of water and asked 'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

當向聽眾解釋壓力管理的時候，講師拿起一杯水問道：這杯水有多重？聽眾有說20克的，有說500克的。 　

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

講師回答說：“實際有多重并不重要，這要看我拿著它的時間。一分鐘，沒有問題。如果一個小時呢，我的右臂就會疼痛。再進一步，一天，你應該給我叫救護車了。當然每種情況下杯子的重量是相同的，但是我拿的越久，它就顯得越沉?！?/p>

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

他繼續說道：這就像壓力管理，如果總是懷揣沉重的負擔，我們會覺得壓力越來越大，遲早我們會崩潰掉。

"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

正如這杯水一樣，你需要放下它休息一下，調整自己，繼續前行。

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can."

所以，今晚各位在回家之前，放下工作上的負擔。不要把它帶到家里去，你可以明天繼續把它拾起來。無論你背負怎樣的負擔，如果可能，暫時忘掉它們。

Here are 5 simple ways to increase your peace of mind:

這里有5個簡單的方法，能為你帶來平靜的心情：

1. Do your most daunting task first thing in the morning

1. 將最艱巨的任務放在早晨

It's tempting to start your day with easy tasks. Don't. Pushing a daunting task back is like holding a glass of water in an outstretched arm. At first nothing happens, but if you do it for hours or even days, you will soon feel the stress. Do the most annoying task first thing in the morning, and enjoy increased productivity and peace of mind for the rest of the day.

人們總是傾向于用簡單的任務開始一天的工作，別這樣做。將艱巨的任務拖到后面就像你伸開手臂舉著杯子，開始沒什么，但是隨著時間的推移，你會很快感覺到壓力。將最艱巨的任務放在早晨，這樣你不僅能提升效率，而且還能享受一天中剩下時間的平靜。

2. Let go of things you don't control

2. 放開你不能控制的事情

You make plans to go outside with friends. But at the last minute, it starts raining. What's your reaction?

你與朋友計劃好外出，但是最后關頭下雨了，這時你會怎么想？

Some people upset and angry, and find the nearest person and start complaining to them. "It's not FAIR that it's raining. This always happens to me!"

有些人會因此而失望、憤怒，然后跟周圍的人抱怨：這不公平，為什么這種事總是讓我遇到！

That's not going to accomplish anything - the rain won't stop just because you throw a tantrum. The rain doesn't care. So make the best of the situation. What I do in such situation is go for a quick walk in the park (because rain has its own awesomeness)， or just lie in bed reading a good Terry Pratchett book, listening to the rain beating on my window.

沒什么可抱怨的，雨不會因為你抱怨而停止，老天才不在乎。這種情況下我會到公園里散步（因為雨也很有魅力），或者躺在床上一邊讀特里·普拉切特的書，一邊聽著雨水打在窗戶上的聲音。

Make the most of what you do control, and don't worry about what you don't.

將你能掌控的事情做到最好，但也不用太在意你不能左右的事情。

3. Don't worry about what others are thinking

3. 不必擔心別人的想法

I used to be very self-conscious about my dancing. I would rarely go out with my friends, and even if I did, I wouldn't dance, instead just standing awkwardly by the side, because I was worried of what others would think.

我曾經對自己的舞技感到非常羞愧，因此很少與朋友外出。即使出去我也不跳舞，僅僅笨笨的站在一邊。因為我擔心別人嘲笑。

Then, one day in high school, I decided that enough was enough. So the next time I went out with my friends, I just went to the dance floor, and danced like nobody was watching. And the funny thing was - nobody cared. In fact, people only liked me MORE, because I was having fun.

然而有一天我在學校里重重地下了決心，決定要改變這一現狀。下一次和朋友們出去的時候，我走進了舞池，旁若無人的跳舞。有意思的是并沒有人注意到我。實際上他們更喜歡我了，因為我玩得很開心。

Don't worry about what others are thinking of you - most likely they're too busy wondering what others are thinking of them.

不要擔心別人怎么看你，可能他們還在忙著擔心別人會怎么看他們呢。

4. List 3 things you love about your situation right now

4. 列出在你的現狀中你最喜歡的三點

Just list 3 simple things about any part of your life that you love. Like "3 simple things I love about the room I'm in right now"， or "3 simple things I love about this week", or anything else.

列出生活中你喜愛的3件簡單的事情，如：這個屋子我最喜歡的3個地方，或這個星期我最喜歡的3件事，或是其它的什么。

This is a great technique if you're ever bored while stuck in traffic, or waiting in the grocery store checkout lane. You can immediately transform boredom into happiness and peace of mind!

在你堵車或排隊而感到無聊的時候這個技巧就會顯得尤為有用，你能立即把無聊的感覺一掃而光，取而代之的是幸福和平靜。

5. Walk to a window, look outside, and take a single deep breath

5. 走向窗前望向窗外，深呼吸

Just walk to a window, look outside, and then take a single deep breath, focusing only on that breath and nothing else in the whole world. This technique sounds extremely simple, but you won't believe how much it can instantaneously increase your peace of mind.

走向窗前望向窗外，深呼吸。將注意力集中到這次呼吸上并忘掉其它的一切。這聽起來極其簡單，但是你很難想象這樣做能立即給你帶來平靜的心情。

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（來源：國際在線 編輯：崔旭燕）