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Do you feel tense and anxious at work? Do your co-workers and/or boss make you crazy? Is your personal life less than blissful? If so, you've got stress. If you're like most people you've sought refuge from this situation by trying a quick fix or two like calling a friend, walking the dog, or going away for the weekend in an attempt to escape it all. While these strategies may serve as temporary diversions, nothing in your life changes when you return to your routine.

stress is internal, which explains why it can wreak havoc on your health. It feels awful...it's the sense that you're not in control. The easiest way to mitigate its effect is to take charge of the one and only thing you have the power to control...YOU, and let go of what you can't control. The beauty of this recipe is that by taking control of your life, external or outside things will change in response to your internal changes. Here are 10 steps to destress for your present and future:

1. Heal yourself.

Dr. Bruce McEwen, who wrote The End of stress As We Know It, suggests that eliminating stress comes right from your grandmother's journal. He says the most effective steps you can take are the simplest: exercise, a healthy diet, regular sleep, moderate to minimal alcohol intake, and no smoking. This, he notes, is the most sophisticated, up to the minute, cutting edge science available!

2. Get organized.

Physical clutter reminds us of things that need to be done and that's stressful. Remove your physical clutter and you'll eradicate your mental clutter, plus you'll feel energized. Please go to http://topten.org/public/AG/AG306.html for a simple organizing solution that will work on any space.

3. Set boundaries.

Boundaries act as a filter to keep you safe from the hurtful behavior of others while allowing in the love, support and nurturing actions we all need. Set your boundaries by: (a) determining what others cannot do to you or in your presence and (b) sharing this information respectfully with anyone who is stepping over one of your boundaries.

4. Take time for yourself.

Put together a list of all the things you love to do but haven't regularly made time to do. Put your list in priority order and enter the top five to seven items into your daily calendar. Your list may include things as simple as journaling, reading a great book, taking a bubble bath, yoga, etc. You'll be more successful getting to these activities when you give them a time and place on your calendar.

5. Be positive.

William James, the father of modern psychology said, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that man can alter his life simply by altering his attitude of mind." In other words, what you say and what you tell yourself impact the present and create your future. love yourself and use the power of positive words, pleasing thoughts and affirming beliefs to live the life you want to live.

6. work in a career you love.

If you're like most people, you spend the majority of your waking hours at work. You'll know you're in the right profession when: you wake up anxious to go to work, you want to do your best daily, and you know your work is important.

7. Surround yourself with a supportive community.

You are who you spend time with. Hang out with people who love and accept you just the way you are, are interested in you (not what you can do for them), lift you up (not wear you down), solve problems quickly, don't gossip or complain, and know how to have fun. Anything is possible with the right support.

8. learn to say, "No."

We've all been influenced by people in our life who tell us we should do this or we ought to do that. As a result, we may end up living a life that others have decided for us versus living the life we want. So, the next time you think of something you ought to do or someone else suggests you should do, take a breath and ask yourself if it's something you want to do. If not, just say, "no" or "no thank you." When you say no to things you don't care to do, you are saying yes to you and this will free up your time and energy for the things you choose to do. Bottom line - you'll be happier.

9. Zap tolerations.

A toleration is something that irritates you and drains your energy because it needs to be done, fixed, removed, or changed. If you're like most people you may be tolerating 100 or more things! Put together a list of all the things that bug you, e.g. a dripping faucet, money concerns, your weight, shopping and running errands, not enough time, computer files out of control, your hair, a room that needs to be painted, etc. When your list is complete, group like items and see if one solution will eliminate multiple tolerations. For example, if you have piles of clothing in each bedroom, dirty windows and dust bunnies on your floor, hiring a housekeeper will zap all three tolerations. Line up a housekeeper, today. Then, commit to spending a chunk of time each week to zap your other tolerations. If you have a toleration that you don't have the skill or know-how to fix, consider calling an expert or seek out a skilled professional to trade services with.

10. Get your needs met.

A "need" is not an option, it is something you must have to function fully. It is differentiated from a "want" in that a want is optional. Unmet needs can drive you to distraction and worse. Determine what needs you have that aren't being met, if any, and then take the appropriate action to get them fulfilled. example: If you've taken a big hit and are going through a career transition, ask a good friend to call you two or three times a week to check in with you and give you support. Other options include calling your own voice mail and leaving supportive messages or hiring a coach who specializes in career transitions. When you acknowledge and satisfy your needs, you will be free to focus on other areas of your life.

If you want to be happier and more successful, focus on the things you have the power to control.

Pam N. Woods is co-author of a bestselling book, Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: secrets and Strategies from the World's Greatest Mentors; endorsed by Ken Blanchard and Dr. stephen Covey. She is a Coach U graduate and President of Smart WorkLife Solutions, a coaching and consulting company devoted to co-creating customized solutions to fit clients business and personal organizing needs. Prior to founding her own firm she had a successful 20+ year career as an insurance executive and Vice President of Human resources. For more free how-to articles and advice, or to contact Woods, visit http://www.worklifecoach.com. Copyright 2004 - Pam Woods

The main thing to remember about a wireless home security system is that its greatest advantage is also its greatest weakness -- there are no wires.

On one hand, it means that you can place your control panel and any or all of your sensors, cameras and keypads anywhere you please. It also means that it is very easy for an intruder to disable the system...and there is also a greater likelihood of false alarms.

first let's take a brief look at the science

Wireless home security system does not use wires to connect the control panel to hit any of the door or window switches or any other device in the system. In a wireless system, the devices send radio signals to a receiver in the control unit, which then processes that signal.

advantages of wireless

A wireless home security system is generally easier to install. You can put the devices anywhere you want -- you have ultimate flexibility. Also, there is no labor time spent in stringing wires. Lastly, if you already have a hardwired system, you can even add a wireless receiver at any time, which will give you a double layer of protection.

Disadvantages of wireless

A wireless home security system is not always as dependable. Copper wires will always be more reliable when sending a signal from point A to point B. For example, if a burglar snips the wires on a door or window sensor, that is usually enough to set off the alarm. The same situation does not necessarily apply with wireless systems. For example, if a wireless transmitter is knocked out of commission, you may never know that something is wrong.

Be aware that a wireless system is more expensive than a hardwired system. This is because each device has a radio transmitter built into it or attached to it so that it can send the signal back to the control panel.

Because of this extra expense, some consumers tend to cut corners to save costs. Don't do it. If anything, spend some extra money to get the highest quality radio transmitter available.

After all, you know what it's like when you buy a cheap cordless phone. You save some money but you get some problems in return: interference, static, dropped calls, and you might even pick up your neighbor's calls -- and vice versa.

The same things apply with wireless home security systems. By spending more money you get better quality and reliability. The high-end wireless equipment is very dependable, and so you should be prepared to spend some more money to make sure that you get that reliability. After all, who needs a lot of false alarms?

(End of Part 1 of 2)

For more info on wireless home security systems, visit Ara Rubyan's Home Security Systems.

Ara Rubyan is not a part of the home security system industry, nor does he sell home security systems, nor does he pretend to be a guru of any kind. Instead, he is like you: a consumer, a business owner, and someone who has been researching the industry so that he could make an informed decision about the best home security system for his needs. now, he's put all his research (so far) in one convenient location and he's sharing it with you, no strings attached.