M - Make conscious decisions

When the pressure's on it's easy to start reacting to outside influences and before you know it, you're spending half the day running around madly but still not getting anything done.  Make a conscious decision at the beginning of each day about what you will focus on and stay focused until those tasks are complete.

L - Lean on others for support

We all have people who say 'If you ever need a hand let me know'.  Now is the time to take them up on their offer.  They might not be able to help you with the work that is causing you stress, but they may be able to lighten the load elsewhere.  They wouldn't have offered if they didn't want to help.

K - Keep things in perspective

I know this is sometimes easier said than done, but it is important to consciously remind yourself to keep things in perspective.  If you haven't seen the Powers of Ten video, watch it and it will remind you of God's awesomeness - and should put things in perspective for you.  Nuff said!

J - Join a hobby group

Most people get involved in the non-profit sector because they are genuinely passionate about their community however when your passion becomes your job, suddenly the lines between personal time and work time get blurred.  Find yourself a hobby that has nothing to do with your role in the community - then resist the urge to join the committee!

I - Investigate other options

Just because things have always been done a particular way, doesn't mean it has to continue like that.  Take a look at all your tasks and consider other ways of getting the job done.  There may be a simple solution to some of the issues causing you stress, you just need to step off the treadmill and look for them.

H - Hand over the reigns

Sometimes stress sneaks up on us not because of the volume of work we have, but the amount of responsibility we have.  Take a look at your responsibilities and see if there are any parts where you can pass on, or at least share responsibility for the outcome.  Most importantly, make sure your team is taking responsibility for their designated parts along the way.

G - Give yourself a break

We are usually our own worst critics and when times get tough, we are often the first ones to beat ourselves up about 'not coping'.  Give yourself a break.  You are not super-human and nobody except you expects you to be.  Treat yourself as you would anybody else in the same situation.

F - Focus

Focus on one thing at a time. When you have a lot of things that need doing, its easy to feel overwhelmed. Instead of trying to deal with a little bit of everything at once, narrow your focus to one thing at a time. Being able to cross things off your list will give you a sense achievement, and you will feel like you are actually making headway.

E - Evacuate

Literally.  Remove yourself from the office, centre, house, or whatever else your stress is centred.  If it is absolutely necessary that you keep working, at least do it in a different environment.

D - Delegate

We all fall into the trap of thinking 'it's easier to do it ourselves'.  While in the short term this may be true, it does nothing to prevent stress overload in the future.  Go through your 'To Do List' and delegate at least 10% of your jobs to someone else.  There may be a small amount of training to do but the chances are not as much as you think.