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.
当向听众解释压力管理的时候，讲师拿起一杯水问道：这杯水有多重？听众有说20克的，有说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."
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."
他继续说道：这就像压力管理，如果总是怀揣沉重的负担，我们会觉得压力越来越大，迟早我们会崩溃掉。
"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."
正如这杯水一样，你需要放下它休息一下，调整自己，继续前行。
"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."
Here are 5 simple ways to increase your peace of mind:
这里有5个简单的方法，能为你带来平静的心情：
1. Do your most daunting task first thing in the morning
1. 将最艰巨的任务放在早晨
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.
You make plans to go outside with friends. But at the last minute, it starts raining. What's your reaction?
你与朋友计划好外出，但是最后关头下雨了，这时你会怎么想？
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!"
有些人会因此而失望、愤怒，然后跟周围的人抱怨：这不公平，为什么这种事总是让我遇到！
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.
Make the most of what you do control, and don't worry about what you don't.
将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. 不必担心别人的想法
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.
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.
Don't worry about what others are thinking of you - most likely they're too busy wondering what others are thinking of them.
不要担心别人怎么看你，可能他们还在忙着担心别人会怎么看他们呢。
4. List 3 things you love about your situation right now
4. 列出在你的现状中你最喜欢的三点
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.
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!
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.
