The Three-Quarters Rule for Reducing Stress

There’s no question that life can be complicated and often stressful. One easy way to turn the stresses of daily life down a notch is to apply what Frederick Foley, PhD, calls “the three-quarters rule.” The basic idea is that if you’re three-quarters out of anything, take care of it now to eliminate potentially stressful situations. For example:

• Fill the gas tank when it’s three-quarters empty

• Refill medicine when it’s three-quarters gone

• Do the laundry when the hamper is three-quarters full

• Replace juice when the container is three-quarters empty

• Rest and relax when you’re three-quarters done with a project

By applying the three-quarters rule to your daily life you may eliminate those little emergency trips that can cause stress. Is there anything you can think of now that needs to be topped off? Put it on your three-quarters list.

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