Main causes of stress
The major cause of stress in my life is trying to do so many things and not having enough hours in the day to do them. The National Women's Council position is voluntary - I also have a day job as a consultant, working with groups on issues such as project management and conflict resolution. This means I'm always juggling things.
Travelling abroad is stressful because airports are so much busier now. You are always wondering if you are going to get there on time. With the volume of traffic on the roads here, driving is stressful. Even though I am a careful driver and I haven't had an accident in 20 years of driving, I'm always very watchful of other cars. When you stop the car, you realise that you are quite stressed by it all.
Coping with stress
I have a dog and she needs her walk, so I try to walk for an hour every day. It really clears your head.
Reading is also good for getting you to think about something else. I always have at least two books on the go and I read every night before I go to sleep.
I have a shiatsu session once every three weeks for an hour and a half. It's a great physical release and I find it very relaxing.
Council activities are usually on a Saturday, so I keep all other Saturdays absolutely sacrosanct. It's a day for reading The Irish Times from cover to cover, listening to the radio and maybe meeting friends in the afternoon.
In an ideal world
I'd love to say that I go to the theatre and the cinema, but it's been over a year since I went to the theatre and six weeks since I went to the cinema. I'd like to do that more, but I don't have time.
In conversation with Alison Healy