We have a friend who jokes about “ who would you save ? ” in a water emergency. This life preserver made the perfect Christmas gift gag. We all know, though, that there is nothing funny about saving a life….even figuratively. The visual image of someone straining to keep their nose and mouth out of the water is scary and threatening. The construction of this vest is designed to specifically hold the head up. Have you ever been SO busy that it felt impossible to finish in the allotted time? Somehow you do it and look back in wonder. Think about what your strategy was to complete the job. “ Holding your head above water “ in the short term can be accomplished by sleeping very little, skipping meals, delaying household chores, and avoiding the telephone. In the longer term, it makes sense to redesign your behavior. Agreeing to fewer commitments, planning meals in advance, leaving voicemails that indicate when contact is likely, and knowing in advance that a particular time is always busy so that sleep patterns can be adapted, are all ideas for regulating the stress that feels like drowning. By the way…those household chores always wait for you.