This is the fourth World Series of Poker that I have worked. A few of the people I met that first year are still lurking about the Amazon room, and we all look at each other with the knowing look that only people who have worked together in difficult and stressful conditions recognize.

When I first started, I tried to live the "Vegas lifestyle" in addition to working 14-hour days. This included all-night poker sessions, drinking and general carousing and rabble-rousing. (Yes, that was intentionally vague.) I have mellowed considerably, due in large part to quelling the flames of my OCD, and learning to see the "Vegas lifestyle" for the mirage in the desert that it really is. Many people in Vegas are lonely or bored, and seek all kinds of self-destructive ways of quieting that voice in their head that says "There's something wrong here."

That got heavy. Sorry! I just wanted to post some tips about what I do to survive the World Series of Poker. These are hard-won strategies for dealing with a high-stress environment over a seven-week period.

• Drink more water than you think you should. Vegas air is already dry, and air conditioners remove humidity from the air. I am currently working in a room that has three air conditioners (it's a server room) and I got a cold on day 2 of the World Series because my throat was so dry.
• Get sleep. Under stress, cortisol and adrenaline are released into your system, which causes all kinds of problems over time. Sleep helps repair the damage of these hormones, and really helps your focus through the day. I find it much easier to stay calm when I've gotten plenty of sleep the night before. This may mean you have to say no to that drink after work or just playing poker "for an hour or two." Get home and get some sleep.
• Exercise. I wake up, answer the urgent emails, and head outside in the sun for a workout. This has two great effects: the obvious benefits of exercise, and I get my daily 30 minutes of sun exposure that helps my body make vitamin D and fight off disease. Humans have only spent the majority of their time indoors for the last 100 years or so. Don't ignore 100,000 years of evolution.
• Eat less than you think you should. A lot of people around me grab junk food or eat huge buckets of food and say, "Hey, it's the World Series." You don't need as much food as you think. Really.
• Go outside. I talked about this in number 3, but I don't want to scare you away if you "just aren't into exercise." At least go outside in the morning. Eat breakfast or lunch outside where you can get some sun. "But the sun is dangerous! It gives you cancer!" Not getting enough sun is just as dangerous. Reference material here.
• Don't shoot video of players playing in the Amazon room. Ever. For any reason.

Do I follow these every day? No. Do I get upset and disappointed in myself? No. I just notice that I'm slipping off track and re-focus on doing what works and avoiding what doesn't. Late nights and drinking don't work for me when I need my full attention and focus throughout the day. Exercise and sleep help sharpen my focus and ability to remain calm, so I'm sticking with it.

If you come down to the Amazon room, give me a call, or drop me a note on Twitter, and I'll grab some sushi from Miranda's Kitchen with you!