Adjusting to our changing world is difficult, at best. Increasing global economic competition, downsizing, mergers, acquisitions, and the everyday hassles of trying to run a business, often creates a great deal of workplace stress. Consider the following:
- According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, 2/3 of all visits to the family physician are attributed to stress-related symptoms.
- 11% of all insurance claims result from "gradual mental stress."
- It is estimated working mothers, in attempting to balance their lives, juggle as many as seven things at once.
- According to the World Health Organization, about 1/2 of the working population are unhappy in their jobs.
If the workplace is a microcosm of society, it is fair to say there are many stressed-out people! Constant changes increase stress levels, and negatively affect our physical and emotional health. Simply put, stress is defined as the body's physical and psychological reaction to change. While the body is made to endure "acute" stress (e.g., major life events), it is not prepared well to deal with "chronic stress." The body, therefore, often breaks down from everyday stressors, leaving people with "stress related" disorders.
Lets look at a typical moment in time. On your way to work you travel through a construction zone. As you crawl along patiently, someone tries to cut in front of you by passing on the right. Immediately you become hot and decide not to let him in. The next move is to position your car bumper to bumper with the car in front of you. As your stress level rises, so does your middle finger. The outcomes of this situation are numerous, from the possibility of an accident to an incident of "road rage." By the time you arrive at work you're frazzled with your work day just beginning.
The ramifications of not properly managing stress can be far reaching. Productivity levels decrease with unhappy workers, family life is often affected, and health is at risk. Learning to deal with day-to-day stressors is no longer a luxury - it's a necessity. Several suggestions and techniques, however, can help reduce your stress.
One technique I find useful, particularly when confronted with situations like the above example, is to ask myself the "three minute rule." Returning to the "road game" is a good example. If I allow this person to cut in front of me, will this have a major affect upon my life three minutes from now? Of course not! In which case, I chose not to play a meaningless game, thereby enhancing my overall health.
Additional ways to reduce the stress are:
- Allow yourself 15 minutes a day to relax -- progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, yoga, etc.
- Increase low stress foods into your diet - fruits, veggies, low-fat/sugar foods & snacks, etc.
- Increase your physical activities - aerobic classes, walk the stairs, park farther from the office door, etc.
- Maintain the "right attitude" - use "the three minute rule" - enhance your self esteem by building-up other people.
Stress and stress-related problems are a very real and growing part of work and personal life for millions of Americans. Trying to cope with life hassles - work, family, children, etc. - can be overwhelming. Learning to manage stress effectively is paramount to being a happy and healthy human being.
# # # # #
