12 steps for stress management
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12 Ways To Eliminate Stress AtWork
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The average business professional has
30 to 100 projects on their plate !o"ern #orkers are interrupte" seven times
an hour an" "istracte" up to 21 hours a "ay An" four out of 10 people
#orking at large companies are e$periencing a major corporate restructuring%an" therefore facing uncertainly about their futures This may be #hy more
than &0' of a"ults say they lie a#ake at night plague" by the stressful events
of the "ay
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()eople are asking me for ans#ers%* says Sharon !elnick% )h+% a business
psychologist an" author of just release"Success Under Stress (Everyone feels
over#helme" an" overly busy*
,s there a #ay to maintain stea"y focus throughout the "ay- ,s it possible to "oeverything that nee"s to get "one an" still have energy left over after #ork-
.o# "o you keep cool un"er so many "eman"s- ,nforme" by 10 years of
.arvar" research an" fiel"/teste" by more than %000 clients an" trainees%
!elnick offers the follo#ing strategies to take your #ork stress "o#n a peg%
before it takes over your life
The atigue Solution .o# To ,ncrease our
Energy ,n Eight Easy Steps Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
http://sharonmelnick.com/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://sharonmelnick.com/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/ -
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The Secret To 4reaking 4a" .abits or 5oo" Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
.o# To 4e A Super/Achiever The
10 6ualities That !atter Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/28/the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-in-the-new-year/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/28/the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-in-the-new-year/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/28/the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-in-the-new-year/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/ -
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The 10 Worst 7ommunication
!istakes or our 7areer Jenna GoudreauForbes StaffAct Rather Than React
(We e$perience stress #hen #e feel that situations are out of our control%* says
!elnick ,t activates the stress hormone an"% if chronic% #ears "o#n
confi"ence% concentration an" #ell/being She a"vises that you i"entify the
aspects of the situation you can control an" aspects you can8t Typically% you8re
in control of your actions an" responses% but not in control of macro forces or
someone else8s tone% for e$ample (4e impeccable for your 90'%* she a"vises
An" try to let go of the rest
Take A Deep Breath
,f you8re feeling over#helme" or are coming out of a tense meeting an" nee"
to clear your hea"% a fe# minutes of "eep breathing #ill restore balance% says
!elnick Simply inhale for five secon"s% hol" an" e$hale in e:ual counts
through the nose (,t8s like getting the calm an" focus of a ;0/minute yoga
class in three minutes or less at your "esk%* she says
Eliminate Interruptions
(!ost of us are bombar"e" "uring the "ay%* says !elnick Emails% phone calls%
pop ins% instant messages an" su""en% urgent "ea"lines conspire to make
to"ay8s #orkers more "istracte" than ever While you may not have control
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/ -
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over the interrupters% you can control your response !elnick a"vises
respon"ing in one of three #ays Accept the interruption% cut it off% or
"iagnosis its importance an" make a plan !any interruptions are recurring
an" can be anticipate" (ou #ant to have preset criteria for #hich response
you #ant to make%* she says ou can also train those aroun" you byans#ering email "uring certain #in"o#s% setting up office hours to talk in
person or closing the "oor #hen you nee" to focus
Schedule Your Day For Energy And Focus
!ost of us go through the "ay using a (push% push% push* approach% thinking if
#e #ork the full eight to 10 hours% #e8ll get more "one ,nstea"% pro"uctivity
goes "o#n% stress levels go up an" you have very little energy left over for your
family% !elnick says She a"vises sche"uling breaks throughout the "ay to#alk% stretch at your "esk or "o a breathing e$ercise (Tony Sch#art< of the
Energy )roject has sho#n that if #e have intense concentration for about ;0
minutes% follo#e" by a brief perio" of recovery% #e can clear the buil"up of
stress an" rejuvenate ourselves%* she says
Eat Right And Sleep Well
(Eating ba"ly #ill stress your system%* says !elnick% #ho a"vises eating a lo#/
sugar% high/protein "iet (An" #hen you8re not sleeping #ell% you8re notgetting the rejuvenating effects* Accor"ing to the 7+7% an estimate" 0
million Americans "o not get sufficient sleep% #hich is a critical recovery
perio" for the bo"y ,f racing thoughts keep you from falling asleep or you
#ake up in the night an" can8t get back to sleep% !elnick suggests a simple
breathing trick that #ill knock you out fast 7over your right nostril an"
breathe through your left for three to five minutes
Change Your Story
our perspective of stressful office events is typically a subjective
interpretation of the facts% often seen through the filter of your o#n self/"oubt%
says !elnick .o#ever% if you can step back an" take a more objective vie#%
you8ll be more effective an" less likely to take things personally She recalls
one client #ho sent a re:uest to human resources for more people on an
important project When she #as "enie"% she imme"iately got angry an"
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"efensive% thinking they "i"n8t trust her to kno# #hat she nee"e" et she
never stoppe" to even consi"er there might be bu"getary issues on their en"
=nce she #as able to remove herself from the situation% she calle" the .>
"irector an" sai" Tell me #here you8re coming from% ,8ll tell you #here ,8m
coming from an" then let8s see if #e can fin" a solution ?ltimately% it #orke"
Cool Don !uickly
The atigue Solution .o# To ,ncrease our
Energy ,n Eight Easy Steps Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
The Secret To 4reaking 4a" .abits or 5oo" Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/28/the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-in-the-new-year/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/28/the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-in-the-new-year/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/04/02/the-fatigue-solution-how-to-increase-your-energy-in-eight-easy-steps/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/12/28/the-secret-to-breaking-bad-habits-in-the-new-year/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/ -
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.o# To 4e A Super/Achiever The
10 6ualities That !atter Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
The 10 Worst 7ommunication
!istakes or our 7areer Jenna GoudreauForbes Staff
(When you feel frustrate" or angry% it8s a heate" feeling in your bo"y that cancause you to react%* says !elnick ,nstea" of imme"iately reacting@an" likely
overreacting@she suggests trying a (cooling breath* techni:ue 4reathe in
through your mouth as if you are sipping through a stra#% an" then breathe
out normally through your nose +one right% you8ll feel a cooling% "rying
sensation over the top of your tongue ,t8s like hitting the (pause* button%
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/01/17/how-to-be-a-super-achiever-the-10-qualities-that-matter/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2012/11/16/the-10-worst-communication-mistakes-for-your-career/http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/ -
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giving you time to think about your response She says% (,t8s so po#erful it #ill
even calm theother person "o#n*
Identi"y Sel"#Imposed Stress
(earn to stop self imposing stress by buil"ing your o#n self/confi"ence ratherthan seeking other8s approval%* says !elnick ,f you8re too caught up in others8
perceptions of you% #hich you can8t control% you become stresse" out by the
minutia or participate in avoi"ance behaviors like procrastination ,ronically%
once you shift your focus from others8 perception of your #ork to the #ork
itself% you8re more likely to impress them
$rioriti%e Your $riorities
With competing "ea"lines an" fast/changing priorities% it8s critical to "efine
#hat8s truly important an" #hy That re:uires clarity% says !elnick ,t8s
important to un"erstan" your role in the organi
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Be Your &n Best Critic
Some 0%000 thoughts stream through your min" each "ay% !elnick says% an"
internal negativity is just as likely to stress you out as an e$ternal event The
fi$- ,nstea" of being harsh an" critical of yourself% try pumping yourself upEncouraging thoughts #ill help motivate you to achieve an" ultimately train
you to inspire others
Follow me onTwitter,Facebookand Google+.
Managing Job Stress - OverviewJob stress comes in different forms and affects your mind and body in different ways. Small things can
make you feel stressed, such as a copy machine that never seems to work when you need it or phones
that wont !uit ringing. "a#or stress comes from having too much or not enough work or doing work that
doesnt satisfy you. $onflicts with your boss, coworkers, or customers are other ma#or causes of stress.
%ts normal to have some stress. Stress releases hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe
faster, and give you a burst of energy. Stress can be useful when you need to focus on or finish a big
pro#ect. &ut too much stress or being under stress for too long isnt good for you. $onstant stress can
make you more likely to get sick more often. %t can also lead to long'term health problems such as heartdisease,high blood pressure, back problems, anddepression.
(ook for these signs of #ob stress)
*eadaches
+rouble sleeping
roblems concentrating
Short temper
-pset stomach
Job dissatisfaction and low morale
What CausesJob Stress?
"ost of the time, its the ma#or sources of stress that lead to #ob burnout and health problems. Job stress
can affect your home life too. *ere are some common sources of ma#or #ob stress, with eamples of each)
http://twitter.com/#!/Jenna_Goudreauhttp://twitter.com/#!/Jenna_Goudreauhttp://www.facebook.com/JenGoudreauhttps://plus.google.com/107354000441475705820/postshttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/coronary-artery-disease-8221http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/coronary-artery-disease-8221http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/coronary-artery-disease-8221http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/high-blood-pressure-hypertensionhttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/depressionhttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/depressionhttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/depressionhttp://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/tc/managing-job-stress-topic-overviewhttp://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/tc/managing-job-stress-topic-overviewhttp://twitter.com/#!/Jenna_Goudreauhttp://www.facebook.com/JenGoudreauhttps://plus.google.com/107354000441475705820/postshttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/coronary-artery-disease-8221http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/coronary-artery-disease-8221http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/high-blood-pressure-hypertensionhttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/depressionhttp://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/tc/managing-job-stress-topic-overview -
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Lack of control./eeling as if you have no control over your work or #ob duties is the biggest
cause of #ob stress. eople who feel like they have no control at work are most likely to get stress'related
illnesses. *eres an eample)o Shelly is responsible for putting together a report that her boss must deliver at a 4 p.m.
meeting. Shes been waiting all day for the notes and numbers she needs. Shelly finally gets the notes
from her boss at )15 and rushes to prepare the report and charts and to make copies in time. She gets it
done, but she feels mad and resentful. +his is the third time this week that this has happened.
Increased resonsibilit!.+aking on etra duties in your #ob is stressful. 2ou can get more
stressed if you have too much work to do and you cant say no to new tasks.
o John volunteers for every new pro#ect, because he heard thats the best way to get
promoted. &ut the tasks are starting to pile up, and hes feeling overwhelmed. *e knows he cant really
manage one more thing. &ut this morning, Johns boss asked him to take on another pro#ect, and John
agreed. 3ow hes more worried than ever about getting everything done.
Job satisfaction and erfor"ance.o you take pride in your #ob %f your #ob isnt meaningful,
you may find it stressful. re you worried about doing well at work /eeling insecure about #ob
performance is a ma#or source of stress for many people.
o 7aoul has worked in his new #ob for 8 months. *e thinks he is doing well. &ut his boss
doesnt say much, so 7aoul isnt sure. *e wonders if hes on the right track, but hes afraid to ask.
#ncertaint! about work roles.&eing unsure about your duties, how your #ob might be changing,
or the goals of your department or company can lead to stress. %f you report to more than one boss,
#uggling the demands of different managers can also be stressful.
o 7osas old manager was promoted. 3ow 7osa is working for someone new. Shes heard
that the new boss plans to 9shake things up9 in her department. +he new boss #ust hired :mily, whose #ob
seems to be the same as 7osas. 7osa worries about what this means for her.
$oor co""unication.+ension on the #ob often comes from poor communication. &eing unable
to talk about your needs, concerns, and frustrations can create stress.
o new #ob with more responsibility and better pay #ust opened up in Jills department. Jill
knows she can do this #ob. nd shes been with the company longer than anyone else on her team. She
waits for her manager to ask if she is interested. &ut after several weeks, a coworker is promoted to the
new #ob. Jill feels hurt and angry, but she doesnt say anything.
Lack of suort.(ack of support from your boss or coworkers makes it harder to solve other
problems at work that are causing stress for you.
o Jeff works in a busy office answering customer complaint calls all day. %t would be easier
to handle all the calls if he could at least trade tips with his coworkers. &ut everyone else is busy too. *is
coworkers never make it out of their cubicles during the day, even to let off a little steam.
$oor working conditions.-npleasant or dangerous physical conditions, such as crowding,
noise, or ergonomicproblems, can cause stress.
o Sonya is eposed to constant noise at work. She wears earplugs, but at the end of her
shift herearsare ringing. She often comes home with a headache.
http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/ergonomicshttp://www.webmd.com/brain/picture-of-the-earhttp://www.webmd.com/brain/picture-of-the-earhttp://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/default.htmhttp://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/ergonomicshttp://www.webmd.com/brain/picture-of-the-earhttp://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/default.htm -
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