| Some simple advice - and pass-along | | | | that everything will fall apart the minute |
| strategies - for reducing stress in the | | | | you turn your back. It leaves you hung up on |
| workplace. | | | | time-consuming details, stifles the |
| | | | participation and growth of others, and |
| Stress is costing American business big time. | | | | creates unnecessary tension all around. Take |
| Estimates range from $80 billion to $300 | | | | the leap of faith. Learn to delegate. Assign |
| billion annually in illnesses, absenteeism, | | | | responsibilities and give others the chance |
| diminished productivity, accidents, mistakes, | | | | to prove themselves. You can dole it out |
| burnout, high turnover, and soaring health | | | | gradually, to gain confidence and minimize |
| insurance premiums. | | | | error, but begin unburdening yourself of the |
| | | | oppressive minutia that's needlessly choking |
| It's no surprise, then, that many companies | | | | your life. You can experience a marked |
| have been fighting the stress epidemic | | | | reduction in stress in a relatively short |
| aggressively with an arsenal of anti-stress | | | | period of time simply by delegating. |
| initiatives. But a nagging question remains. | | | | |
| If all the stress management programs out | | | | Be a team player. |
| there are so effective, why are so many | | | | |
| workers still stressed out? | | | | It's more productive-and less stressful-to |
| | | | work as a team. In your job, in your family, |
| The answer may lie in the fact that some | | | | in your community. When you spread the work |
| organizations are simply trying too hard. In | | | | and responsibility around the pressure eases, |
| an effort to reduce stress, they are actually | | | | everyone becomes more cooperative. As much as |
| adding to it. As well-intentioned as their | | | | we like to think of ourselves as complete |
| stress programs may be, many are complex and | | | | packages, we're not. We need others to |
| time-consuming, require a lot of reading and | | | | contribute what we lack, to balance out our |
| recall, are heavy on theory and light on | | | | collective strengths and weaknesses. Let go |
| practical advice, or just don't connect with | | | | the urge to put it all on yourself or take |
| employees on their level...or with their | | | | all the credit. Society is a team effort and |
| specific problems. | | | | success most gratifying when everyone's |
| | | | involved. |
| Remember, what people who are stressed out | | | | |
| lack most is time...and patience. They have | | | | Rotate working on different projects. |
| no time to attend lengthy stress seminars | | | | |
| that pull them away from the very tasks that | | | | For example, if you have three projects due |
| are stressing them out. They have little | | | | next week, performing them in their entirety |
| patience to sift through wordy guides and | | | | one after the other can make each seem long, |
| procedures to dig out those rare nuggets of | | | | drawn out and tiresome. Instead, divide your |
| advice relevant to their situation. Some | | | | time each day into thirds and work on all |
| stress programs merely address the symptoms | | | | three. Each project will provide a refreshing |
| of stress rather than eliminate the causes. | | | | break from the others, while allowing you to |
| They have little lasting effect. Workers | | | | make steady progress on all. Like a farmer |
| become frustrated and cynical, believing that | | | | rotating crops to keep the soil rich and |
| nothing will work, and go right back to their | | | | fertile, varying tasks will keep you more |
| costly, stressful ways. | | | | alert and imaginative, making the work |
| | | | proceed more quickly and enjoyably. |
| What, then, can management and human | | | | |
| resources professionals do to overcome these | | | | Are you a checkaholic? |
| obstacles to effective stress management, and | | | | |
| "reach" their employees with solutions that | | | | How much time do you waste excessively |
| will connect...and stick? A good way to start | | | | checking things. Check the weather. Check the |
| is to offer simple, candid, targeted | | | | time. Check the markets. Check your email. |
| strategies workers can quickly incorporate | | | | Check your hair. Check your voicemail. Check |
| into their lives-techniques that get their | | | | the news. Check your makeup. Check to see if |
| attention and produce immediate results. | | | | your wallet is still in your pocket. How much |
| These are less intrusive, take little or no | | | | of your day are you frittering away doing |
| time to implement, and get the user started | | | | this? More than you might care to know. Ease |
| on the right track, with the right attitude. | | | | up. Things aren't going to fall apart when |
| To give you some examples, I've selected the | | | | you're not looking. So resist the urge to |
| following ten workplace strategies I use in | | | | receive constant, needless, monotonous |
| my books and seminars, which have been | | | | updates. Use that time to maintain your focus |
| field-tested with positive feedback from | | | | and get more done. When you get the urge to |
| thousands of readers and participants | | | | check on something...simply let it go. |
| worldwide. Simply pass them along by email or | | | | |
| interoffice memo. I believe they can have a | | | | Forget about deadlines. How about startlines? |
| significantly positive effect on your | | | | |
| employees, too. | | | | For a society so obsessed with when a project |
| | | | gets finished, we're curiously all too casual |
| Do one thing at a time. | | | | about when to get it started. And that can be |
| | | | the most critical factor of all. Which may |
| Do it mindfully. Do it well. Enjoy the | | | | explain why so many deadlines aren't met. |
| satisfaction. Then go on to the next thing. | | | | Instead of stressing over when something is |
| Multitasking might work for computers, but | | | | due, focus on getting it underway. Set a |
| humans have yet to get the hang of it. A | | | | "startline." That is, a time before which |
| growing body of evidence affirms that trying | | | | it's essential you get a project started, so |
| to accomplish several things at once takes up | | | | it isn't performed in a rushed and slapdash |
| more time overall than doing them | | | | manner. If you stick to your startline, it |
| sequentially. It consumes an excessive amount | | | | not only assures efficient, unhurried |
| of mental energy, too, so you fatigue more | | | | performance, it all but eliminates the need |
| quickly. The lack of focus also leads to | | | | for a deadline...and the anxiety that goes |
| careless mistakes, shoddy work and unreliable | | | | with it. Which "line" would you rather work |
| performance. Worst of all, having to do | | | | under? Get it started. |
| things over. This is no way to live. Give | | | | |
| what you're doing your undivided attention. | | | | Be a good gear switcher. |
| Take the time to get it right. You'll be more | | | | |
| productive, and less stressed, in the long | | | | You may have the kind of job where you |
| run. | | | | constantly have to drop something to take |
| | | | care of something else. This can be a |
| Chip away at projects with long lead times. | | | | never-ending source of stress and |
| | | | frustration. If you let it. Or, as unlikely |
| When you get an assignment with a "luxury" of | | | | as it seems now, you can condition yourself |
| time, don't squander it. Get at least a start | | | | to get used to it...even enjoy it! When you |
| on it right away, when your enthusiasm and | | | | prepare yourself for such interruptions, you |
| understanding of it are at a peak. Then spend | | | | can make a clean break without anxiety, |
| a little time on it each day to keep the | | | | knowing you'll return later on to tie up |
| momentum going. That way, every thought you | | | | loose ends. Just give whatever you're doing |
| have of the project will be a positive one: | | | | at the moment your undivided focus...and let |
| "I'm on the case, I'm getting it done." Put | | | | it go promptly when necessary. Quick |
| it off, and every thought will be | | | | transitioning is a skill, an art you can |
| increasingly negative: "Yikes, I haven't even | | | | learn, master and take satisfaction in. |
| started yet!" Which can add up to big stress | | | | |
| over time. And a major crisis as the deadline | | | | Stand up and stretch. |
| nears, you've forgotten what to do, and your | | | | |
| enthusiasm has been supplanted by anxiety and | | | | Especially if you have a desk or computer |
| dread. Get it going early. You'll do a better | | | | job. A day at work shouldn't be like an |
| job, in less time, without the stress. | | | | eight-hour plane ride. Periodically get off |
| | | | your chair and stand, stretching your arms |
| Don't let unhealthy job stress persist. | | | | and legs-even squatting, bending from side to |
| | | | side, rolling your head, walking about, etc. |
| If your workload or project is impossible to | | | | It'll get the blood flowing more freely, |
| complete without pulling your hair out, doing | | | | loosen cramped muscles and joints, help you |
| a slapdash job or suffering a near stroke for | | | | think more clearly, and relieve some of the |
| your trouble, speak up early on rather than | | | | stress. Give your body a quick tune-up at |
| bottle it up and be unable to perform the | | | | least one or two minutes each hour. |
| work accurately and professionally. And do it | | | | |
| in a positive way, by offering possible | | | | Maintain your presence of mind. |
| solutions: you'll need more time; you can do | | | | |
| part of the project in the allotted time; or | | | | It's easy to get flustered, panic and lose |
| you'll require more help. If you're a good | | | | your composure when you're rushed and |
| competent worker your request should command | | | | pressured. Your mistake level soars, |
| respect and compliance. It doesn't help | | | | carelessness abounds and civility often goes |
| anyone to say nothing and let it eat away at | | | | out the window. Only making things worse. |
| your well-being, and subject both you and | | | | Practice maintaining your presence of mind in |
| your company to poor performance. | | | | pressure situations. Take slow deep breaths |
| | | | and approach the crisis with calmness and |
| Delegate. | | | | control. You'll discover you can handle |
| | | | things more efficiently, even more quickly, |
| Stress is often caused by an inability to let | | | | when you strive to keep your cool. Hysteria |
| go, a constant need to micromanage, the fear | | | | accomplishes nothing. |