Friday, March 16, 2007

Managing Stress At The Job (first in a series on Stress Management)

Everyone that works has some job stress. We typically get used to it, but it still takes its toll on you. Depending on how well you manage it it can have negative effects on your health, relationships, and happiness. Some amount of stress helps you perform better. But since the effects of stress are cumulative, if you don't take care of yourself it will hurt you. Much of what we experience at work may not be under our control. Let's assume that if you could you would be working in the job that you enjoy, making the money you need, with people you like, as near (or far away from) your home as you prefer, and sufficiently challenging (or not). And I would encourage you to seek out a work setting with as many of these features as possible. Happiness on the job helps with stress management. My preference is to focus on the individual effected by the stress, and strongly recommend that you take the following measures to protect yourself from the harmful effects of stress. Exercise; use your vacation time; Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work (and read the book, of the same title, by Richard Carlson, Ph.D); take your lunch time, away from the job if possible, and eat something healthy (drinking water throughout the day helps too); change how you relate to your annoying coworker or boss, that will cause them to change how they relate to you; be aware that if you are getting VERY emotional about a stressful situation at work, likely it's related to some unresolved personal issue you should address; and don't forget to BREATHE!! More on that later.

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