Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living. Barely getting by, it’s all taking and no giving.They just use your mind and they never give you credit It’s enough to drive you Crazy if you let it. (9 to 5. Dolly Parton. 1980).
My apologies to any millennials if you don’t get the reference but as music is a great natural stress buster I thought why not start there. You can listen to the song here.
Dolly´s 1980 song may be on workplace burnout may be light hearted but workplace stress and related disorders are reputed to cost the South African economy R40 billion a year. Moreover untreated stress can lead to serious physical and mental problems so how do we go about controlling it before it becomes a problem.
Feeling stressed is a perfectly normal human reaction to situations that seem overwhelming. It is not a sign of personal weakness or anything to feel embarrassed by. So accept that you are feeling stressed, recognise it for what it is and then put in place a plan of action to help you overcome those feelings.
Once you have acknowledged the stress you are feeling it is then time to acknowledge the source of that stress. Proactivity and meeting problems head on is a powerful antidote to the feelings of helplessness and being overwhelmed that are the primary causes of stress in the workplace.
Try sitting down alone in a quiet room and writing down how you are feeling and why you are feeling that way. Then write down what you have to do to resolve the situations that are causing you this stress. The causes might be workload related or they might be caused by a difficult colleague or boss however seeing them written down in black and white will prevent the issue growing in your imagination into something it is not.
Chunking is a psychological technique used to make large tasks appear more achievable by breaking them down into smaller components or chunks.
Now you might say but isn’t that just common sense? And the answer would be, ´Yes, it is´, but that is the thing about stress it can often cause us to make mountains where molehills lie and rob us of our basic common sense just when we need it most.
Purposely applying the chunking technique can allow us to break up the large tasks that loom before us into smaller, scalable hurdles and as we overcome each hurdle and tick it off our list we will receive a feeling of progress and control essential to combatting stress and staying motivated. You can read more about the chunking technique here.
As previously mentioned acknowledging that you are stressed is a powerful first step towards being able to handle it. Once you have recognised that you are feeling stressed and organised a plan of action to face the causes of your stress the next step is to take particular care of yourself until you feel more relaxed.
It can often be the case that those of us who suffer hugely from stress tend to be ‘people pleasers‘ who are prone to doing things they don’t want to do for fear of letting other people down.
If you find that you fall into this category reflect on the duty you have to look after yourself first. Stress is an insidious enemy. It can go unnoticed and then suddenly knock you sideways.
So, for a change, look after number one.
Don’t go to social functions that you don’t really want to.
Set boundaries with other people and free up your time to do the things that bring you joy.
Get out of the city for a day with that friend that always makes you laugh, watch a comedy, dance.
Whatever it is that brings you joy, do it, because your first duty is to yourself.
The above Latin phrase is usually translated as ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body’ and it remains as true today as it was then. Exercise is a powerful stress reliever and when combined with a healthy diet and quality sleep can build strong internal resilience against external stress factors. And remember any exercise you take will release endorphins. So whether you’re a natural marathon runner or a pleasant stroller every little helps.
This comes easier to some than to others but let’s face it no matter how much you tend towards the messy, artistic type a tidy desk can still make a big difference. In periods of stress it’s a great idea to prioritise organisation. Something as simple as a tidy office space and getting up twenty minutes earlier so you arrive feeling calm and centred can set the tone for the day.
We live in an age of constant up-skilling so that we are at the forefront of our industries however rarely do we pay attention to improving one of the most important skills for our working, and, indeed, personal lives, our emotional intelligence. Developing an understanding of our own emotions can help us to understand and manage our own emotions and therefore make better decisions in work and elsewhere. You can find lot of information available today about emotional intelligence but this article is a good starting place.
Conflict can be very stressful in itself and in moments of high stress we can all be triggered by things which wouldn’t normally trouble us. So if you find yourself on the verge of conflict, take a breath and ask yourself is it worth it. There are moments when we have to fight a point and moments when discretion is the better form of valour. Try to recognise which is which.
Be kind to others but most of all be kind to yourself.
Written for CareerJunction by Mark Dempsey.
