TIPS FOR SURVIVING STRESS AT WORK

By Karen Conole

Have you ever noticed that, no matter how chaotic your workplace may get, there are those who never seem to let the stress get to them? While their co-workers are gnashing their teeth or complaining, a select few manage to keep calm and focused. How do they do it?

Workers who always exhibit an air of calm confidence despite the circumstances are not innately superior or better “hard-wired” than the rest of us—they have simply mastered the art of stress management and self-composure. You can, too, by practicing these tips for retraining your thoughts and actions to emulate those with confidence and competence:

1. Fake it. When you’re overwhelmed with impossible deadlines and tasks and you don’t think you have what it takes to get the job done, pretend you do. Tell yourself you’re one of those people—even a fictitious person—whose composure you admire. Ask yourself, for example, “How would James Bond handle this situation?” Approaching a problem from a different attitude, even for a moment, can help move your focus from the stress of the work to the work itself and release your thoughts from the paralysis of anxiety. By acting more in control, you will also begin to feel more in control as your coworkers respond to you as a more confident, competent colleague.

2. Take a deep breath. Take another. Pretend you’re exhaling stress with each breath. Ask yourself, “Will I remember this situation a year from now? A month from now?” Putting things in perspective helps not only to keep you from expending valuable energy on worry, it can also protect your long-term mental and physical well-being from the cumulative effects of stress. Keep reminding yourself that you were hired to do your best—not do the impossible. Deliver what you can, as well as you can, and let go of concern for the things you can’t control.

3. Give yourself encouragement. As with our physical selves, too often we focus on our perceived flaws, rather than our assets, but that kind of thinking is defeatist and in no way useful. Shift your focus from flaws to assets, and begin to train yourself to think the thoughts of a self-assured person. Make a mental sales pitch for your abilities, presenting the valuable talent you bring to your firm. Once you’ve sold yourself to yourself, give yourself permission to “show off” that talent by dealing effectively with the work at hand.

4. Clear away the clutter that obscures your work—literally. Use the last five minutes of each work day to straighten up your work area so that you start each day with a “clean slate.” Not only will you appear more organized and in control, you will be, because you’ll be ready to focus on each task without the distraction of other matters competing for your attention.

5. Focus on mantras that move you to do your best, even if it’s just a simple, “I can do this.” Find a website with daily quotes or affirmations that encourage you and visit it frequently. In particular, quotes of those who you admire and whose actions you wish to emulate can be especially inspiring. Reading the words of your role models and taking them to heart can help you think and act more like them. Regularly visit websites with motivational messages, such as http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/quotes.html.

6. Get in motion. Exercise—even a small amount—helps not only your muscles but also your brain, with the increased production of beneficial chemicals such as serotonin, which improves your memory and creativity. You should take a 10-minute break for every four hours of work you do (according to state and federal law), so why not use that time to walk once or twice around the block? We’re betting you’ll return to the office reinvigorated, with a clearer head, a renewed perspective and a recharged circulatory system.

7. Sleep on it. You wouldn’t work your body for extended periods of time without rest, so why do it to your mind? Sleep before a long, hard day’s work can be as important as physical rest is before a marathon, so force yourself to go to bed at a time that allows you at least seven hours of sleep. You’ll function better both intellectually and emotionally.

8. Talk it out. Find a confidant, whether it be a friend, counselor or chat room group (but not anyone at your place of work) and discuss your feelings and strategies for coping with stress. You may find that simply the act of sharing your fears and frustrations with others who are in the same boat is enough to keep you from feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

9. Lastly, give yourself permission to consider the alternatives to your present situation. You’re not a slave, after all, and you could end the stress of your job as easily as saying, “I quit.” Sometimes the simple realization that you have the power to leave is enough to lessen that “trapped” sensation and restore your sense of control. Of course, before you exercise any alternative options, you’ll want to carefully weigh the stress you feel today against the stress you might feel tomorrow if you did not have that work. Bear in mind that, no matter how oppressive you may find your situation, there are many, many people who would gladly change places with you. Just make sure one of them will not be you, a few weeks from now.

Remember: While you can seldom control what happens to you, you can control how much you let it affect you. So control what you can, don’t sweat what you can’t, and treat yourself to a more stress-free life.