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Managing Stress: Taming the Tiger Within “What were you thinking!” the boss bellowed at his employee. It wasn’t a question; it was a demand. The boss was demanding to know why the employee had transposed two numbers on an important report. “Um, uh, well, I don’t know,” the employee managed. “What do you mean you don’t know?” the boss challenged. The fact is, at this moment in time, the employee couldn’t think at all. This employee was having an acute stress reaction. What Is an Acute Stress Reaction? An acute stress reaction is a physiological response to a threatening situation. It is characterized by surges in hormones such as adrenaline and cortisone. Each of these hormones has effects on the body. For example, a person undergoing a stress reaction experiences an increased heart rate, constriction of the blood vessels in the skin, and a short-term inability to think about complex problems or situations. Why Do We Have Acute Stress Reactions? The acute stress reaction developed to enable us to escape threatening situations quickly. For example, the increased heart rate and skin vessel constriction results in more blood flow to the muscles, to allow a person increased capacity to escape a situation like a charging tiger or a runaway car. Furthermore, the short-term inability to think about complex problems avoids the problem of “paralysis by analysis” and allows a person to react quickly, reflexively and without thinking. Why does a job, or a bad situation at work, cause an acute stress reaction? After all, a job is not a charging tiger. It’s not an immediately life-threatening situation. Nonetheless, many of us perceive these situations to be threats. And indeed, this reaction is logical – these situations can affect our long-term livelihood. Many of us are being asked to do more with less. Layoffs are leaving the survivors with incredible workloads. Furthermore, many survivors may lack essential skill sets required to perform new and expanded duties. The result of all these pressures is stress. In order to perform under these circumstances, employees need to be able to handle stress. Following are 10 ways to control stress, become more productive, and live a healthier life. How to Control Stress Stress is not healthy! Indeed, in today’s age of “knowledge and information” workers, stress is counterproductive. We need to be able to think on the job. We also need to stay physically healthy to keep up with the long hours and many demands of our jobs. So, how can you control stress? Following are just a few suggestions: 1. Keep the situation in perspective. Is the situation really threatening your livelihood? Think about the worst-case scenario that can happen as a result of the situation you’re now facing. Might you lose your job? Suppose that losing your job is your biggest worry. Do you really believe that you won’t be able to find another job, or that you’ll never make a living again? 2. Identify the situations that trigger your stress. What causes you to have a stress reaction? Your boss? An angry spouse? Overwork? Underwork? Not knowing what’s expected of you? Once you identify some triggers that cause you stress, you can think about how to avoid stressful situations in the future, or find a way to deal with them less stressfully. 3. Learn some relaxation techniques. Some acute stress reactions simply can’t be avoided. So, think about yoga, deep breathing, muscle relaxation, meditation, visualization, biofeedback, or exercise. Different techniques work for different people, so you may need to experiment with the techniques that work best for you. 4. Develop a strong social network. Others can help you to keep the situation in perspective and can support you during times of stress. 5. Use humor. Start keeping a diary of funny things that happen during the day. Laugh at the cause of your stress. A good laugh session can do wonders for alleviating stress. 6. Learn to assert yourself and state what you want. Set boundaries, and stick by them. Communicate your intentions with others, and don’t always look for their approval. Sometimes you need to take care of yourself and do what’s best for you – regardless of what others think! 7. Get some physical exercise. When you have an acute stress reaction, your body is ready to react. This results in an enormous amount of energy. You need to diffuse that energy! It needn’t be strenuous exercise; a simple walk down the hall or pumping your fists in the air can do wonders. You’ll feel better! 8. Take a time-out. Stress impairs our ability to concentrate. If you are trying to do something analytical under conditions of acute stress, you’ll have difficulty. Reduce the stress to a manageable level, then get back to your task. Arguing with your boss? Simply say you need to go to the restroom, and that you’ll come right back. 9. Don’t beat yourself up for having an acute stress reaction. Accept the fact that the acute stress reaction is a physiological reaction, caused by outside stimuli, that sometimes can’t be helped. So, forgive yourself and try to get on with your life. Try to think of something relaxing, and allow the stress reaction to dissipate from your body. 10. Find a job you enjoy. A poor job fit, or doing work you don’t enjoy, will cause stress. Additionally, a poor job fit will cause poor performance, further increasing the stress. Finding meaningful work, at which you excel, will go a long way in helping you to reduce your stress. We hope these tips help, and that you find a career that’s rewarding and fulfilling. If you’ve found a good way to cope with stress, please e-mail us and let us know what you did! |
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