Perhaps you are a salesperson under pressure of a quota, a manager tasked with cutting costs, or somebody whose job requires you to meet a never-ending series of deadlines. Whatever your role, if you cannot successfully manage your workplace stress, your health may be seriously compromised. Research consistently shows that between 60 and 90 percent of doctor visits are stress related. This means that reducing your stress level is not only about giving you some relief, but about protecting your health.
When I was in the corporate world, I felt as though the walls were closing in on me. As time progressed, I was consumed with feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and out of control. I was unable to perform at my best, and as a result I was miserable.
Workplace Stress Management is an Inside Job
Many stressed people believe the problem is outside of them. They may blame their manager or coworkers, or believe they are in the ‘wrong job’. Although redirecting the problem outside of themselves may provide temporary relief, they end up back feeling miserable and stuck. They may learn to manage stress by taking courses, or seeing a therapist about their ‘problem’. Unfortunately these methods treat the symptom and not the problem. They end up feeling exactly how they did when they started, and often times worse.
Workplace Stress Management Strategy
Below is a strategy for saving yourself before workplace stress sabotages your performance, or puts you in the doctor’s office.
1. Identify the specific reaction that get switched on in certain situations.
2. Determine a more effective and healthy response. In other words, create a specific, efficient response for each mental program that gets triggered under stress.
3. Deliver the wanted response to the body’s control center.
4. Condition the wanted response through repetition.
Tools used to implement the strategy: reframing, mental practice, integration, hypnosis guided and self-visualization, internal conflict resolution, and more.
Ask For Help When You Need It
If you are having trouble with your work situation, and done all the typical, basic tips, it’s time to take it up a level and get professional, one-to-one work to uncover what is going on beneath the surface and eliminate any blocks causing the problem.
Want to make a positive change? There’s no better time than NOW!
Lynne,
Your Mindset Mental Coach
