MANAGING STRESS IN THE WORK PLACE By Taiwo Judah-Ajayi
poorly managed stress in the workplace can be fatal, find out how to manage stress here.
I remember hearing of a young man who slumped in the office. No thanks to our poor emergency response system, he passed on despite frantic attempts to preserve his life with CPR.
While this may seem like an extreme case, it is closer to home than we realize. The moral of the story remains that poorly managed stress can be fatal. But it is not all doom and gloom as stress can be a positive force that we channel to propel us to achieve our goals.
In reality, we need a certain measure of stress to keep us on our toes and help us become better versions of ourselves.
So against this backdrop, I say, D-E-S-T-R-E-S-S! Take a cue on how to, below.
DRIVE: Re-examine what is driving you. Your work must connect in some way with your inner purpose. Doing what you really care about can bring inner peace and also help to improve your performance on the job.
EXERCISE: This is absolutely critical. Find out what works best for you. It could be a brisk walk at sunrise or sunset. Just make sure you get moving. Your grey matter needs to be fueled by oxygen through exercise.
SLEEP: A lot of fatigue and negative stress problems can be linked to sleep deprivation. Ensure you get enough.
TALK: Try to have an outlet to rant or discuss things that bother you. Reconnect with the people that matter to you. Do not internalize your problems. Remember water-cooler gossip is okay, just don’t send a nasty email about your boss to anyone, you will be caught.
REORGANISE: Your work-area, your schedule, your home, your priorities. A cluttered life increases your stress levels. Put up uplifting words or quotes. Redecorate everywhere in this new year, and make your personal goals a priority. Put yourself first! Only a functioning you can help others function.
EMPATHISE: One of the keys to not having an aneurysm is to put yourself in other people’s shoes. Be a little more forgiving. Rather than being a drill sergeant, be a coach to your subordinates.
SUNSHINE & SUPPLEMENTS: This is a cheat-sheet. Try and get a good dose of Vitamin D daily and also augment your immunity with essential vitamins and herbal teas. Remember, our yellow friend up there, the Sun is a great mood booster.
SMILE: Finally, laugh hard and frown less! Crises are often not as bad as they initially seem.
Culled from TW February 2015 edition
