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Location: Home > KeySolutions EAP > E-Zine Archive > Reducing Your Work Stress Reducing Your Work StressStress and worry on the job can be harmful! They cause physical and emotional problems that can damage both your health and your performance. Furthermore, stress grows! Excessive worry is a major element in the vicious cycle of tension: the physical sensations of stress including tense muscles, headaches, insomnia, and so forth lead to negative stress-building thoughts, which in turn aggravate unpleasant physical feelings, and so on, up the tension ladder. Soon, just the thought of preparing an assignment, or meeting a deadline triggers all the symptoms of stress, along with an overwhelming wish to avoid tasks. But you can learn to avoid your "stress-building" thoughts and replace them with alternative "stress-busting" thoughts. When you are under stress, what messages are you sending yourself? Are they alarming or reassuring? Calming or anxiety-producing? You can decrease your stress level by learning to talk to yourself in a reassuring way. This is what "stress-busting" is about - getting your thoughts back on a reassuring track. Combating negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones takes practice, but the results are worth it. Review the facts. What is your evidence? Is there another way to view the situation? If not, what is the worst thing that could happen? You may have been concentrating on the worst possible, but by no means the most likely, outcome. Below are some stress-building thoughts followed by some alternative "stress-busters". The next time you feel stressed out, try using some of these stress busters. Stress Builder: "I'll never get this project in on time." Stress Buster: "If I stay focused and take it one step at a time, I'll make steady progress." Stress Builder: "My supervisor didn't say good morning. I hope I didn't do something wrong." Stress Buster: "I'm jumping to conclusions. My supervisor may have been in a bad mood. Unless I get some negative feedback, I am going to assume that her attitude doesn't have anything to do with me." Stress Builder: "I can't get that mistake out of my mind. I am so embarrassed. How could I be so stupid!" Stress Buster: "No one is perfect and I am certainly not stupid. I did my best and am not going to over-react to one mistake." Try adding stress busters not only to your work life, but also to your personal life. Your ability to handle difficult challenges and situations will improve and you will see the benefit in all areas of your life. |
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