Stress Management - Working it Out

1. Signs of stress

When people are under stress or in any sort of crisis, the first thing to happen is that they start sleeping poorly, tiredness sets in, and the brain simply doesn’t work as well. Concentration and memory deteriorate – things need to be read over and over again to be absorbed.

From a behavioural point of view, once people are stressed and suffering these effects, they may start not coming in to work, complaining a lot, and displaying a general loss of morale. They’re much more likely to suffer illnesses, and their work performance will drop off.

Those experiencing stress will typically withdraw – they will arrive late for work or leave early, have long lunches or other unexplained absences. They will become passive and less committed to their work, and less engaged with their employer and colleagues. They will be more prone to behaving unprofessionally or immaturely – crying and sulking, for instance.

Others will become aggressive. They may start bullying and shouting, and being belligerent, argumentative and defiant. Some people will become increasingly cynical and start malicious gossip about others. A few people, when under stress, will vandalise or steal because they think it’s justified.

Stress can cause illnesses such as depression, anxiety, back pain, hypertension, migraine and irritable bowel syndrome, and it can worsen existing health issues such as pre-menstrual tension.

2. How we think

We all have a natural resistance to change – some of us more than others. In a recessionary environment, when business owners are making alterations, workers under stress will be even more averse to change than usual. The simple fact is that different people view things differently. Any uncertainty or difficulty in the workplace is ultimately about a lack of control, and some people cope well with this, while others may see it as a catastrophe.

Those who cope better are able to see and accept that they can’t do anything about a given situation, and they ask the right questions - how can I benefit from this, and how can I motivate myself? They tell themselves to take it one day at a time, because whatever is due to happen, they can’t change, control or influence it.

3. Ways to manage

When there’s a crisis, get support. Draw on family and whanau, friends, and social networks such as church and clubs to help get you through it. Often another person’s perspective can make all the difference. A great deal of what we fear or spend energy worrying about doesn’t ever happen, so don’t cross the bridge mentally before you come to it.

In the workplace (as in life), “go with the flow”, “roll with the punches”, be flexible, and be prepared to be open-minded and to look for opportunities. Think practically about the situation, to put things in perspective – focus on what you have, rather than on what you think you’re going to lose.

A good technique is to do a vivid daydream of the worse-case scenario, the thing you fear the most. Work through it: feel it, smell it, taste it, imagine it from all angles. Ask yourself: Can I survive this? Okay, then – get on with life.

Be practical. Look at where you can reduce your day-to-day hassles. A lot of people have stressors in everyday life that aren’t necessary, and that increase their overall stress levels. Have a critical look at every aspect of your life, including where your priorities lie. When all your emotional energy and time is invested in work, if something goes wrong, the rug is pulled out from under you and it’s harder to regroup. For this reason (among many), balance is extremely important.

Self-employed people can legitimately tax-deduct counselling as a professional development activity. Some people may be resistant to this, but going to a counsellor is very important if you have your own company, and particularly if a number of people depend on the business. Business owners need an outlet and support as much as employees do.

The fear of losing your job and/or income has a traumatic effect, and this destroys the moment. We need to live moment to moment, because this is all we ever have.