You’ve just hung up the phone with an irate customer who “read you the riot act” for not receiving his order on time. You’re feeling uptight, tense and stressed out! What do you do? Do you take it out on your co-worker who stops by your desk to ask a question? Or do you find a way to calm yourself?
These are the occasions in which we wish we were someplace else – like on vacation where we’re laying on the beach on a remote island. Well, you can go there – if only in your mind. Visualization is a great way to relax yourself. You can take a little vacation in your mind for a few minutes, and come away feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Try this exercise. Shut your eyes, and take a slow, deep breath. As you breathe in, feel the tension in your body. As you breathe out, imagine the tension flowing out of your body. Take several deep breaths until your body feels completely relaxed. Now let your mind go back to a time and place in which you felt totally relaxed. It may be a favorite vacation spot, a childhood experience, or special time spent with a loved one. Relive that experience as you continue to breathe deeply. Transport yourself to that time and place. See yourself in your imagination doing what you did then – seeing the sights, hearing the sounds, and smelling those smells. Mentally relive that previous time and place until you feel wonderful relaxation wash over you. When you’re ready, open your eyes and come back to the present time.
I’ve used this exercise when I’ve felt like I couldn’t take it anymore and needed a break. It helped refresh me so I could focus on work again. So the next time you’re feeling tense and upset, take a little vacation in your mind. It will do you wonders!
If you’d like to learn more relaxation techniques you can do in the moment, then listen to “Managing Workplace Stress” CD.
Do you feel stressed out on the job? If so, you’re not alone. In a recent Gallup poll, 80% of people felt stress on the job, and nearly 40% said they needed help managing stress. Stress in the workplace has become a serious issue. The American Institute of Stress claims that stress is America’s No. 1 health problem, and “job stress is the major culprit”.
Here are other statistics that support this view:
- Nearly 50% of all U.S. workers feel overwhelmed by a growing number of job tasks and longer working hours (Families and Work Institute).
- According to an Integra survey, U.S. workers complain of the following maladies due to work-related stress:
- 62% of workers routinely end the day with work-related neck pain
- 44% report strained eyes
- 38% complain of hand pain
- 34% report difficulty in sleeping
So what are the specific causes of work-related stress?
According to a 2006 StressPulse survey by ComPsych, the main causes of stress are attributed to the following factors:
- 46% due to workload
- 28% due to personal issues
- 20% due to juggling work and personal lives
- 6% due to lack of job security
I’m guessing the last factor, job security, has become an even greater stressor in the last couple years.
What would you say are the main causes of your work-related stress? Please share with other readers.
To learn how to deal with work-related stress, attend my FREE teleseminar on “Managing Workplace Stress” on October 21st at 12:00 p.m. Pacific time. Click here for more information.
Do you ever feel like you’re on a treadmill and can’t get off? Our busy, hectic schedules can drain us of energy and enthusiasm for life. We need to take a time-out each day to nurture our souls. Here are 7 spiritual practices that will rejuvenate you. Practicing these habits can bring you peace of mind, and help you maintain a sense of balance in your life.
- Take quiet time to be still and reflect on your life. We’re constantly running on the treadmill of life that we rarely take time for reflection.
- Get clear about your values. When you’re crystal-clear about your values and what that looks like in terms of behaviors, then you’re more likely to actually live by your values.
- Practice gratefulness. List all the things you’re grateful for. When you’re feeling down, pull out your list and review it.
- Take a walk outside when you’re feeling stressed and uptight. Getting outside in the fresh air and taking a walk will do you good.
- Listen to inspirational music. It will lift your spirits.
- Read inspirational literature.
- Take time to pray and meditate each day.
What do you do to rejuvenate your soul? Please share with other readers.
Have you ever had one of those days? You’re working against a deadline on an important project and the system crashes. An irate customer chews you out because he received the wrong order. How do you react to such situations? Do you get stressed out? Do you snap at your assistant and then go home and kick the dog? Or… do you take a deep breath, center yourself, and look on the positive side? How can you get back on track and continue to be productive throughout the day? Here are a few stress-busters to help you have a good day!
- Remain calm. Don’t over-react. Pause and assess the situation.
- Breathe deeply. After an especially stressful situation, take a few minutes to breathe deeply. Inhale and count to five and then exhale slowly. As you exhale imagine all your tension leaving your body.
- Tense and relax your muscles. Most people carry their tension in their neck and shoulders. Tense up those muscles, and then relax them. Repeat this a few times.
- Take a short walk. Get outside to get some fresh air or just walk the halls to stretch your legs. The exercise, however short, will do you good.
- Use positive self-talk. Look at stress as a challenge rather than a problem. Use self-talk to help maintain a positive attitude toward stress. For example, tell yourself, “I know I can overcome this challenge.” Focus on what you can learn from the experience rather than how difficult it is.
- Keep things in perspective. Although your current stressor can be frustrating, rather than focus on it, keep the big picture in mind. For example, if you turn in your project late, your boss won’t like it, but you won’t be fired. Ask yourself, “How important will this be ten years from now?” It will likely be inconsequential.
- Talk to a colleague or friend. It helps to have someone you can talk to; someone who will listen and acknowledge your frustration. Oftentimes by talking through an issue with a trusted colleague or friend, you can come up with creative solutions.
- Visualize yourself in a peaceful, relaxing setting. By using visualization you can take a little vacation in your mind for a few minutes. Imagine yourself on a warm, sandy beach soaking up the sun as you hear the waves crashing.
By using these stress-busters, you’ll combat a stressful work situation. So the next time something goes awry, you’ll be able to calm yourself and get focused again, so that you can be more productive and effective in the long run.
What do you do to calm yourself in a stressful work situation? Please share your stress-busters with other readers.
Your Life Balance Coach blog includes strategies and practical tips to bring more balance into your life. You’ll see topics ranging from defining your life purpose and determining priorities to stress and time managment. Visit often to gain valuable information as well as share tips with other readers.