Handling Stress: Overcoming Mental Obstacles

Stress is a part of daily life, and it can become a serious obstacle. Driving in heavy traffic can produce stress; so can winning a marathon. Many type A high-achievers find pleasure in the slight buzz they experience from so much to do in so little time. It's important to remember that stress can be caused by too many problems or too much success. Either way, your body interprets it as an overload of stimuli and responds by telling the adrenals to kick into high gear.

Stress, when not handled properly, can quickly escalate through various stages, beginning with anxiety and ending in a total inability to function. At this last stage, stress is your body's way of just "Just saying no" - and it means it.

Stress in the workplace often occurs when you take on too much. You feel it's your boss and staff as well. Yet despite an overloaded schedule, overwork will not kill you. Recent studies indicate that stress can limit your life expectancy only when you don't experience enough joy in your accomplishments.

Look at what you do. Evaluate how stressful your job is. Think about the issues involved in the discussions on emotions and time management. Unresolved emotional conflicts or poor time management can also add to your level of stress.

Keep in mind that the group with the highest level of stress in America are not overly-committed CEO's or hard-driven entrepreneurs... they are clerical workers. The reason? They have very little control over their working lives. At the bottom on the corporate ladder, they are subject to the whims of various bosses, personnel departments and warring corporate factions in need of their services.

To assess the built-in stress of your position, ask yourself the following questions:

- Is my job stressful within itself (i.e. high pressure to perform, to meet deadlines)?

- Do I make it more stressful than it need be?

- Does my boss make it more stressful than it need be?

- Do I have personal power in this position?

- How many bosses must I pleased?

- Am I meeting overall goals in this position?