NEWS
SKILLS FOR SUCCESS
combat T
There’s no point fi ghting it. In a
diffi cult situation, you need to focus on the things that you can control
Professor Cary Cooper
10 WAYS TO STRESS
Stress can affect us all, at any time. Sarah Juggins suggests some ways of coping with all the challenges that life throws at us
emper outbursts, fast-talking, behaving unreasonably, hyperactivity – all behaviours that could be a sign that you, or someone you work with, is suffering from stress. It can affect any of us, at any time, and our response to stress can range from irritability and mild anxiety to obsessive worrying over the tiniest details and a tendency to blow up at fi rst sight of a small, often quite insignifi cant, problem. And while most people will fi nd that the period of stress passes or reduces, for other people the problems, and hence the stress, will grow until they reach a stage where the sufferer cannot cope anymore and breakdown occurs, in the form of physical or mental illness, or a combination of the two. It is important that we can recognise these symptoms and do something to alleviate them before they reach this stage. Whether it is you who is suffering stress, or you recognise the signals in a colleague, you need to take action before the problem becomes unmanageable. Identifying stress can be diffi cult. What would be unusual behaviour in some people – such as rushing headlong from one task to another or talking very quickly – can
be perfectly normal for someone else. A signifi cant change in behaviour is more telling. Someone retreating into themselves, drinking or smoking more than usual or behaving unreasonably are all telltale signs. The fi rst step to take in solving the problem is to recognise the cause of the stress. Listed here are some of the top causes of stress, both work related and to do with home life:
Not having enough time There are days when you seem to be running around all day but getting nothing done. This may be down to time demands, but often it is simply a case of poor time management and not setting clear priorities.
Taking on too much
You might take on too much because you don’t want to let people down. But you end up stressing about having too much to do and often fail to deliver on promises.
Confl icts in the workplace Confl icts might occur through disagreements about how things should be done, or you may feel a colleague is constantly undermining you.
Cannot accept things as they are There will be situations that are beyond your control, but if you cannot accept that and continue to push for change, then you will create unnecessary stress.
Failure to take time out and relax Being constantly on the go means your body never has a time to relax. You will be in a heightened state of tension all the time and over time it will reduce your effectiveness.
An unhealthy lifestyle Some people adopt an unhealthy lifestyle through a lack of time – eating fast foods and consuming food on the move. Others may turn to an unhealthy lifestyle because they are already stressed.
26
JULY 2012
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