Most people report stress as being their number one problem at work, but there is a method of categorising pressure which can help you deal with stressful situations.
Put simply: it is to do with your ability of keeping your sense of perspective whilst experiencing a stressful situation. So when the pressure build you need to be able to build the skill of stepping back and considering where the stress ranks against real-life threatening experiences. Sounds easy doesn’t it – but how is this kind of mind-game carried out in your place of work?
Life is of course full of very stressful situations. But broadly speaking they can be categorised into various levels of severity. For example: thre is a clear distinction which is easy to grasp, between a life-threatening situation – like failing to do something on time for your boss, on the other.
Now measured against the stress categories above, most work related pressure is really quite minor. A deadline missed, a meeting attended late or an incomplete project, just can’t measure up against real-life threatening problems. And yet the stress levels experienced by some can be almost identical.
Feeling Stressed
So nailing stress is all about keeping it in perspective. As you feel the pressure growing, step back for a moment and in your mind rate the likely outcome of failing to meet the deadline or attend that meeting.. Sure, you might upset some around you; it might even lead to your losing your job. But in the process of categorising those things that really matter, you’ll quickly see that none of the above are life threatening propositions. And once you have this one simple fact in perspective – the immediate stress will semm far easier to handle. Indeed you’ve just nailed your stress.
If you feel stressed all the time you need to check out whether you’re heading for burnout. click here to complete this assessment. The sooner you understand the signs of burnout and are more aware of your condition the sooner you can do something positive about it.
