STRESS … LESS!!!Our meeting began with everyone telling me all of the different ways they handle stress currently … They are – Deep Breathing ExerciseWalkingDancingMusicTaking time for oneselfPrayerShoppingCleaningWorking on Hobbies such as woodworking, gardening etc. Other hobbies also include sewing, painting, crafts, or just about any activity that has the ability to refocus your attention in a way that calms you. You will then be able to produce a quality result, and the process is reassuring in a way that allows you to view the [stressful] situation in a different light. We often find out how buoyant we really are!Drinking was mentioned – could be habitforming … ! The results of our (uh hum unscientific!) survey … revealed how each table ranked the most stressful situations. Then as one group, we categorized and ranked all of the following most stressful situations (#1=most):1. Money2. Workload3. Family4. Time5. Co-workers/Politics We brainstormed methods of resolving these stressful situations since it is in our nature to deal directly with the stressful situation –1. Money – Proposed ResolutionsEstablish a budgetSet (monetary) goals (saving, bill paying, etc.)Obtain a second job or – change jobsIncrease productivity – Work smarter not harder!Include entire family in the resolution for savings or recovery planIncrease potential for education 2. Workload – Proposed ResolutionsDelegateOrganizeBe realisticPrioritizeChange Careers 3. Family – Proposed ResolutionsTravel for the Holidays!Take time for yourself!Be Proactive about situationsChoose your battlesPrioritizeTake time with young children Humor used by parents (or anyone) can lighten a situationNo distractions (important in spending quality time to focus on who is important)ListeningWe went into a bit more detail on the subject of how to handle it if someone is speaking to you disrespectfully. We agreed on saying how ‘your discussion is important to you however, you don’t care for the manner in which [someone] is speaking to you – and suggest to continue the conversation at another time or place, or with another person.’ 4. Time (Management) – Proposed ResolutionsBetter (or more) planningFocusMake a list to prioritize activities for better balance in lifeBeing more flexible and scheduling were both mentioned. Depending on where a person is, one or the other would count.Unreal expectations – at times we tend to think that so much time is going to become available in the future, when the reality is it will probably be quite the same as it is currently.Setting GoalsFeeling good about what you doKeep doctor appointments (80% of all illnesses are stress related!) 5. Politics – (Office, coworkers, bosses)Stay out of itHonesty – the best policyBe yourselfDon’t listen to gossip Don’t spread gossipWe went into a bit more detail on how to handle it if you are fond of all parties involved yet one of them is “gossiping” about the situation or other person(s). Offer to be part of the resolution (not the problem!) by empathizing with both/all sides (facts only …). In this way you can encourage all involved to “pull in the same direction”! Our group decided it is a good idea to teach ourselves to handle stress from the inside, because we achieve true peace of mind that cannot be shaken by others. We do this by reprogramming our thinking and it begins with taking care of ourselves, not only eating right, exercising and achieving balance, but in being proactive (versus reactive) in situations in an assertive (not aggressive) manner. This is not to say we will never be vulnerable to stress and react in unhealthy ways, but it will be less enjoyable when we revisit that “old” feeling! Then we’ll revert back to the healthy methods we’ve all identified if we practice!One way to begin a potentially stressful conversation is to begin with a question … “Do you?” for example, versus “You Do!” changes the tone at the onset for a more positive outcome.A common thread among many resolutions is the term “Focus”. That is critical to many of the resolutions our group decided on – planning (budgets/finances, time, organization [proactive] all support “Focus”). Thank you all for your insightful participation – you were an exceptional group!Sincerely, Linda BaxterBaxter Consulting, Inc. 312.523.4923
This entry was posted
on Thursday, August 28th, 2008 at 3:12 pm and is filed under Business Topics, Uncategorized.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.