Stress the thief at work

Stress the thief at work

Work and stress seem to go hand in hand for most people. Increased market competition, as well as new regulations, have made this combination even more powerful. However is it a desirable combination?
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Stress can be a positive force as long as it stimulates and challenges people. Beyond a certain level, stress acts as a thief of productivity, teamwork and well-being.  Therefore it is essential for professionals to know how to manage stress, so that work demands carry on being positive challenges rather than negative forces.

Remembering and implementing the 3A’s of managing stress can be valuable as we navigate through various circumstances at work life. The 3A’s are described by:
 
ACTION-doing something about the situation, to change and improve it
ATTITUDE- changing our interpretation of the situation
ACCEPTANCE- accepting that some things are out of our control, and focussing on surviving the stress

To take action, in order to bring down stress to productive levels, we must first identify what causes the stress. Then we can take action by using strong time management skills, organisational skills, clear and effective communication, and responsible problems solving.

We may also find it helpful to work on our attitude, to what is causing us the stress. If we become aware of how we are perceiving situations, then we may realize that our thinking is not helping us cope. Are we seeing the glass half empty or half full? Some negative perceptions may be easy to change, once you become aware of them. Other negative thoughts however may be more difficult to alter and in that case working with a professional coach, or learning the skills involved in shifting thought patterns will prove invaluable.

Within every situation, there will be things we cannot directly influence, for example you cannot directly control the behaviour of a colleague. Accepting that there are some things that you have no influence over, may help you deal with the situation more calmly.

Using these techniques we can stop stress being the thief at work, and get more out of work and life in general..

Aleen Andreou
aleen@peopleachieve.com
Programme Director