 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Bert is the brains of the website, he gobbles up information and then - using his number crunching mathematical formulae - he'll set you on the road to a better business future. |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The Value of Stress |
|
|
|
"The bow too tensely strung is easily broken" (Publius Syrus - 1st Century BC)
Stress is the brain and body's way of telling us that we need to slow down and change what or how we are doing things. We do have a choice.
A little stress can be motivational and beneficial. Too much and it becomes destructive
|
|
| What is stress? |
|
Stress can be defined as the net result of internal and external forces and influences leading to mental, physiological and behavioural changes in the individual affecting their performance
High demands + High constraints + Low support = STRESS
According to the Health & Safety Executive, there is a clear link between stress and ill-health. The HSE's research recently discovered that more than 105m days are lost to stress each year, costing UK employers £1.24bn.
|
|
| Stress at work |
|
Work-related stress is a serious economic problem. And, as the HSE points out, the law also requires employers to take action on the matter.
Recent research has found that:
- stress is one of the most important reasons behind sickness from work.
three quarters of executives say that stress adversely affects their health, happiness and home life as well as their performance at work.
- stress may be experienced as a result of an exposure to a wide range of work demands and in turn can contribute to an equally wide range of health outcomes. It is important to recognise that stress is a state, not an illness.
- where employees are stressed because they have no say on how work is done, or need to do work that involves a fast pace and need to resolve conflicting priorities, or have a lack of recognition, understanding and support from their managers, there is a higher risk of the employee suffering a psychiatric disorder.
A lack of attention to employee well-being has potential legal and cost implications. The increasing awareness of the need to quantify the cost of stress has resulted in some early estimates:
- stress is likely to become the most dangerous risk to business in the early part of the 21st century.
- one in five workers report feeling extremely stressed at work. This equates to 5 million in the UK.
- compensation payments for stress related injuries are rising.
Under existing health and safety legislation employers have a duty to undertake risk assessments and manage activities to reduce the incidence of stress at work.
|
|
| Causes of stress |
|
Many people thrive under pressure. But problems start when those pressures exceed a person's ability to cope. First of all, we have to ask ourselves what causes stress? It's impossible to specify the external conditions that cause stress as everyone's interpretation of a stressful situation is different.
We are all unique and consequently, different people find some situations are more stressful than others, such as perhaps going to the dentist, having surgery, moving job, school or house, getting married or divorced, or the pressure of meeting targets and deadlines. Like wise, some people cope with stress better than others.
Stress is the driving force that keeps us on our toes and pushes us to be the best we can. However, that is only valid up to a certain point. Too much stress can drive us into physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.
Having too little stress can also be a problem. If we are not stretched or committed, we can become bored, sluggish and lethargic. Therefore it is imperative to strike a balance.
|
|
| Signs of stress |
|
How does stress make us feel? When a stressful situation is interpreted as dangerous or threatening, people experience feelings of tension, apprehension and worry. These feelings may also be accompanied by behavioural and physiological changes, such as trembling, palpitations, dizziness, tremors and so on.
Internal stress-causing factors combine with these external signs. Many kinds of internal conflicts can cause stress; the most common is a feeling of wanting to do something but feeling you shouldn't, or the feeling you should be doing something when you don't really want to.
Stress and anxiety both require energy, and once this energy is used up, the person becomes depressed; there is no energy left to feed the anxieties, so they are never resolved. To avoid this, we must take stock of all aspects of our life and situations. If treated early, the prospects are good. If left, there is a risk that burnout may become a permanent state of affairs.
|
|
|
| Common symptoms of stress |
|
Work performance
- declining/inconsistent performance
- uncharacteristic errors
- loss of control over work
- loss of motivation/commitment
- indecision
- lapses in memory
|
|
Regressive behaviour
- crying
- arguments
- undue sensitivity
- irrability/moodiness
- over-reaction to problems
- personality clashes
|
Withdrawal behaviour
- arriving late to work
- leaving early
- extended lunches
- absenteeism
- resigned attitude
- reduced social contact
- elusiveness/evasiveness
|
|
Aggressive behaviour
- malicious gossip
- criticism of others
- vandalism
- shouting
- bullying or harassment
- poor employee relations
- temper outbursts
|
Other behaviours
- out of character behaviour
- difficulty in relaxing
- increased consumption of alcohol
- increased smoking
- lack of interest in appearance/hygiene
- accidents at home or work
- reckless driving
- unnecessary risk taking
|
|
Physical signs
- nervous stumbling speech
- sweating
- tiredness/lethargy
- upset stomach/flatulence
- tension headaches
- hand tremor
- rapid weight gain or loss
|
|
|
| Coping with stress |
|
An initial useful strategy for dealing with a sense of being overwhelmed by all the things that need attention is prioritising and diarising.
Make a list of all the things you need to do, list them in order of genuine importance, noting what you need to do personally and what can be delegated to others, as well as what needs to be done immediately and in the next week or month.
Viewed this way, your initially overwhelming and unmanageable list - the main source of stress - can become a more realistic and manageable set of tasks.
|
|
| Useful Tips |
|
1) Avoid using nicotine, alcohol or caffeine as a means of alleviating stress.
2) Work off stress with physical activity - this reduces the levels of adrenaline released by pressure or anger, produces 'good mood' substances in the brain, leads to a sense of well being and relaxation and encourages good quality sleep.
3) Use a stress reduction technique daily and do not put off relaxation.
4) Get enough sleep and rest to recharge your batteries - sleeping pills are not necessary if you change your life-style.
5) If you become sick, do not try and carry on as if you are not.
6) Agree with somebody; life should not be a constant battleground; avoid interpersonal conflicts.
7 Learn to accept what you cannot change. To ignore this only leads to unhappiness, cynicism and bitterness.
8) Manage your time better - prioritise and delegate; use a system that works for you; take one thing at a time and beware of trying to overdo things; create time buffers to deal with unexpected emergencies.
9) Recognise when you are tired and do something about it; it is difficult to go to sleep when feeling either anxious or angry.
10) Learn how to say 'no'. This simple and yet extremely effective skill will prevent too much pressure building up in the future.
11) Include a period of relaxation every day. We all need to turn off from time to time. Do something you enjoy and fits into your life. This could, for example, be reading, listening to music, doing yoga or meditating, enjoying a warm bath with perhaps some aromatherapy oils added to it. It does not have to take long - or be considered a luxury or time wasting. It is a vital part of life.
12) Consider attending a stress management training course. You do not have to be stressed to attend one of these. It is far better to know fully what to do prior to experiencing stress than during! We would be happy to supply information about some of the courses that are available.
13) Inject some fun and humour into your day, especially at work. Not only will this help you, it will also have a positive and motivational effect on your colleagues.
14) Read the “Fun and Frolics” article in the TSL K-Bank
15) Print out and then follow the instructions for the stress reduction kit on the left!!
|
|
| Relaxation Techniques |
|
Each of these exercises only take a few minutes and can be used in a variety of different situations - office, home, travelling etc. Choose one(s) that you find most helpful and / or enjoy and use them whenever you feel stressed.
Stop what you are doing and sit upright on a straight backed chair. Close your eyes and concentrate on your neck muscles. Start to count slowly backwards from 10, still concentrating on your neck, silently telling the muscles to relax. Repeat 6 times or until your neck feels relaxed and your mind is calm.
Deep breathing is an excellent way to relax and can be used virtually anywhere! Get into a comfortable position and close your eyes. Slowly breathe in, hold your breath and count to five and then slowly breathe out. Concentrate and focus hard on each breath. If any thoughts come into your mind, gently push them out and re-focus on your breathing. Continue the exercise, breathing in and out slowly until you feel fully relaxed and calm.
Ask a good friend or trusted work colleague to gently massage your neck and shoulders until you feel relaxed. Whilst you are being massaged, close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Just a few minutes will relax you significantly.
Sit upright in a straight-backed chair and raise yourself up with your stomach tight. Lift your shoulders towards your ears and then slowly relax. Repeat this ten times. Next, roll your shoulders backwards in a circular motion and continue for ten complete circles. Finally, raise your shoulders to your ears and hold for a count of three. Repeat this ten times.
Play your favourite piece of music loudly, focusing on the words, beat or melody, whichever you prefer. It is better to do this with your eyes shut although it is not necessary. Allow yourself to become totally absorbed into the music with no other thoughts. If you know the words, sing along with passion and feeling. Move your body or drum in time to the beat to enhance the whole experience.
|
|
| Gems of wisdom |
|
Leadership and management
“An honest executive is one who shares the credit with the people who did all the work.”
“Nothing is quite as embarrassing as watching your boss do something you assured him couldn’t be done.”
“Good supervision is the art of getting average people to do superior work.”
“We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled, but as candles to be lit.”
"If you think your boss is stupid remember; you wouldn't have a job if he was smarter." Albert Grant
"I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everyone to tell me the truth -even if it costs him his job." Samuel Goldwyn
“Management by objectives works if you know the objectives. Ninety percent of the time you don’t.” Peter F. Drucker
“The worst mistake a boss can make is not to say “well done” John Ashcroft
“The man who gets the most satisfactory results is not always the man with the most brilliant single mind, but rather the man who can best co-ordinate the brains and talent of his associates” W Alton Jones
“Leaders must be seen to be up front, up to date, up to their job and up early in the morning” Lord Sieff
“Leaders walk their talk; in true leaders, there is no gap between the theories they espouse and their practice” Prof. Warren Bennis
“Some executives call passing the buck delegating authority.”
“A successful executive in business is one who can delegate all the responsibility, shift all the blame, and appropriate all the credit.”
“I can live for two months on a good compliment” Mark Twain
“I’ve spent 30 years going around factories. When you know something’s wrong, nine times out of ten it’s the management – in truth, because people aren’t being led right. And bad leaders invariably blame the people. Sir John Harvey-Jones
“Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it” Dwight D Eisenhower
Graduate
A young man, hired by a supermarket, reported for his first day of work. The manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a broom and said, "your first job will be to sweep out the store."
"But I'm a college graduate," the young man replied indignantly.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know that," said the manager. "Here, give me the broom, I'll show you how."
Culture and people
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Confucius
"I always arrive late at the office, but I make up for it by leaving early." Charles Lamb
"In the business world an executive knows something about everything, a technician knows everything about something and the switchboard operator knows everything." Harold Coffin
"To make a long story short, there's nothing like having a boss walk in." Doris Lilly
“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice, and motivated by pride and vanity. Dale Carnegie
“When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty – one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years” Mark Twain
“Many individuals have, like uncut diamonds, shining qualities beneath a rough exterior.” Juvenal
If people listened to themselves more often, they would talk less.”
“If you don’t agree with me, it means you have not been listening.”
“Among the chief worries of today’s executives is the large number of unemployed still on the payroll.”
“I praise loudly. I blame softly” Catherine the Great
“Behaviour is a mirror in which every one displays his image” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is, that one often comes from a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t” Henry Ward Beecher
“He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still” Samuel Butler
Knock, knock
Boss: "I've decided to use humour in the office. Experts say humour eases tension, which is important in times when the work force is being trimmed. "Knock knock."
Employee: "Who's there?"
Boss: "Not you anymore."
|
|
|
