Overworked, Under Appreciated and Stressed Out at Work?

Managing work-related stress can be particularly challenging – especially during tough economic times…

With so much downsizing and “reorganizing”, the workplace is changing and becoming more stressful than ever before. Whether you were laid off, or still working, but doing the work for the people who were laid off – managing work stressors are particularly difficult. This article will examine what work related stress looks like and what can be done to help alleviate the stress.

Work related stress affects both your professional and personal life. Work stress can spill over and affect your family at home just the same as family stress can spill over and affect your actions at work. Have you ever come home from a stressful day on the job and raised your voice at a spouse, your client or a friend when they haven’t done anything wrong? This can happen when we don’t recognize how work stress affects us and learn what we can do about it.

The following are examples of how work stress can affect you as an employee:
1. Decreased Productivity
2. Increased Absences due to illness, anxiety or fatigue
3. Decreased Attention Span/Focus
4. Increased Interpersonal Issues (fighting with boss/coworkers)
5. Tardiness

Here are examples of how work stress can affect your family and home life:
1. Increased negativity and pessimism
2. Decreased Positive Communication
3. Moodiness
4. Decreased Patience
5. Increased Fighting

So, what can we do about it? Following are some steps to take control of your work stress and get your life back in balance.

1. Separate your work and home life by setting up a boundary between them.
a. For example, you can change your cloths when you get home, or listen to calming music, or even journal about your day. Then, after your activity, recognize that work is over and family time has started. Having a specific behavior or activity can help you to put the workday behind you so you can focus on your life.
b. Turn off your work phone and email when you get home. Do not check your work phone or email until you get to work the next day. This way, you are not inviting work into your home.

2. Take care of yourself.
a. Find a hobby or activity you like to do. Playing soccer or joining a women’s group can help fill your life with meaningful, fun activities. This way, you are more than your job.
b. Talk to others when you are feeling particularly stressed. Be open about your feelings and do not bottle them up inside – or they will explode at a time when you do not want them to.

3. Use Humor – carefully.
a. Using humor can increase moral and a feeling of cohesion both at work and at home. It can also increase positive communication.
b. Smiling and laughing actually releases “feel good” chemicals in your brain that will help lift your mood if you are having a tough day.
*note* Humor can exclude and alienate if not used with caution.

4. Improve Your Time Management
a. Get Organized! If you need help, ask a friend or coworker to help you organize your workspace and your priorities. You will find yourself becoming more time efficient the more organized you are.
b. Take short breaks throughout the day – that way you are refreshed when you are working and use your time productively.
c. Set a goal and a plan for working towards them. This way you are working smarter, not harder.
d. Practice deep breathing or another relaxation technique if you find yourself overwhelmed with stress and anxiety.

5. Get Help
a. If you need help at work – talk to your boss, find a mentor, or confide in a coworker who understands and can help you to work through them.
b. If you are having difficulties at home – talk about them with your family. Opening up lines of communication will promote understanding and can lead to positive change and acceptance.
c. If you are feeling overstressed with work and cannot find a way to manage the stress, or if you begin to feel anxiety or depression that interferes with your life, call a counselor, therapist or coach in your area for help.

Stress Reduction Techniques for Everyday Practical People - One for each day this week!

Are you feeling stressed? Are you constantly worrying? Are you exhausted and just want to relax? There is a way to break this cycle and start feeling better now! Following are seven good ways to REDUCE YOUR STRESS. Try using one of these techniques for each day this week.

1. Breath. We rush around in our daily lives, between getting the kids off to school, traffic, meetings etc., we rarely “stop to smell the roses”. Perhaps this phrase is more than just to remind you to appreciate the beauty around you, but to also remember to breath! Practice deep breathing... in through your nose, and out though your mouth...
2. Practice saying “no”. Save your precious time and energy for the things you really want to do.
3. Turn off your cell phone/email/blackberry/computer/pager for some period of time each day and enjoy the quiet.
4. Don't be afraid to ask for what you need, you might get what you want!
5. Stop trying to change that which you do not control.
6. Exercise for at least 10 minutes a day. Go for a walk with your spouse, a friend, kids or pets. Park at the far side of the parking lot and walk to the building. While watching TV, get up and do a few jumping jacks or stretches, or get up and dance during the commercial breaks etc.
7. Write in a journal. Sometimes it helps just to get the feelings out of your head so you can move on. Ask yourself, “How am I feeling” and “What am I thinking”.
   

Practice these seven techniques for one week and email me to let me know if you notice a difference! You can email Amy Hooper at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com.

Or, for more helpful information, contact Another Look at Healing, LLC – A Counseling and Wellness Center today. Call our office at 240-274-5680 or email us at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com.

Women's Wellness Workshop

Are you overworked, under appreciated, exhausted and ready for a change?
Are you a woman who puts the needs and wants of others before your own?
As a woman, do you know what your needs are and how to get them met?
Do you know how to feel good about yourself, your body and your life?

Women’s Wellness Workshop:
Strong Bodies, Strong Minds
Where are you on your to do list?

The focus of this workshop is on identifying women’s needs and meeting those needs using your inner strengths.

Topics to be Discussed:

Relaxation & Self Care
Priorities and Life Balance
Knowing Your Inner Strengths

June 20th, 2009 at 2:00pm in Bethesda, MD

Please pass the information along to any other ladies who you think might enjoy this type of workshop. And you can bring a friend or coworker for a discount!

Please register early to reserve your spot by calling or emailing:

Call: 240-274-5680
E-mail: AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com
Or For More Information On-line: www.HealingLLC.com

Sponsored by: Amy L. Hooper, Director, Another Look at Healing, LLC

Stress, what is it? Finally an explanation!

Everyone has stress, but what is it really? Stress is the body’s normal, natural reaction to a perceived threat. Thousands of years ago, the perceived threat was a saber tooth tiger who was headed towards your cave to attack you. In that situation, your body releases certain chemicals such as adrenaline, which makes your heart pump blood faster, your muscles tense and your breathing become rapid and shallow. All of your senses become more alert so you can make the quick decision whether to fight or to flee.

Today, your body’s chemical stress reaction is the same as it was years ago, only the threats have change. Now, instead of a life threatening saber tooth tiger, the stressors are the car that cuts you off in traffic, or your boss calling you in for a meeting. As a result the tension has no release and your stress response builds. Each time you get “stressed out,” those chemicals are released and for many people, these chemicals are almost constantly streaming through your body. This constant stress can lead to physical, emotional and behavioral problems.

Examples of Physical Problems:
- Headaches/Backaches
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Stomach Pain

Examples of Emotional Problems:
- Depressed
- Anxious
- Fearful
- Irritated Often

Examples of Behavioral Problems:
- Overeating
- Feeling unmotivated to work
- Isolating from friends and loved ones
- Increased irritability and feeling overwhelmed

All of these symptoms can strongly impact your functioning in your daily life. If you are suffering from any of these issues, and want the symptoms to go away so you can get some relief, there is a way to feel better. Contact Another Look at Healing, LLC – A Counseling and Wellness Center today for more information at www.HealingLLC.com. Call our office at 240-274-5680 or email us at AnotherLook@HealingLLC.com.