slress-busting strqlegies for busy workdoys

By Linda Nacif

EttnSf lhere's the bumPcr'-to.l-'hurrrpcl tral'l'ie Tltett u ttttrntittg meeting. rvhere you f'east on stale coff'ee and ckrnuts. After that, you look down at your to-do list, which is f illed with statf meetings. potcntial client lunches, and an upcot"nin-e confcrcncc for your industry. Add to that, thc piano recital for your daughter and your son's weekend soccer gamc, which leaves no timc fbr that dental appointment you desperately need.

If 1'our schcdule sounds as stressful as this, you'rc not alone. Millions of workers havc an increased workload. while also trying to keep a balance between home lif'e iind work life. For many. the stress is just too much. It continues to build, until they feel overwhclmed and their work starts to suffer.

In addition, that kind of stress can turn into physical symptoms such as a cold or indigestion. Yet afier we take our pills and see the doctor. wc continuc to do too much, wol'ry too rnuch. and f-eel pressured and we get sick again. This time it rnight be more serious: our blood prcssure. cholcsterol and sugar levels may go up and we might e ven becclme depresscd. This negative cycle can continue firr many years and may even lead to milre serious life-threatening illnesses. such as cancer. Then one day the cycle stops-but so do our hcarts.

lf only we had known that by worrying, getting angry. or doing tocr rnuch we activated what is known as the "stress rcsponse."

If only wc would have known this non-specific reaction to slrcss creates an exccss of adrcnaline. which is the "fight or t1i-eht" rcsponse whose purpose is to keep us in a state ol' alertness iind tension.

If only our doctors would have explaincd to us about the hormone cortisol that wreaks hitvoc on our bcld- ics and mincls.

Il'only we had becn gir,en altcrnativcs 1o thc \\'ay \ve dealt u'ith the iner itability' of stress.

If onll' n'e could ckr done things ctifftlently. But r,ioLrld wel i Z. ('hoose .r our fights inlclligcnll.v.

Although we clo not \\'i,urt to aroid strcss completcly. because it is u conclition o1'lift itsclf. wc ncccl to know nhen it reachcs clangcrous lcvels in our bocll'ancl plcvcnt it from harnring us. Thr: lirllowing arc scvcn surc-firc r','41,s to stay in control of strcss in thc officc and bcvond.

I | . Give a positive me:rning to every'thing that happens to you.

It is the nreaning. not thc evort. that cillrses lrclLu'bocly to sccrcte thosc harrnful holmones. cortisol and aclrenalinc. I1' you are clealins with an unreulistic clcaclline. think ubout how happy 1'our clicnt will be it'thcv lcceive the clocurncnt on time. B1 cleciding to gire u prrsitivc rneaning to cver)'thing that hirppcns to v()u. 907 o1'strcss \\'ill bc elinrinatecl.

Vcr)' fcri' things in lil'c alc worth fi-shtins over. That parking spot ncar thc ofTicc rloor. is it rcally riorth I'ighting ovcl vuith lour colleague'l Slrve t'oul strcss und cnergy fbr an crnelgerrcv situation. 'uvhen you really need it. Don't u,aste it on a collcaguc who wants to pick a fight over the copier or sonleonc u'ho cuts 1'ou ol'f in thc purking lot. Ask l,ourself if it's worth a fight ancl if anything will changc. I1'thc ansu,cl is "no." then why gct your aclrcnalinc going to pfcpare lirr a light'l In sonrc cascs. thc "1'light" rcsponsc mi-u.ht []e nrorc str.cssl'ul. So. stllc vour

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