Your Work and Your Stress

We all want less stress in our lives. Do you think today's workplace is to stressful? 

I know at times it may be difficult to accept, but, you and only you can control your stress. 

Stress is not only created by how we see a situation, but also how we react to it. We do, in fact, control our own stress. So, if you are feeling "stressed out", you are responsible for creating that feeling. 

I am not saying there are no situations which are stressful. What I am saying, however, is that how you choose to react to those situations will determine your own stress levels. These reactions will affect how you behave, how you communicate with those around you, and how you respond to your customers and clients. 

When I start to feel stress, I ask myself a question: "how much will this matter in five years?" In the majority of cases, it doesn't matter. It is amazing, how this one, simple question can change your thought processes, and lower your stress levels resulting in less stress. 

Another technique I use when my job seems overwhelming is to keep it all in perspective by saying to myself: "My job is important but it only forms part of my life - it is not my entire life." So, by thinking this way, I am altering my thoughts from one where my job controls and rules my entire life to one where I realize my job forms only a part of my life's equation. 

So the next time you feel your job is causing you stress, ask yourself how am I reacting? You may find that it is not your job creating the stress but you are creating the stress. 

We all need some stress in our lives, but less stress is better than more stress!