Managing Job Stress
by Dera DeRoche-Jolet

Everyone experiences job stress to some extent whether it’s paying the bills, dealing with unhappy customers, broken equipment or even just getting to work on time.

According to the American Institute of Stress, 75 to 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems. And, 89% of adults describe experiencing "high levels of stress". Most report that they are under much more stress now than five or ten years ago. In fact, 78% of Americans describe their jobs as stressful.

It’s not a happy picture. In some ways, small to medium sized businesses experience more stress than the big conglomerates. First, there is the stress of worrying about those big conglomerates coming in with lower prices and grabbing a hold of the market. Also, small business owners are under more stress because they feel more responsibility for their employees. If the CEO of a large company lays off 1,000 workers, it is less apt to affect him. But employees in a small business are more like family and letting someone go is harder and more stressful.

Some stress is unavoidable. The important thing to remember is that there are two different sources of stress – the kind that is inevitable and the kind you can do something about. Here are some tips I picked up from the web site of the University Counseling Center at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill that they call the Ten Commandments for Managing Stress:

1. Thou Shalt Organize Thyself.

Take better control of the way you're spending your time and energy so you can handle stress more effectively.

2. Thou Shalt Control Thy Environment by controlling who and what is
surrounding you.

In this way, you can either get rid of stress or get support for yourself.

3. Thou Shalt Love Thyself by giving yourself positive feedback.

Remember, you are a unique individual who is doing the best you can.

4. Thou Shalt Reward Thyself by planning leisure activities into your life.

It really helps to have something to look forward to.

5. Thou Shalt Exercise Thy Body since your health and productivity depend upon your body's ability to bring oxygen and food to its cells.

Therefore, exercise your heart and lungs regularly, a minimum of three days
per week for 15-30 m inutes. This includes such activities as walking, jogging,
cycling, swimming, aerobics, etc.

6. Thou Shalt Relax Thyself by taking your mind off your stress and
concentrating on breathing and positive thoughts.

Dreaming counts, along with meditation, progressive relaxation, exercise,
listening to relaxing music, communicati ng with friends and loved ones, etc.

7. Thou Shalt Rest Thyself as regularly as possible.

Sleep 7-8 hours a night. Take study breaks. There is only so much your mind can absorb at one time. It needs time to process and integrate information. A
general rule of thumb: take a ten minute break every hour. Rest your eyes as
well as your mind.

8. Thou Shalt be Aware of Thyself.

Be aware of distress signals such as insomnia, headaches, anxiety, upset
stomach, lack of concentration, colds/flu, excessive tiredness, etc. Remember, these can be signs of potentially more serious disorders (i.e., ulcers,
hypertension, heart disease).

9. Thou Shalt Feed Thyself / Thou Shalt Not Poison Thy Body.
Eat a balanced diet. Avoid high calorie foods that are high in fats and sugar.
Don't depend on drugs and/or alcohol. Caffeine will keep you awake, but it also
makes it harder for some to concentrate. Remember, a twenty minute walk has
been proven to be a better tranquilizer than some prescription drugs.

10. Enjoy Thyself.

It has been shown that happier people tend to live longer, have less physical
problems, and are more productive. Look for the humor in life when things
don't make sense. Remember, you are very special and deserve only the best
treatment from yourself.

Great advice. Also, keep in mind that unrealistic beliefs can add to your stress. Don't expect everyone to like you or share your opinion. Don't expect to be right all the time.
Don't expect absolute harmony in your relationships. Real life consists of occasional conflicts -- even between people who love each other. Working through disagreements is better than ignoring them and ultimately results in less stress.

We also try to take on far more than we can handle. We want to advance our careers, but then our families feel cheated because we're not spending enough time with them. The answer may be to scale back a little and give more to the people who matter most. And that’s definitely something I can’t stress enough.