|
|
Reduce Stress To Maximize Efficiency
|
|
The right amount of stress can be good for you,
such as when an impending deadline pushes you to work faster. Too much stress,
however, becomes counterproductive because you start to make mistakes, become
confused and muddled, or lose concentration.
When you get too stressed, you tend to push
yourself even harder, which only increases stress and inefficiency. So, you
need to take a moment to stop and think. No matter how much pressure you're
under, it'll be more productive to take the time to step back and put things in
perspective. Think about what's more important to you and establish priorities.
Under stress, you thoughtlessly take up each task as it comes along, without
establishing which ones are more or less important to you.
Once you have a clear understanding of your
priorities, then use those priorities to guide your next step. You cannot do
everything that you want to do all the time, but you can maintain a balance
between tasks that are important and enjoyable to you and tasks that must be
done regardless. Maintaining this balance is a very important key to
controlling stress.
Stress comes from two sources: internal and
external. External sources of stress are external events or problems, such as a
drastic drop in sales, whereas, internal sources of stress come from
self-inflicted pressure. For example, if you pin all your dreams for the future
on one job interview, you are adding pressure to the situation.
To deal with the outside sources of stress, take
each problem and decide whether or not there is something you can do. For large
problems, such as a family member’s illness, there is often nothing you can do.
For small problems on which you can take action, first identify the problem.
You can even give it a name because; you can often battle a problem more successfully
that you've identified by name.
Then brainstorm with family, friends or colleagues
and develop as many solutions as possible. It doesn't matter if some ideas
don't seem feasible; the aim is to generate an exhaustive list of ideas.
Finally, select a solution to your problem, try
it out, and evaluate the results. Above all, persist until you feel better.
Here are few more things you can do to relieve
stress.
* Always have your goals written down on note
cards and carry them with you. Reminding yourself what you are working towards
in your future is naturally uplifting and causes your stress level to go down.
* Go out of your office or home and take a short
walk. Leaving the environment for even a few minutes will help you release
stress.
About the Author
Copyright©2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.
Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many businesses around the world on the subjects of leadership, achievement, goals, strategic business planning, and marketing. Joe is the author of three books, Starting Your Own Business, Finding Your Purpose In Life, and The Guerrilla Marketing Workbook.
Rating: Not yet rated