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Stress Management in Business - Why All The Fuss?Published by Anonymous on 2007/10/15 (90 reads)The Stress Reaction: What is it? Stress is a reaction, a process. The reaction begins with perception: we see,foresee or experience danger or significant change in our situation which the brain interprets as danger. by Lawrence Losoncy Our bodies immediately go into the fight/flight mode: adrenaline floods through us, the eyes become alert and active, hearing sharpens, the heart rate increases, blood pressure goes up and the digestive system closes. We focus on the “danger,” to such a point that other things go unnoticed. In most cases there is no fight (which would resolve the situation) and flight is impossible. There is no fleeing financial problems, illness, bad news, a tense work situation, grief or relationship conflicts. Our bodies continue on in a heightened state of alert, still prepared to fight or flee, with periodic increases and decreases of intensity. Within a few days the reaction, for most people, becomes “normal” and we begin to describe it as a “worry”. This is a signal that the stressor now appears as a given on our mental screen. Each time we focus on that given as a reality in our mind, the stress reaction intensifies. The brain does not register the difference between a real danger and a mentally-perceived danger and so the reaction to a “worry” is the same as if the event were actually happening. (That is why we cry, get angry or become “tense” when watching movies.) Since the body is not intended to be in the fight/flight mode for more than a few hours we soon begin to experience changes in appetite, mood swings, energy swings, fatigue, a vague sense of unease and periods of hyperactivity or depression. Relief and escape begin to be sought after. Keeping to the schedule becomes more problematic. We skip meals, have trouble sleeping or go off the regular sleep schedule. We overdo things and at other times skip chores or tasks. Life begins to pile up and a sense of being overwhelmed sometimes sets in. We become more difficult to live with and to work with. It takes effort to be calm yet alert, to focus on the tasks at hand and to make good decisions. Little tasks seem big and minor irritations seem major. People begin to get on our nerves. We have become stressed! This happens not because of events or the possibility of terrible events happening but because of our reaction to events and possibilities. So Why All the Fuss About Stress Management In The Workplace? Business managers are well advised and frequently advised these days to pay attention to workplace stress. Stress levels have become a major concern, both for managers and those they supervise. Why all the fuss? There are three reasons. Stress is bad for health. This is reason number one, far and away. The greater and more prolonged a person’s stress the more likely there will be serious health problems. “Serious” includes fatal. Medical research has established links between stress and cancer, heart disease as well as other types of health problems and mental health. The underlying reason for the link to physical illnesses seems to be that stress weakens the immune system. Stress is dangerous. This is reason number two. Stressed out people make mistakes, have difficulty paying attention, hearing accurately what is being said, and are easily distracted. The greater the workplace stress the greater the danger of accidents and mistakes. Reason number three is that stress interferes with good judgement. Everybody knows that when there is unusual stress good judgement goes out the window. This is because to be stressed is to have “other things” besides the task or decision at hand playing out in our minds. One quick example: ask a person in the middle of a bitter divorce for their best judgement about anything and the most likely reply will be “I’m not thinking straight enough right now to trust my own judgement.” Bottom line: beware of dismissing stress management in the workplace as ridiculous. Business managers, be alert: a few ounces of prevention could save you and those you supervise many pounds of cure! Losoncy is a licensed therapist, an executive coach and president of three corporations. To learn more about his services and availability please go to http://www.mvpseminars.com
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