By Susan Leigh
Work related stress is one of the major causes of sick leave. There can be many contributory factors; pressure of work, being a perfectionist, difficult relationships with colleagues. Many of us determine to start each day with a positive outlook, with renewed vigor and motivation. But our plans to achieve certain goals may become frustrated as other tasks come along, or there may be personality conflicts that cause us to feel stressed or uneasy.
Hypnotherapy is a positive tool with which to manage stress. It is a powerful way of dealing with underlying negative patterns; the fear of making a mistake or of letting others down, excessive wanting to please people. Hypnotherapy can help us address old, out-dated patterns of behaviour and enhance our confidence and self-esteem. This improved attitude enables us to focus on doing our best in a calm, more appropriate way. Having a calmer approach improves concentration and helps us deal effectively with stressful situations. Many people find that they have good quality sleep, take better care of themselves and enjoy a more positive quality of life as a consequence.
Let's look at things that we can do in the afternoon that will help relieve stress at work.
- Pace yourself. A day is a marathon not a sprint. So start each day with a calm, systematic approach. Plan the day and be flexible. If new, unexpected tasks require your attention relax and prioritize the most important first. If necessary ask for help or delegate wherever possible. Take responsibility for how you use your time.
- Lists are useful. Many people find that it is helpful to make lists of what needs to be done. That way time can be allocated and managed, tasks can be prioritized, and there is no need to stress about something being overlooked or forgotten. A list provides a point of reference with which to acknowledge what has been accomplished each day. Use time in the afternoon to check today's list and plan ahead for tomorrow. This is a positive way of managing stress and feeling clearer about each day's tasks.
- Finish what you have started. It can be tempting to start several jobs in the hope of making useful headway with each one. The reality is that often when we return to a piece of work we are unsure as to what we had actually achieved. This can result in having to start again from scratch. If necessary, it is more productive to get to a key point with a piece of work and make clear notes so that when you can return you can pick up where you left off. Sometimes the last hour of the day can be used to tie up loose ends and finish off a piece of work, rather than start something new.
- Take breaks. Stopping for food and drink is important and many studies have proven that people who take breaks return to work more energised and achieve more positive results than those who keep going non-stop. Our bodies have a 24 hour body clock and throughout the day need to use some energy for internal processes, like healing, growth, digestion, detoxification.Taking a break allows those internal process to continue. Ignoring our body's requirement for a break creates unhealthy stress.
- Keep on top of the unpleasant jobs. Many people hate administration and paperwork. Leaving it can result in a stressful backlog of paperwork and an irate person chasing you. Use the last hour in the afternoon for keeping on top of paperwork, filing or those other irritating jobs that often get pushed to one side.
- Commit to finish work at a reasonable time. Some offices have competitions to see who's the first person to arrive and the last one to leave each day. Whilst clock-watching is not a good look there is a valid argument for establishing a healthy work/life balance.
The afternoon is the time to reflect on balance in life. Looking forward to a relaxing evening, maybe some exercise, a healthy meal and some pleasant time with family or friends is a positive end to the day. This is an effective way of adding to our quality of life and managing stress effectively.
Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief, with couples in crisis to improve communications and understanding and with business clients to support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams.
Further help, advice and articles are available.
For more information see http://www.lifestyletherapy.net
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