Stress Guide 101

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The High Costs Of Anger In The Workplace

Leroy was a superstar in the Real Estate business, producing three times the monthly business of his nearest coworker. He was a driven, highly competitive young man who saw his manager as getting in the way of even higher production. Tension turned to irritability. Yelling and shouting followed. On the day he was fired, he shoved his manager in front of alarmed coworkers who reported his behavior to HR. Anger management classes were required, along with a one month interim, before reinstatement would be considered.As this case example illustrates, workplace anger is costly to the employee the company, and coworkers. Studies show that up to 42% of employee time is spent engaging in or trying to resolve conflict. This results in wasted employee time, mistakes, stress, lower morale, hampered performance, and reduced profits and or service. In fact, in 1993 the national Safe Workplace Institute released a study showing that workplace violence costs $4.2 billion ech year, estimating over 111,000 violent incidents. Further, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 500,000 victims of violent crime in the workplace lose an estimated 1.8 million workdays each year. Clearly, poorly handled anger, frustration and resentment sabotage business productivity.Was Leroy justified in his anger? What skills or tools should he learn to prevent future episodes? What could management have done to better handle the situation?TOOL #1-RESPOND INSTEAD OF REACTUsing the tool of "respond instead of react," Leroy can clearly learn to control his behavior and communicate needs in a socially acceptable manner without disruptions to work and morale. The issue here is not if he was justified in being angry; it is how to best deal with normal angry feelings. A key ingredient to managing anger is learning to change "self-talk"-- that internal dialog that creates or intensify angry feelings.From a management perspective, proper anger management skills can enhance conflict resolution, promote personal growth in the employee, reduce employee stress and promote increased workplace harmony. TOOL #2-STRESS MANAGEMENT Leroy was clearly under a great deal of stress, much of which was self-imposed. Stress often triggers anger responses. Learning to effective deal with stress can help prevent anger outbursts, as well as reducing employee "burnout" and hampered performance. Managers should be alert to stressed employees and recommend help, before things get out of hand. In many companies, HR or EAP (employee assistance professionals) can provide you with resources and referrals. TOOL #3- EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCEPopularized by psychologist Daniel Goleman, much research shows that increasing "EQ" is correlated with emotional control and increased workplace effectiveness. What is "EQ" exactly? According to Goleman, it is "the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships."Fortunately, skills to improve your emotional intelligence can be learned by both employees and management. The benefit is increased understanding of yourself and others which directly relates to increased productivity and workplace harmony. TOOL #4- ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION Communication problems frequently lead to misunderstandings, conflicts with coworkers and hurt feelings which may hamper concentration and work performance.Assertiveness is not aggression, but a way to communicate so that others clearly understand your needs, concerns, and feelings. It starts with the familiar advice to use "I" statements instead of "you" statements which can sound accusatory, and may lead to defensiveness instead of cooperation.Other communication improvements include acknowledging the concerns and feelings of others in your interaction with them. And, being more sensitive to what others are saying to you "beneath the surface."TOOL #6-ACCEPTANCEWhile sometimes workplace anger is manifest in "exploding," other times it is born of grievances held by employees over any number of workplace issues. Much research shows that learning to accept and let go of the wrongs done to you can release your anger and resentment. This, in turn, may improve your health, and help you focus on your job instead of your negative feelings. Is "acceptance" easy? Of course not. Nor does it mean that you think that whatever happened to you was right, or that you have to like the offending person. What it does mean is "letting go" of the negative feelings you now experience when you remember a negative experience or you encounter the offending person, so that it no longer affects you.
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Dr Tony Fiore is a licensed psychologist and anger management trainer.Visit his website at http://www.angercoach.com for classes, programs, and products for anger and stress management for adults, couples, the workplace, and professionals.

Many people go through their days not aware of the stress in their lives. They might think, "Well, how serious can it be if I don't even know it exists?" Quite simply your body can get used to stress in such a way that, even though your body still reacts harmfully to stress, because the stress is so continuous, you just don't realize how much stress you are in. Regardless of how little or how much stress you have in your life, being able to identify it will be a big help to you. Once you are able to identify the stress in your life for what it is, you can then go about the business of dealing with it more effectively. Make no mistake about it, if there is stress in your life, chances are you are reacting negatively to at least some of it. Most of us are so used to stress that we begin to believe that the state of stress is normal. TAKE A STRESS TESTThe standard tests that doctors use to tell whether you are an easily stressed "hot reactor" (and at greater risk for disease) are pretty simple, so take your pick, says Frank Barry, M.D., a family practice physician in Colorado Springs and author of Make the Change for a Healthy Heart. For the first two tests, you'll want to take a blood-pressure reading twice, once before the test and once during the test, for comparison.Test 1: Chill out. In Test 1, put your hand into a bucket of cold water for one minute and have someone measure your blood pressure right after you have done it. If it goes up into the high range in response to physical stress, you are a "hot reactor."Test 2: Do some math. Test 2 is a little more cerebral. Start with the number 100 and mentally subtract 7, then continue to subtract 7 until you get to 2. In the midst of your figuring, have your blood pressure taken. "There's no exercise, no threat to your life, but a lot of people still feel mental stress and their blood pressures shoot up," says Dr. Barry.Test 3: Talk to yourself. You can also test yourself without the shock of cold water or the mental anguish of math. As yourself: "Are you working toward your own true goals or someone else's?" If you are busy trying to keep up with the Joneses, you're still in the rat race, even if you have retired. You're much more likely to feel the effects of stress regardless of whether you're a "hot reactor," says Dr. Barry.
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Abbas Abedi--Check out my blog at http://stressmanagementtest.blogspot.com

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend to make poor food choices that will actually increase stress and cause other problems. To get the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress, follow these simple tips.Always eat breakfast - Even though you may think you aren't hungry, you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and sugar levels during the day, so you should always eat something.Carry a snack - Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and the fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and energy bars all have the nutrients you need.Healthy munchies - If you like to munch when you're stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even sunflower seeds.Bring your lunch - Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few times a week, you'll see a much better improvement over eating out.Stock your home - As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it's even more important to get the good food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingedients you need, then go shop for it. This way, you'll know what you want when you need it and you won't have to stress over what to eat.
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Stress & Diabetes: Get To Know Yourself A Little Better

Is there a relationship between stress and diabetes? Does stress affect a person with diabetes in a negative way that might contribute to further complications or symptoms?

Researchers have not yet determined if there is an exact connection between stress and the development of complications that arise from diabetes. However, with a little research and some common sense, it is pretty sensible to assume that the less stress that a person has then the healthier that person will be. And this is especially true if you have diabetes.

The good news is that you do not have to wait for scientists to tell you that answer. You can use your own self as a testing ground to determine how stress affects your diabetes. This is probably more important than any other group study that can be had because every individual has different ways of handling stress.

You can start by taking note of stressful situations or any distressing news that you experience. Write down your results and how you relate to these situations. Ask yourself the following questions in order to help determine just how stress is affecting your diabetes:

1. Is there any affect on your blood sugar levels after experiencing a stressful situation? If there is an affect, make note whether your blood sugar levels increased or decreased.

2. Did you notice any difference between shorter, more intense stressful situations, as opposed to longer, more drawn out stressful experiences? Did you experience a negative situation that lasted for days or even weeks? If so, then what difference did it make in your overall energy as well as your blood glucose levels?

3. If you undergo a moment of anger or being upset at somebody, test your blood glucose levels. It's important to also record your blood glucose levels once you have the experience of letting that anger go. Did your levels go back to normal or did they increase? In other words, by resolving a stressful situation with another person, did this cause any improvement in your levels?

4. Does your progress and treatment become sidetracked as a result of the way you try to cope with stress? In other words, do you resort to self gratification in order to make yourself feel better, such as drinking, smoking, or eating too much? And if so, than how did this behavior sidetrack your treatments, if at all?

Sometimes the best offense against diabetes is a good defense. Click here to discover the truth about diabetes.
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All teens lie, right? Teen lying is something that is done harmlessly and viciously. Teens lie for many reasons; most of them have to do with their ability to do it. Pulling a fast one over on mom and dad is something you probably tried too. But, in today's world, lying teens can get into a whole lot more trouble than you could. That is what makes it so important to know if your teen is lying to you and then to handle it.

Teens lie that their homework is done. They lie that they are fine when they may be dealing with heavy amounts of stress. They lie because they want to do something you are saying no to. They lie and they lie. Yet, what should you do if you think that your child is doing this?

Here are some things to think about.

What makes you think they are lying? If you accuse them of lying to you, they will never fess up to it. Instead, they may try to cover it up and they may get away with it. Instead of accusing them, sit them down and talk to them about it. Really, you just need to talk about it without yelling and accusations to make the problems less important.
Teens lying may be built onto something. They may want to impress you with where they are in their lives. They may not want to disappoint you either. Make sure that you are not pumping them up so much so that they feel they have to lie to you.
The lying teen may be covering up trouble. Know your teen and recognize the symptoms of other problems. Talk with them about things like drugs, alcohol and sex. Talk with them about how to react to these situations. Spot when you think there is a problem and work it out then.

While all teens lie from time to time, those that make it a habit may be covering up something that is much bigger. It is up to you to handle this now, before the teens lying gets them into huge amounts of trouble.

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
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Help with Parenting Troubled Teens

Many couples find that finances are a prime source of friction. And, like most couples, you may never really discuss with one another the financial facts of your life. How do you feel about money? How does your spouse feel about money? What's a financial necessity and what is a luxury? How should money be handled and who should handle what? What are you and your wife/husband's long term financial goals? If most couples would take the time to get close and discuss money like this, they would have discovered that although they may have different ideas about saving and spending, perhaps they could have resolved these differences before they became too divisive.

If relationships that go down the tubes due to money stress are like yours, then take the time to sit together with bank statements, pencil, paper, calculator and draw up a workable budget that you can stick to. You may have to spend a few weeks jotting down what you each spend during the day so you can see where every penny goes. Most of us are aware of the beg expenses, but it's the smaller ones (dry cleaning, drugstore items, food) that slip by but add up. Write down your fixed costs: rent, mortgage payments, child-care expenses, insurance. Then include costs that are more flexible: entertainment, clothing, food, and so on. What can you cut out or cut back?

If you have made a realistic budget, you should be able to put aside money for savings every month as well as have money for emergencies. Determine who is going to handle which payments and be sure to put some money into a personal spending account for each of you so you aren't obligated to consult each other on every minor expense. However, always discuss significant purchases or investments. Revise your budget and investment plans if your family or job situation changes.

When discussing money, try to be business-like, not emotional. Avoid blaming and labeling – calling your spouse a tightwad or saying he spends money like a drunken sailor, for instance, is not conducive to cooperation.

Most important, no matter how tight money is, reserve a small amount for pleasure. Even if you go out once a week to a movie or for pizza, just the two of you, you'll feel better about your relationship in general if you indulge yourselves once and a while.
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Methods in Which to End Panic Attacks

By Joseph P. Landry
Millions of people worldwide suffer from panic attacks, which can often control their lives. Are you an individual who has experienced a high level of stress and anxiety? Do you feel as if these attacks have taken control of your mind and body? Do you fear as if you no longer have control over your being? You need to know that there are proven methods which will permanently end panic attacks that occur frequently.
The reason that these attacks can be so debilitating is the toll that they take on you mentally and physically. For an individual who experiences these attacks, they frequently make it hard for him/her to live anywhere close to what can be called a "normal" routine daily. They can be impossible to predict as to when/where they will take place. Once these attacks occur, they have the potential to escalate into something very dangerous for the individual's welfare. That is why you must be pro-active in wanting to seek treatment to end this disorder.
The most important step towards ending panic attacks is to try and figure out what triggers them in the first place. You as an individual would be advised to seek professional help, instead of trying to treat them on your own. Consult with a licensed doctor to figure out what is the trigger(s) which cause these attacks to take place. A trigger could be the result of a traumatic event which has occurred in your life, (which happened with me individually as I, too, once suffered from panic attacks which developed into an anxiety order). The individual constantly re-playing the event in his/her mind exacts a toll on his/her brain. Another trigger could be the fear of something - flying in a jet, being in the dark, a fear of heights, the potential loss of a job, a potential health problem, and etc. When the trigger begins to happen, often the brain fantasizes the worst possible final scenario. This often leads to an actual attack.
Many doctors now educate their patients who suffer from panic attacks by providing them with behavior-modification exercises. A well known behavioral exercise has been developed in which a patient counts down from 20 to 1. The individual participates in this exercise if he/she believes that an attack is oncoming. The individual is instructed to only give the attack 20 seconds to actually take place. The patient treats the attack personally, as an affront to his/her very being. The patient is to only allow 20 seconds for any impending attack. Not one second more. The patient will not allow it to happen once he reaches the count of 1. Through this exercise, the patient learns that it is he/she who is the one in control of his mind and body. Not the panic attack. Statistical results have proven that by engaging in this exercise often, the result is that eventually any attack itself often never occurs.
The individual who suffers from panic attacks might also be told to get involved with relaxation exercises, yoga, and/or breathing exercises to regulate and control his/her level of stress and anxiety. Getting involved in a fitness or workout routine has also proven to be successful, as this method also reduces stress. Again, if you are the individual who has experienced these attacks, then by all means make an attempt to do something about it. Seek treatment.

Choose to end panic attacks by not allowing them to take complete control of your being. Doing nothing about them is the worst thing that you could possibly do, which could lead to serious, and potentially permanent damage inflicted on your mind and body. Now that you have read this article and might seek further information, I highly encourage you to visit the following site: http://controlyouranxiety57.com.
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