When Feeling Stress– Do this, Not that!
Borrowing the idea of author of David Zinczenko (Eat This, Not That!), here is a quick reference for what to-do and what not-to-do when dealing with work-related stress.
Do This, |
Not That! |
| Acknowledge to yourself that you are indeed feeling some stress even though the timing may not be great. | Curse the timing of the stress. Stress never comes at a convenient time, so it’s pointless to lament the timing. |
| Name that stress. Take a moment to explore what is really behind the stress you are feeling; you may be surprised about the real trigger. This is a powerful step and can be quite relieving as well. | Judge that stress. Don’t waste time admonishing yourself for feeling the stress or telling yourself that you should not be feeling this way. |
| Vent. Share your stress with one appropriate person. Keep it short and announce to the person that you will vent this one item and then move onto something more positive and then keep that commitment. | Tell multiple people about your stressful situation. Continuing to perseverate about your stress will only add more stress—every time, guaranteed, 100% of the time. This is true because it is how the brain works—it focuses on what YOU focus on. Choose wisely. |
| Take some very deep breaths before you take an action. The brain, spinal cord and nerves receive increased oxygenation and are more nourished when you take a deep breath. This improves the health of the whole body, since the nervous system communicates to all parts of the body. | Take action. Taking action when in stress-mode is where regrets are born. Your perspective and your sense of big-picture are currently being hi-jacked by your nervous system. Wait. |
“How do you tell if something’s alive? You check for breathing.”
― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
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