Stress At Work
Stress At Work
Stress at work is an
increasing problem in many workplaces and businesses as the demands on
management and employees continues to focus on increased productivity with ever
decreasing resources and time. In addition, stress is also increased in times
of economic decline as downsizing and workforce reductions move further and
further up the corporate ladder.
Many executives, managers
and those in positions of power and authority in a workplace experience very
high levels of stress. Not only may they be chronically concerned about the
viability of their business and job, but they also bear the emotional stress of
having to make decisions about reduction in their workforce, often resulting in
facing the stress of having to let long term employees and friends know that
they are going to lose their job.
The Signs and Symptoms of
Chronic Stress at Work
The signs of stress can be
both psychological as well as physiological. Business professionals often
ignore the early physical signs of stress or perhaps treat the symptoms without
realizing the much deeper, underlying psychological reasons have to be
addressed as well.
Common symptoms of stress
include:
• Aching muscles and joints
• Loss or change in appetite
• Restless or limited sleep
• Physical and mental exhaustion
• Racing thoughts and the inability to disengage from
thoughts about work-related topics
• Decreased enjoyment of things that were previously
pleasurable
As stress becomes chronic,
other serious health issues such as cardiovascular problems, increased risk of
high blood pressure, headaches, increased illness, depression, anxiety and even
the abuse of alcohol and drugs become more prevalent.
Business Coaching to Reduce
Work Related Stress
Business coaching offers a
non-therapeutic option to developing individualized skills and mechanisms for
coping with work related stress. In a completely private and confidential
environment the client can work with his or her business coach to explore the
root cause of the stress and develop a plan to approach the stressful situation
in a more productive manner.
With questions and
strategies, the business coach works with the client, not as an instructor, but
as a caring, supportive mentor who has experience in successfully assisting
business professionals to build their leadership skills. As you become more
confident and more secure in your role in the business, the stress will
evaporate from your life, allowing you to make effective, efficient decisions
without always second guessing the process.
A business coach can help a
business executive to reduce stress in his or her life by:
• Setting realistic personal and professional goals
• Learning to be mindful and taking responsibility for your
actions and decision through effective problem solving techniques and
strategies
• Letting go of unnecessary worry over the "what
ifs" in life
• Remaining positive and optimistic while still being
realistic
• Building self-confidence and coping mechanisms that are
highly effective for the individual in the given work environment
• Assisting in developing a support network, gathering
resources and evaluating current skill sets that are highly effective in
reducing stress
At Philippe Jacquet &
Associates our business coaches are available to provide one-on-one coaching at
your workplace or at our offices. Trained and experienced in coaching as well
as in the business world, we are able to help identify the source of the stress
and develop your skills and techniques to minimize the stress in your business
and personal life.
Posted by: Philippe Jacquet