Take Charge of Your Stress

We often hear it said, “If you didn’t vote, you have no right to complain about the outcome!” That general idea can probably be applied to a multitude of things. We are all stressed. At times, we all take on more than we need and, paradoxically, we sometimes still feel guilty about not doing enough. An article by Nancy O’Reilly in a recent Lifestyle Tips, suggests a list of symptoms indicating that stress may be getting out of hand. Take a look and see if any of these fit you:

Often forget things. (What 10:00 appointment?)
Feel Unusual fatigue. (Can’t I go home yet?)
Suffer from insomnia. (Watching old movies at 3 a.m.)
Experience changes in appetite. (Either ravenous . . . or nothing looks good. Weight gain or loss may also be associated.)
Experience changes in behavior and mood. (Leave me alone or I’ll hurt you.)
Often feel grumpy and crabby. (Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.)
Get sick a lot. (It really is my third cold this month.)
Want to withdraw from others. (Go away!)
Feel extreme anxiety and worry. (Now what’s wrong?)

She says that workers who can check four or more of these may be on their road to burnout. Following a few simple tips may very well prevent that. First, find some balance. Don’t let any one aspect of your life dominate all the others. A hobby or other activity that your enjoy may be the ticket to getting your mind off the stressor and adding pleasure and self-fulfillment. Second, create or expand your support systems. Find people you can talk to, at home and at work, about what bothers you. Weigh their advice and then make some deliberate decisions. Consider becoming a mentor to someone else in order to share your own experience or resources. And, third, gain control over what you can and find ways to let go of what you can’t.

Stress management, like pain management, isn’t about ridding yourself of stress, but finding better ways to manage so that you can enjoy the other parts of life. The point is, you can’t complain about how stressed out you are if you never do anything about it. Take at least some action. If, despite your best efforts, the stress continues to be overwhelming, give your EAP a call. We can help!