Stress. It’s both a burden and an excuse. When someone asks you to join them for lunch on Thursday you answer, “I can’t. I’m so stressed at work.” But are you really stressed? Or are you using stress as an excuse? The problem here is that most people don’t truly understand stress. Is it a noun? Is it a verb? What does it mean, exactly? We all know we can get stress headaches and stress backaches and stress bitchiness. But what is stress, really?
Geoffrey James writes the sales blog for Inc. and while you might not think a sales guy has much to say about stress, his theory hits the nail on the head. Geoffrey says in his article “Cure for Work Stress” that stress isn’t about now at all. It isn’t about what’s happening in your day whatsoever. Stress is about the future.
Think about it: Why do people feel “stressed”? In every case that I’ve ever seen, it’s because they’re dwelling on future events over which they have no control. In other words, stress is just plain old worry–but rebranded so that it sounds less wimpy. (Nobody ever gets called a “stress-wart.”)
Knowing that stress is about the future, then, how can you “cure” stress in your life? Geoffrey gives you the prescription for controlling stress. And we think…it works. Geoffrey says:
- Meditate or pray every day.
- Set aside a daily time to plan.
- Detach yourself from results.
- Observe what’s working (and what’s not).
Geoffrey more deeply examines this process in his article at Inc. Head over there now and you might just find that tomorrow is less stressful than today.
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
Hey Marcy,
I find that listening to motivating audio tapes and channel throughout the day while you are sorting bills, or doing mundane task is very de-stressing. Recently I have been listening to “The Solution” by Lucinda Bassett.
Great idea, Ruth! Thanks for sharing. One of our Career Girl writers Rebecca Niziol once told me the way she gets through mundane tasks is “I’m going to get this done. And it’s going to be fun.” She also recommended listening to music and dancing while folding laundry, etc. So smart!