Archive for the ‘Business’ Category

Good tips for avoiding Strain in the office

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

Good tips for avoiding Strain in the officeEvery basic suggestions for alleviating give good results related tension.

Follow the things you Take in.

Avert taking bad goodies. Ingesting well balanced meals can certainly rise the.
Get rid of your High levels of caffeine Ingestion. Drinking alcohol a number of java in addition to sugary sodas can improve the stress degrees. If you chop out there level of caffeine products completely, make sure to vary the level of caffeine in your diet with more healthy drinks or goodies.

Working out Constantly.

Physical fitness will be a terrific minimize emotional tension, and so make an attempt to require a good 10-minute walk in the daytlight, despite the fact that this in essence means some sort of hike across the office or even constructing. Walks will assist you to get the blood shifting and also present mental bust through your duties.

Expanse Your physique.

Pushing allows you to alleviate firm muscular tissue, which sometimes keep strain not to mention force you to feel much more pressured.

Schedule On top.

Arising a quarter-hour before, and also supplying lunches and / or showing off clothes the night time prior to, could actually help complete a regime and acquire most people organized.

Exhale Really.

As we are actually pressured, we tend to are likely to acquire low breaths, of which can bring about experience far more emotional stress. Start with breathing really via the nose to get a depend regarding 4, and be able to exhaling slowly and gradually on a matter from 8. It will aid to liberate toxic compounds as a result of a breath. Deal with a keeping track of in addition to respir.

Acquire a Fantastic Times Sleeping.

You should are having plenty of relaxation during the night. Not necessarily emotion relaxed can boost your own anxiety level in addition to force you to really feel a great deal more weighed down. Assuming you have long been encountering persistent sleep deprived nights, speak with a physician regarding instruction.

Can Items You love it.

Make an attempt to take action you’re keen on day-to-day to give your self one thing to watch for. Many pressure happens owing to feelings associated with living being unable to cope. If you enough time to grab yourself sorted, not to mention handling oneself, you’ll be ready to get control as well as keep your workday will be as relaxed as they can be.

Stop Time-Wasters.

Get did you know the all the jobs that presently spend your time and energy and decrease your production. Such can easily integrate verifying a emails, disorders and a workplace, discussing excessively at the cellular phone, frequenting birthdays, or perhaps for the particular quality watching youtube, arising later without having to prioritizing every day. Therefore almost each time-waster take note of your skill to vary which. Then simply position the approach to action these days!

The top from Perform Linked Emotional tension

The actual line within elliminating anxiety at the job is usually to do do the job for which you adore. Need not the 80% of individuals of which continue being stuck within perform they can’t stand. It is the most severe matter you would can. Perspiring you will be affectionate about and do it. Should it means researching completely new talents, and / or realizing more details about the best way in to your chosen industry, therefore start out today.

Every basic suggestions for alleviating give good results related tension.

Follow the things you Take in.

Avert taking bad goodies. Ingesting well balanced meals can certainly rise the.
Get rid of your High levels of caffeine Ingestion. Drinking alcohol a number of java in addition to sugary sodas can improve the stress degrees. If you chop out there level of caffeine products completely, make sure to vary the level of caffeine in your diet with more healthy drinks or goodies.

Working out Constantly.

Physical fitness will be a terrific minimize emotional tension, and so make an attempt to require a good 10-minute walk in the daytlight, despite the fact that this in essence means some sort of hike across the office or even constructing. Walks will assist you to get the blood shifting and also present mental bust through your duties.

Expanse Your physique.

Pushing allows you to alleviate firm muscular tissue, which sometimes keep strain not to mention force you to feel much more pressured.

Schedule On top.

Arising a quarter-hour before, and also supplying lunches and / or showing off clothes the night time prior to, could actually help complete a regime and acquire most people organized.

Exhale Really.

As we are actually pressured, we tend to are likely to acquire low breaths, of which can bring about experience far more emotional stress. Start with breathing really via the nose to get a depend regarding 4, and be able to exhaling slowly and gradually on a matter from 8. It will aid to liberate toxic compounds as a result of a breath. Deal with a keeping track of in addition to respir.

Acquire a Fantastic Times Sleeping.

You should are having plenty of relaxation during the night. Not necessarily emotion relaxed can boost your own anxiety level in addition to force you to really feel a great deal more weighed down. Assuming you have long been encountering persistent sleep deprived nights, speak with a physician regarding instruction.

Can Items You love it.

Make an attempt to take action you’re keen on day-to-day to give your self one thing to watch for. Many pressure happens owing to feelings associated with living being unable to cope. If you enough time to grab yourself sorted, not to mention handling oneself, you’ll be ready to get control as well as keep your workday will be as relaxed as they can be.

Stop Time-Wasters.

Get did you know the all the jobs that presently spend your time and energy and decrease your production. Such can easily integrate verifying a emails, disorders and a workplace, discussing excessively at the cellular phone, frequenting birthdays, or perhaps for the particular quality watching youtube, arising later without having to prioritizing every day. Therefore almost each time-waster take note of your skill to vary which. Then simply position the approach to action these days!

The top from Perform Linked Emotional tension

The actual line within elliminating anxiety at the job is usually to do do the job for which you adore. Need not the 80% of individuals of which continue being stuck within perform they can’t stand. It is the most severe matter you would can. Perspiring you will be affectionate about and do it. Should it means researching completely new talents, and / or realizing more details about the best way in to your chosen industry, therefore start out today.

Take The Stress Out Of Negotiating

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

Take The Stress Out Of NegotiatingHaving a great product doesn’t guarantee a sale. It’s just a fact of life: a lesser product (or service or package) than yours may clinch the deal from under your feet. Which is why the Internet abounds with books, training courses and workshops relating to selling and negotiating skills.

Negotiating is an inescapable part of doing business. Part science and part flair or art, it can generate a lot of stress. But it is often a lot more stressful than it need be.

There’s plenty you can do to lower your stress and strengthen your case before you even get to the negotiating table.

Don’t stress – use your influence upfront.

People are persuaded by reason and moved by emotion. This is what makes selling complex and interesting – fun, some would say – because to make a sale, you have to figure out how much reason versus emotion is motivating the purchase. That way once you’ve figured out who needs to be influenced, you know how to influence them.

Influence is a key management challenge. Consciously or not, you use influence in all aspects of your business – to motivate your team, to nurture your customers, to upgrade the service you’re getting from suppliers, to obtain better terms from your banker, to persuade your secretary to stay late when you’re in a bind.

Let’s face it: using influence is a woman’s best friend. Check out the 5 year old next door persuading her daddy to do something… We use our influence from the craddle, whether we’re balling our eyes out, fluttering our eyelashes, persuading a class mate to do our homework, comforting our teddy bear or angling for the last slice of cake at table.

So who do you need to influence before you get to the negotiating table?

You were born with the skill, you don’t need to be taught it – all you need to know is

when to use your influence
for what outcome.
In a sales context, you use your influence to negotiate price and terms and to close the sale. But before you get to negotiating anything, you need to use your influence upfront to research what will condition your sales tactics.

Do the research BEFORE choosing your sales tactics

Before you even get to the negotiating table, you need to have sussed out the following elements:

What needs your prospect has that you can satisfy
What typifies your prospect’s purchasing
How your prospect habitually takes decisions
What key people you need to keep in the loop and how can they best be influenced
What your own needs and ‘bottom-line’ rules are.
Let’s briefly look at each of these elements.

What needs does your prospect have that you can satisfy

Understanding what a product does for your prospect is crucial to your sales process. Does your prospect like to be seen to buy from innovators, or is the security of a well-established product important? Is the prospect emotionally tied to a supplier, or is there a political motive for backing another horse? Is the main motivator price, or is the long-term relationship important in terms of repeat sales or after sales? Etc.

What typifies your prospect’s purchasing

What is the formal purchasing procedure? Is it very lengthy and bureaucratic, or short and informal? Does it involve lots of people or does it come down to one or two key individuals? Do politics play a decisive role or is the decision purely commercial? Is the company loyal to a small field of long-term suppliers or does it like to play the field to keep suppliers on their toes?

How does your prospect like to take decisions

Some prospects want all the facts and figures to back their decision, others want to be told the reasons why they should buy in a compelling, logical story, yet others may want to apprehend how this will help them to do things differently or to be seen in a new light. Different thinking styles require different selling approaches and you need to suss out the thinking style of your decision-makers and influencers. Secretaries are good sources of this kind of information, as are co-workers.

Who needs to be kept in the sales loop

Your first point of contact may not be the real decision-maker, and you need to establish early on who is. If the company is of some size, you might want to identify a gatekeeper or two who can sponsor you into the system. Also useful is finding out who on the company grapevine will transmit information you might leak to them. Finally, you need to link up with a mole or two, key individuals who observe and listen on the sidelines and whose opinions are respected. Once you’ve got the ear of these people, you can ask to have them attend your sales presentation to help you convince the decision maker. Again, secretaries are a good source of information when you’re trying to network intelligently.

What are your own needs and bottom-line rules

How strategic is this sale to you? Is the prospect an important client to bag in terms of the kudos it will give you with future prospects, or is the sale not a big deal? How much are you willing to concede to get it and what is your bottom-line beyond which you would rather back out?

Before you start making concessions, you need to ascertain whether the time is right for this purchase from the prospect’s viewpoint. It may be better to delay a few months than to end up making concessions that set the tone for future sales to this prospect.

Once you’ve used your influence to ferret out all of these inputs, you can begin to plan your negotiating tactics with a cool head and a better chance of getting the business.

So don’t stress over your negotiating skills – use your influence upfront and do your homework before deciding on your sales tactics.

Issia Jordan is a Life Coach for business women. After a successful international career in strategic planning, she managed a varied portfolio career before becoming an alternative health therapist. After a spine injury she trained as a Life Coach.

She majored in social psychology and holds an MBA. Her passion is helping people to take meaningful action so that they can become the inspired architects of a fulfilled and balanced life.

Are Sponsorships Right For You?

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Are Sponsorships Right For You?Although the whole notion of sponsorships has been around for years, it’s only recently been gaining popularity in the online entrepreneurial community. Which leads me to 2 very important questions –

1. Should you as a business become a sponsor?

2. Should you offer sponsorship opportunities?

Let’s look at the pros and cons of each and see if your business is missing out because you haven’t fully considered sponsorships.

First, let’s look if you should become a sponsor. Sponsorships are great if:

* You’re going to be reaching a significant number of your ideal clients.
* The person/biz/event your sponsoring has high credibility and influence with your ideal clients, thus boosting your credibility by connecting your name with theirs.
* You have a way to collect contact information so you can build your list and exposure.
* You’re okay if the sponsorship turns into a long-term tactic rather than making money in the short-term.

Yes, I would classify sponsorships as more of a long-term marketing tactic than a short-term, make money immediately, tactic. That doesn’t mean you WON’T walk out of there with sales. But I would view any immediate sales as a bonus, and the point of why you’re doing the sponsorship is to increase your exposure and visibility for the long term. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t track your sales and make sure you get a good return on your investment, it just means you understand this is an investment in your marketing and your business and the pay off might come that day or next week or in 6 months.

If you need an immediate influx of money, sponsorships are probably not the way to go. First off, they’re more expensive than just the cost of the sponsorship — you’re probably going to have come up with booth design, advertising, flyers, etc. And second, while you very well could walk out with immediate sales (especially if your sponsorship comes with some speaking or stage time) there’s no guarantee of that. It could just as easily work out that the sales start coming in a month or 2 later, which may turn into a very big stress point for you depending on how much you need that cash.

So, now let’s look if you should offer sponsorships. First, is your business offering something where a big group of your tribe is hanging out? Something like an event is perfect, but it doesn’t have to be an in-person event. It could also be a virtual event. Or you could even offer sponsorships if you have a membership site or an association or you’ve created some other community.

Are there going to be enough people involved to make it worth your sponsor’s money and time? Ask yourself if YOU would pay to be in front of your community? (Be honest with the answer.)

Now the other part of this is will the sponsorship interfere with your ability to sell your own products or services? If you think it’s going to dilute what you’re doing, then I wouldn’t do it. But if it isn’t, and your community is big enough to warrant it, offering sponsorship opportunities could be a great way to add an additional income stream to your business plus add value to your community by offering them products and services they need.

Utilizing Marketing Tension Golf balls with regard to Much more Enjoyable as well as Effective Conferences

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

Utilizing Marketing Tension Golf ballsIn the past after i had been understanding German born within Indonesia whilst from university, We had been launched to some online game having a marketing tension golf ball. The overall game had been enjoyable it held a person about the advantage of the chair as well as having to pay near interest.

Since the 12 months continued, these types of marketing tension golf balls imprinted using the logo design from the university should have handed with the students’ fingers countless occasions.

This was not till a couple of years later on after i had been employed by an automobile employ organization which i had been reintroduced towards the exact same online game once again. My personal company utilized marketing tension golf balls a great deal within their advertising so that they had been usually close to whenever conference period showed up.

Isn’t it time to understand exactly how this functions?

Those who have experienced conferences prior to may understand how to have a tendency to take a little if you’re not really cautious. This really is particularly the situation if you possess function co-workers that such as to hear on their own talk.

Obvious your own conference space of all of the with capacity of. You’ll just about all end up being standing in this conference. Conferences tend to be smaller when you’re not really calming inside a comfy seat.

The actual chairman may maintain the tension golf ball and begin the actual conference just like she or he usually might. As it pertains period with regard to dialogue, you have to end up being keeping the strain golf ball in order to talk.

The chairman may choose to arbitrarily request somebody’s viewpoint, probably the workplace jr ., through tossing the strain golf ball from all of them as well as waiting for their own solution.

In a short time, many people may begin quietly pleading for that tension gadget to become tossed for them.

You might be amazed to determine the way the easy intro of the small gadget will keep individuals concentrated as well as exactly how position will keep the actual conference brief as well as effective.

The Variance about the Tension Gadget Conference Online game

From a few conferences the actual chairman might motivate participants to visit aside for some time as well as return along with suggestions. If that’s the case, do this.

Take away the with capacity of out of your boardroom. Because every attendee makes its way into, hands all of them the tension golf ball. This time around, nevertheless, you’ll be requesting each individual to provide his / her tips to the actual team.

Inside each and every conference you will find usually people who believe these people understand much better. These folks help to make this particular online game enjoyable.

Because each individual gives their own suggestions, other people may possibly concur as well as motivate the concept or even state — ‘That won’t ever function! a tossing their own soft gadget in the individual in whose concept it had been.

Other people within the space may possibly trust the individual in whose concept it had been or even trust the one who put their own tension gadget. Anybody preference the individuals concept ought to back again all of them upward through shouting ‘Give the concept an opportunity! a as well as tossing their own tension gadget in the doubter.

This particular is likely to find the conversations underway.

In a short time tension golf balls is going to be soaring each and every that method however everybody’s suggestions can get noticed as well as possibly used additional or even wiped out presently there after which!

These types of tension gadget video games tend to be a thrilling time. They’re thrilling as well as in addition, these people help to make conferences a lot more effective.

Obviously it will help should you simply therefore occur to make use of marketing tension golf balls inside your advertising and also have all of them available! Otherwise, you are able to usually buy unprinted tension golf balls within scaled-down amounts.

Because Heat Stress Monitor Is Important?

Sunday, June 5th, 2011

Because Heat Stress Monitor Is Important?Heat stress monitoring devices used to measure environmental factors that contribute to the physical effects of individuals subjected to heat stress potentially hazardous atmospheric conditions. Factors contributing to stress the heat can be a clean environment, such as hot weather and winds caused by lightning wildfires, or they may present as a result of a combination of environmental and industrial conditions, the runners bottom face, athletes, miners, divers and people who work in astronauts and even military. And evaluation of overheating and outside the body, products of thermal stress monitoring are used to identify and prevent hypothermia, for example for explorers on Arctic expeditions, or those who suffer from exposure to cold water.

How is the heat really works? These devices are small weather stations and thermometers together, which are durable to withstand extreme conditions and simple enough to use without special training. They provide warnings and recommended actions, monitoring, evaluation and interpretation of thermal performance and physical symptoms measured against the safety guidelines and calculated temperature limits recommended.

Heat stress monitors are divided into two main types, area monitors and personal monitors. screens stress in the field of heat is often favored by jobs that are home to many workers because they are able to provide very efficient simultaneous monitoring of large groups of workers in an environment using a single instrument. However, individual responses to environmental conditions and physical stress varies considerably among individuals, and therefore monitoring of personal stress of heat can cause significant benefits, even in adults. This is due to responses from people returning staff to their environmental conditions and the amount of physical activity by measuring body temperature, pulse, temperature and external levels.

The use of monitors to measure heat stress conditions is an important practical work to ensure the health and welfare of employees. At least the heat stress causes discomfort and reduced productivity in the worst cases, heat stress can lead to accidents, serious health problems, chronic illness and even death. This is because high levels of heat and moisture to counteract the cooling effect of perspiration and can lead to excessive dehydration, heatstroke and even coma, while incredibly cold conditions can cause frostbite, hypothermia, loss of consciousness and brain damage. Although these monitors are generally employed in mining, oil exploitation, agriculture, sports and military, which can be used effectively to maintain security in any activity in fast and accurate detection and prediction of Tension Heat stress can prevent damage to short-term and fundamental to the human body.

With the help of heat stress monitors, it is very easy to control and maintain a safe and healthy environment in industrial and reheated. Active Environmental Solutions supplies high-quality surveillance of heat stress and dust control equipment that are useful to maintain an environment conducive to the environment in the workplace.

Mental Aspects of Managing Business Stress

Saturday, January 1st, 2011

Mental Aspects of Managing Business StressStress is a bummer: not good for one’s health, not good for relating and communicating, definitely not good for business managers and those whose work they manage. Other features of stress include worry, anxiety, high blood pressure, being uneasy and very hard to live with. The business manager is well advised to learn effective ways of preventing stress and managing stress that cannot be prevented. Managers of small work forces will find this to be a critical factor in employee retention. The one-person business manager will find stress management to be of enormous benefit for maintaining sanity as well as balancing home life with business endeavors.

Here is a list of what to do, not necessarily complete but more than enough.

Out of sight, out of mind.

When you are not working, quit thinking about it. Learn how to close down the workday when it is over. Put everything away, finish the filing, close the drawers, lock the security files, make notes about what to remember. When you leave the work area make sure your mind is also closed to the business. Do not take work out of the office unless there is an emergency requiring after-hours attention away from the office.

Leave work behind when you vacation.

That includes wekend getaways, days off, trips with the family, vacations, holidays and afternoons off. Enjoy your time off and make sure your employees enjoy their time off: no phoning in for messages no being called, no laptop computers so you can work while you aren’t working. Get a lilfe that is not business and enjoy it.

Don’t be thinking about work when you are trying to get to sleep.

That is called worry and it is a very big “no-no” in the world of stress management. If thoughts about the business break through when you are trying to sleep, get out of bed, go out of the bedroom, have a good worry to get it out of your system and then go back to bed.

What happens at work stays at work.

Don’t be talking shop when you aren’t at the shop! Get a life and live it when you aren’t at work.

Worry on purpose on a set schedule and when you are finished let it be.

This is called detachment. What will happen will happen. Worrying about it won’t change anything. Ask yourself what would happen to the business if you died. If the business would die with you, it is time to arrange for succession because you are going to die sooner or later. If the business is organized to survive your death or retirement, use that fact as reason enough to quit treating the business as though it were life and death.

Find a trusted person who is knowledgeable about business and talk out your concerns and problems on a regular basis.

If you are lucky the person will be a partner or business associate. Think about using a business coach. Perhaps your spouse fits the bill if talking about the business concerns is something your spouse wishes to do and can handle. Perhaps there is a friend. If you cannot think of anybody with whom to talk you do have something to worry about!

Confer often with your Board.

If you do not have a working Board, take steps to develop one. Your Board helps with the shaping of policy and will be of enormous assistance if you choose directors who know the business and believe in what you are doing.

There is more to preventing and managing the stress of work than only these mental steps. Proper exercise, proper rest, proper sleep and good nutrition are also essential. For example, drinking soda pop and eating candy will not relieve work stress, it will only make you fat and hyperactive or drowsy. And mental discipline is wasted if you operate on habitual sleep deprivation. Fatigue is an open invitation to stress.

Conversely, all the aerobic exercise, sleep and good nutritional meals will not help against stress if you approach your business responsibilities with sloppy mental habits. Staying on top of the business you manage demands good mental discipline right along with good habits that foster health and relaxation.

It is truly tragic to waste a good mind. Stress will do that to the undisciplined manager. Since your mind is the only one you have, better to take care of it by developing good routines to prevent and counter stress.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Freelance Stress and 3 Solutions

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Freelance StressMany people who work 9-5 jobs have an interested image of freelancers. Usually they picture the freelancer lounging at the beach, sipping a margarita while he types a couple of words here and there, without a care in the world. This image couldn’t be further from the truth. Most of us freelancers operate more like one-person businesses. And running a business on your own is highly stressful. You have to market yourself, plan your schedule, contact clients, complete projects, meet deadlines- and that’s just the beginning! There’s no wondering why many of us freelancers find ourselves constantly stressed out.

So how do you get over freelance stress? Here are 3 simple, productive solutions to help you get over your stress.

1) Take Breaks. Studies have actually proven that we increase our productivity when we stop at intervals and take complete breaks. Pushing yourself for 8 hours in a row to finish that proposal is just going to leave you feeling irritable and frustrated. Stop every hour or so and stretch a bit. Get a snack, read a few pages of that good book. When you come back, you’ll be fresh and ready to go!

2) Don’t Give Into Distractions. Distractions are time eaters. Loitering on facebook, reading pointless emails, scratching about for news will only leave you stressed as your deadlines creep up on you. Focus your energy. If you have to, set aside some time to do each of your fun activities. But don’t get distracted! Focus on what you’re working on. You’ll finish it faster, and you’ll feel less stressed for having completed it.

3) Put Things Into Perspective. Is that project really worth stressing over? Just stop and think about it. Even if you bombed it, would life still keep on going? Many of the things we stress about aren’t even stress worthy. Take some time to put things into perspective. Decide what really demands your time, and let go a little.

Just remember, stress happens to us all at one point or another, freelancer or not. How we manage our stress often spells the difference between a healthy, happy life, and an unhappy one. Manage yourself, manage your life, and you’ll feel stress slip away. Just be careful, the last thing you want to do is let the fact that you’re stressed stress you out!

Management – The Secret To Avoiding Stress And Burnout

Friday, November 12th, 2010

 Stress And BurnoutDo you know that stress and burnout in business are not the result of external environmental factors but instead entirely due to one’s emotional reactions to those factors? Do you know that you can rapidly acquire emotional immunity that will last a life time and help you not only avoid stress and burnout but will also enhance your chances of success? How does one do that you ask?

Burnout comes as a result of chronic and unremitting stress that depletes one’s physical, mental and emotional resources. Stress, contrary to popular opinion, is due to the extent to which one perceives external events as threats to one’s livelihood and not to the events themselves.

In other words two different individuals with different perceptions of, say, the meaning of a business set back may have two separate and distinctly different responses to it. The first may feel overwhelmed, frustrated, out of control, helpless, and lacking the self confidence and resilience to weather the storm. A second may see the set back as a minor blip in a greater landscape of events and thus feel unshaken, resilient, confident, optimistic and motivated to drive on passionately to their greater goals.

So what makes these two individuals different?

Well, it all comes down to their reactions to the events. Those reactions are determined by what I have termed the “emotional landmines” that they have stored in their subconscious minds. An emotional landmine is any negative memory of a past event which behaves like an open emotional wound. Such a wound can be re-opened and the emotional pain associated with it re-triggered if an event in the present that in any way resembles the older event takes place.

In the above scenario an example of an old emotional landmine might be the memory of a previous business failure along with its associated feelings of personal disappointment, loss of self confidence, feelings of inadequacy, self doubt and so on.

The secret that you need to know is that one can now permanently and completely erase/delete these negative memories from the subconscious mind thereby completely eliminating the potential of them be re-triggered. This leaves one feeling strong, secure, resilient, immune, invincible, motivated, energized, healthy, peaceful, focused, in the flow and in the zone and much more.

A new performance coaching process developed over a decade ago that has helped executives and athletes has shown the remarkable ability to help individuals completely reshape their subconscious mind’s landscape thereby helping them reclaim a sense of self assuredness and empowerment.

If you suffer from stress or burnout and you would like to overcome these once and for all then kindly visit the web site below where you can learn more about this process, request a free e-copy of my book and/or request a free introductory telephone/Skype consultation that will give you the edge in everything that you do.

Stress Management in the Workplace

Saturday, November 6th, 2010

Stress Management in the WorkplaceStress is eating away at your bottom line and costing your company millions of dollars. More than 200 stress-related studies were detailed in scientific journals during the past three years. Stress has a major link to every problem we face as a species. Stress causes us to snap under pressure, it breaks down positive communication in families and dramatically affects your work performance.

Stress also affects your mental health, your attitudes and your personality. It has been estimated that some 60 to 70% of all health problems are directly linked to stress since it appears to be a factor in more than two-thirds of visits to primary-care physicians. Stress deletes fifteen to twenty years from the human life span since it weakens the body’s natural defenses by suppressing the immune system.

Stress taxes your nerves, muscles and organs directly. Stress is linked to problems such as migraine and tension headaches, the common cold, ulcers, heart disease, strokes, stomach disorders, arthritic problems, allergies, multiple sclerosis and more.

Consider for a moment the following:

*At least one million Americans have a heart attack each year.

*Twelve million alcoholics in the United States find stress management in a bottle.

*Americans consume tons of aspirin every day.

*Over eight million Americans have stomach disorders and/or ulcers.

*80% of Americans ingest some type of medical prescription each day, including thirteen billion tranquilizers, anti-depressants, barbiturates, diuretics and amphetamines yearly.

*There are over fifty-thousand stress related suicides each year in the United States.

The fact is stress is an illusion created by the human mind. Stress is not real. If stress were a real thing like gravity, it would affect everyone in the same way, but it does not. The fact is that the things that stress me out should stress you out, but they don’t. On the other hand the things that stress you out should stress me out, but they don’t. Why? Stressful events are created out of our perceptions, not from the event itself. All events are neutral until a human being internalizes then judges it.

The latest research indicates that stress and distress are actually created by and in your mind. This does not mean that the stressful event is not real; it simply means that situations become stressful according to how you subconsciously perceive the event as it unfolds. It’s not the event or job that’s stressing you out, but how you are internalizing it. How you internally perceive the stressor will determine if it will become a major or minor one. How you internally represent outside events will determine whether its effect is harmful or beneficial. In other words, if you “think” the stressor is a major one, it will be major for you. If you “think” the stressor is minor, or a stepping stone to something better, that will be your reality. Simply put, “stress is in the eye of the beholder.”

Let me give you an example. Imagine there are two office assistants with work piled very high on their desks. The first assistant is thinking, “This is too much work, I’ll never get it done, I can’t handle this pressure.” While the second is thinking, “This is a lot of work, but it will make the day go fast and I won’t be bored.” Assistant #1 is going to have a very stressful day and probably leave work with a headache or worse, simply because he/she perceives her workload to be amajor stressor. If she continues to perceive the work load as overbearing, the stress may lead to physical and mental health problems.

Meanwhile, the second assistant has the same amount of work squeezed into the same time frame, yet he/she leaves work feeling great. Why? He perceives the heavy workload as creating a fast, productive day. Both had the same amount of work, but two completely different attitudes. Your perception is a powerful creator of any stressor.

If you’re fired from your job and you represent it to yourself as “the end of the world,” your stress levels will be very high. In contrast, if you believe the termination is the beginning of a brighter more compelling career, your stress levels will not escalate. If while paying your bills you’re thinking, “I hate paying bills,” your stress levels will be higher than the person who thinks, “Thank God I can afford to pay these bills.” If you cry, “Don’t leave me, I’m nothing without you,” as your lover walks out on you, your stress levels will be higher than the person who thinks, “Hallelujah, now I can find someone deserving of me.”

The primary difference in these examples is what took place in the person’s head, the individual’s perception, not the event itself. Therefore, our attitude plays an important role in helping us to triumph over stress. When stress motivates us to take action and stimulates creativity, it’s fine. When stress creates overwhelming anxieties, it’s time for an attitude adjustment.

From the many books on stress that are available and the varied techniques they offer, I have chosen the four strategies I believe are the most beneficial. Each will make substantial changes in the quality of your life. I have been using these for many years with very satisfactory results. They are also part of the curriculum for our popular 10 Hour Corporate Wellness Program.

* Meditation (For physical & mental relaxation)

* Exercise (For keeping your body in shape and tension relief)

* Proper sleep (For increased productivity and higher energy levels)

*Maintenance of a positive attitude (For managing your day to day hassles)

Stress management techniques are easy, but like anything worthwhile, they must be applied. The more you practice the greater the benefits you will receive in your business and personal life. From a small investment of your time you will reap many benefits. Sometimes people do not care about their health until they lose it. This is also true with top executives. Begin using these preventive techniques today so you will have a healthier tomorrow.

Here are 10 other tips that can help you beat stress in the office and at home. Check with your health care provider and make sure these suggestions are in harmony with his or her recommendations.

1) Practice easy exercise and meditation daily.

2) Do not eat unless you are hungry. Using food to combat stress will only result in unnecessary weight gain and other issues.

3) Some research indicates that playing with a pet or participating in a favorite hobby can have many beneficial effects.

4) Smile often, cultivate your sense of humor, and laugh as much as possible. Read comic strips daily, watch cartoons, see funny movies, and laugh at yourself. Laughter is the aspirin for soul-ache and should be taken in very large doses.

5) Listening to soothing music when possible can help to quiet your mind.

6) Excess sugar can heighten your stress response, so limit your sugar intake by reading package labels.

7) Take a B vitamin to control your emotions (preferably one that contains biotin).

8) Eat lots of fiber, starches and carbohydrates since these tend to have a calming effect on the body. Always eat breakfast.

9) Leave your job at the office; do not take it home with you. You do not get paid to think about your job on your time. Schedule some play and vacation time.

10) In each stressful situation ask yourself, “What can I learn from this situation or how can I deal with this constructively?” By asking yourself positive questions while in stressful situations your mind can help you to perceive negative situations in a favorable light. This simple attitude shift can make a great difference in how youperceive certain situations and how you deal with stress.

Time Management – How to Reduce Stress and Increase Productivity?

Saturday, October 30th, 2010

Time ManagementHow often do you find yourself overwhelmed with the day’s events? Do you normally end the day and feel like there are some important issues and tasks that were not carried out with perfection? If you do, then it means that you are not managing your time effectively. Yet, this is one of the most important ways through which to reduce stress and ensure that you attain a high level of productivity. It is precisely for this reason that you should consider following through with the following time management tips.

• Plan ahead of the day: Through planning the day’s events in advance, you will be in a position to achieve more and feel good about it. What is more, it will also give you a sense of being in control over your life. Start by writing a list of all that you are going to do. While doing this, give the most important tasks priority. By having a schedule you minimize conflict and get rid of last minute decisions.
• Prioritize: There are tasks that consume so much time and yet, they are unimportant. By keeping priorities, you are in a position to address the most pressing issues first.
• Learn to say no: Before you can disrupt your schedule for the day, it is important to weigh your goals in order to determine if new tasks are worth the disruption. If you conclude that they are not, say no in a polite way.
• Delegate: If there are tasks in your list that are not overly important, delegate them to someone else. This is an important strategy that is not employed by many people and yet, it works magnificently.
• Do it right the first instance: It is always important to ensure that you do the job right the first round. This might take longer than usual but at the end of the day, it goes a long way to help you achieve your goal. Having to correct errors later on might cost you more than you are willing to pay for.
• Evaluate your activities: This can be done with ease by keeping a diary. Over certain duration, you will be able to single out activities that are not rewarding and wasteful.
• Management Course: While you might think that you are good at doing this, it is imperative that you take a time management course