Act rather than react
We experience stress when we feel that situations are out of our control. It activates the stress hormone and, if chronic, wears down confidence, concentration and well-being. Identify the aspects of the situation you can control and aspects you can't. Typically, you're in control of your actions and responses, but not in control of macro forces or someone else's tone, for example. Be impeccable for your 50 percent. And try to let go of the rest.
Take a deep breath
If you're feeling overwhelmed or are coming out of a tense meeting and need to clear your head, a few minutes of deep breathing will restore balance. Simply inhale for five seconds, hold and exhale in equal counts through the nose. It's like getting the calm and focus of a 90-minute yoga class in three minutes or less at your desk.
Prioritise your priorities
With competing deadlines and fast-changing priorities, it's critical to define what's truly important and why. That requires clarity. It's important to understand your role in the organization, the company's strategic priorities, and your personal goals and strengths. Cull your to-do list by focusing on those projects that will have the most impact and are best aligned with your goals.
Eliminate interruptions
Emails, phone calls, pop ins, instant messages and sudden, urgent deadlines conspire to make today's workers more distracted than ever. While you may not have control over the interrupters, you can control your response. Respond in one of three ways: Accept the interruption, cut it off, or diagnosis its importance and make a plan. Many interruptions are recurring and can be anticipated. You want to have preset criteria for which response you want to make. You can also train those around you by answering email during certain windows, setting up office hours to talk in person or closing the door when you need to focus.
Schedule your day for energy and focus
Most of us go through the day using a "push, push, push" approach, thinking if we work the full eight to 10 hours, we'll get more done. Instead, productivity goes down, stress levels go up and you have very little energy left over for your family. Schedule breaks throughout the day to walk, stretch at your desk or do a breathing exercise. If there is have intense concentration for about 90 minutes, followed by a brief period of recovery, one can clear the buildup of stress and rejuvenate.
Eat right and sleep well
Eating badly will stress your system. When you're not sleeping well, you're not getting the rejuvenating effects. If racing thoughts keep you from falling asleep or you wake up in the night and can't get back to sleep, try this simple breathing trick that will knock you out fast: Cover your right nostril and breathe through your left for three to five minutes.
Cool down quickly
When you feel frustrated or angry, it's a heated feeling in your body that can cause you to react. Instead of immediately reacting”and likely overreacting”try a "cooling breath" technique: Breathe in through your mouth as if you are sipping through a straw, and then breathe out normally through your nose. Done right, you'll feel a cooling, drying sensation over the top of your tongue. It's like hitting the "pause" button, giving you time to think about your response.
Identify self-imposed stress
Learn to stop self imposing stress by building your own self-confidence rather than seeking other's approval. If you're too caught up in others' perceptions of you, which you can't control, you become stressed out by the minutia or participate in avoidance behaviors like procrastination. Ironically, once you shift your focus from others' perception of your work to the work itself, you're more likely to impress them.
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What you can do
• Initiate positive relationships at work and beyond
• Get up and moving”don't sit in a desk job for more than an hour at a time
• Learn how omega-3 fats in your diet helps reduce stress and boost mood
• Get the full amount of sleep you need to feel your best
• Regain control by prioritizing and organizing
• Look for the humor in what seems to be a bad situation
