Tips on how to reduce workplace stress Published June 15, 2007 By Mark Williams ARPC Chief, IT Plans, Policy and Resources Division DENVER -- A few weeks ago on my way into the building I noticed an ambulance pulled up to the door at the west entrance. The paramedics were loading someone into the ambulance. I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was barely 6:15 a.m. A rush of anxiety came over me as I've seen this occurrence a half dozen times this past year, and to some folks that I know. I thought "I'm always so stressed out. " Wouldn't you know it; my heart was already racing as I had battled yet another Dale Earnhardt Jr. in his monster truck just trying to get here. My next thought was, "I hope I never have to be taken out of here like that." But let's face the facts straight on - this is an extremely ambitious and demanding time in the history of the Air Reserve Personnel Center. Things like Base Realignment and Closure, manpower studies, force structuring, compliance inspections, Total Force modeling, A-76 outsourcing, and emerging Personnel Services Delivery Transformation initiatives have brought and will continue to bring about extraordinary change over the next several years. With all of this going on at the same time coupled with the dynamic lifestyles that we lead, it's easy to become overwhelmed by exhaustion, frustration and dissatisfaction when challenges become too many and too demanding. Fear of the unknown and fear of change touch our basic sense of security and sense of identity which are our most vital human needs. All of us; young and old, whether in our personal or business lives, are under stress to produce, abide by rules and to exist compatibly on the job and with others. Some of this stress is normal, and can actually motivate us to higher levels of thinking and productivity - up to a point - after which things deteriorate rapidly and can be detrimental to our health and safety to others. Chronic stress impairs immune systems functioning, lowering the body's resistance to disease and reduces a person's ability to be fully functional on the job. I want to challenge all of you to become aware of the danger signs of stress, not only for yourself, but your coworkers, and understand what we can do to reduce stress in the workplace and at home. Besides, who really wants to read about technical advancements related to open systems interface reference modeling anyway - not me! So before we can begin to reduce stress and unwind, we need to recognize some of the indicators that you or your coworkers might be experiencing that could lead to more serious health issues. There are three main categories of symptoms to help identify individuals having trouble coping with stress: Physical: Headaches, grinding teeth, clenched jaws, chest pain, shortness or breath, high blood pressure, fatigue, insomnia and frequent illness. Psychosocial: Anxiety, irritability, anger, mood swings, depression, slowed thinking, feelings of helplessness. Behavioral: Overeating or loss of appetite, quickness to argue/use of crude language, procrastination, increased use of alcohol or drugs. Now that we know some of the warning signs and dangers of what stress can do, what can we do to reduce stress and find ways to be more productive. I believe that the way you think has a direct correlation on how you feel and how you act. Negative thoughts can lead to negative outcomes, and in turn, can twist a challenging task into a crisis. I also feel that positive job factors can play an important role in keeping stress in check. Here are a few factors that we practice in my shop to help keep our stress levels down: Set realistic goals and priorities and encourage co-workers to be part of the priority-setting process. They feel like part of the plan, gain responsibility, and grumble less about change when they know it's coming. Be prepared and encourage good time-management techniques. Plan ahead for important activities, schedule them in advance, following up with others and keeping good records helps us get things accomplished on time. Practice deep breathing. Breathing is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to manage stress' effects on your body. When you are stressed, you have a tendency to breathe more shallowly and rapidly; some people even hold their breath, depriving their bodies of vital oxygen. To promote a relaxation response, breathe slowly in through your nose and deeply out through your mouth. Say "Goosfrahbah" (Eskimo word used in the movie "Anger Management" to relax clients) as you breath out; it works! Lighten up and maintain a sense of humor. Smile more. We all know laughter reduces stress. You will be amazed at how much more pleasant the people around you are when you make an effort to be pleasant yourself. Occasionally make your staff meetings fun through team-building exercises. We have a lot of fun with short exercises that pay huge dividends in productivity and building trusting relationships. Don't sweat the small stuff. Realize that there are some things that just aren't worth worrying about, and there are some things you just can't change. Don't waste time stressing over the things in either category. Can any of you remember what was stressful in your life six months ago or a year ago? Spend more time with optimistic people and keep a positive perspective. Negative people will pull you down to their level. Seek out people who have a positive attitude to talk to. Throughout the day stop and evaluate the streams of thought that run through your mind. If they're negative, try to reframe those thoughts in a positive way. Finding positive ways to cope with the sources and effects of stress will depend on your individual circumstances, and often employing a combination of these methods will be most effective. You may find that once you release the tension and take your focus off the problem solutions will magically appear and the demands of our changing workplace will be much more survivable: and no more ambulance rides please!