Do you know the universal laws? -Part 2
09/04/2022The Universal Law of Permanent Change
07/05/2022
The Universal Law of Rhythm
Stress Management 3
Living and working with positive stress
In the post “Stress Management – Part 1”, we discovered that much of our stress is caused by unconsciously - and unnecessarily - triggering the stress reaction. In the post "Stress Management - Part 2", we learned how to develop "anti-stress" attitudes and avoid the role of the victim.
In this post we will explain the basic principle of day-to-day stress management, especially applicable and useful on the job.
Managing stress does not mean eliminating stress. It means maintaining an average stress level that enhances health, well-being and work performance. This is called positive stress. In order to achieve it, we need to create a rhythm between the time we apply to activity and the time we apply to rest.
Nature, through its Universal Law of Rhythm gives us the circadian rhythm, giving us the day for being active and the night for resting. However, the way most of us live and work, this natural rhythm is not functioning very well.
We work too much and rest too little, which means we wake up in the morning still stressed and tired. And the stress and tiredness keep on accumulating, creating negative stress; - until our body and mind and emotions start reacting with pain, fatigue, anxiety and a host of other negative stress symptoms, which in turn can develop into burnout and disease.
Since the natural day-and-night rhythm is no longer enough to prevent the stress from accumulating into negative stress, a basic stress management strategy is to add an extra rhythm between activity and rest during the day.
Based on scientific research, this rhythm should be about 5 to 10 minutes rest every one and a half to two hours of activity. Scientists have found that after about 90 to 120 minutes of intense mental activity, our brain becomes tired and many of its cognitive functions such as focusing, concentration and creativity are weakened.
To maintain optimal mental capacity, focus, and work performance, it's crucial to incorporate regular breaks into your workday.
While occasional coffee breaks can be refreshing, real rest for the brain comes from relaxation exercises. These short breaks of just a few minutes each, often called power naps, can significantly boost your cognitive functions.
Aim to take a power nap around 10 AM, noon, and 3 or 4 PM to relax or even doze off. By implementing this simple strategy, you'll soon experience reduced stress levels and a noticeable improvement in your overall well-being.
The important thing is to avoid that the day becomes a continuous activity. Imagine, there are people who don’t even take time to go to the bathroom or they keep on working while eating their lunch.
So now you know that THE BASIC STRATEGY FOR PREVENTING NEGATIVE STRESS AND BURNOUT, IS TO AVOID THE ACCUMULATION OF STRESS BY INTERRUPTING YOUR ACTIVITY WITH A POWER NAP AT LEAST THREE TIMES A DAY.
And please, if you are a team leader, don’t allow any meeting to last more than 2 hours without taking a break. Those eternal meetings of 3, or 4 or even more hours are counter-productive. Your team members lose their focus and commitment and end up feeling exhausted and demotivated.
In addition to practicing taking breaks with a power nap, you might also want to take a look at your work habits to see if you need to make some adjustments as part of your stress management strategy. Are you an organized person and do you know how to set priorities? Do you know how to delegate tasks to others? Do you know how to set limits and say ´no´? Do you take work with you home?
And what about your lifestyle?
Do you do any physical exercise?
Do you get enough sleep?
Do you do anything fun during the week?
Do you really relax on week-ends?
Do you obey the Law of Rhythm? If not, see what changes and adjustments you can make. I am sure there are some things you can do to improve your situation. And remember: you cannot expect different results unless you do something different.
©2022 Jan Moller
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