STRESS MANAGEMENT AND PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY CHAPTER 15 STRESS MANAGEMENT AND PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY

PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS, continued Stress is an adaptive response to an action, situation, or event that places special demands on a person. Individual differences in the perception of an event determine if it is a stressor. Minor demands can accumulate to create stress.

PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS You might be or will become a corporate athlete—a worker who engages in high-level performance for sustained periods. To be a corporate athlete you must manage energy and stress well, plus have good work habits and time management.

SYMPTOMS AND CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS Physiological changes are responsible for most stress symptoms. The fight-or-flight response is the battle against the stressor. When faced with stress, the brain acts like a thermostat regulating the body’s response. Continuous short-range physiological changes can lead to annoying and life-threatening condition.

JOB PERFORMANCE CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS Hindrance stressors have a negative effect on motivation and performance. Challenge stressors have a positive effect on motivation and performance. An optimum level of stress exists for most people and most tasks. Prolonged stress may lead to burnout, a condition known as work exhaustion.

PERSONALITY FACTORS RELATED TO JOB STRESS Low perceived control Low self-efficacy (lacking confidence to accomplish the task) Type A behavior and hostility (demanding, impatient, often bad for heart) Negative affectivity (nasty disposition)

JOB SOURCES OF STRESS Role overload including extreme jobs Role conflict and role ambiguity Adverse environmental conditions Unpleasant or dangerous conditions Musculoskeletal disorders including carpal tunnel syndrome Heavy commuting (for many people)

JOB SOURCES OF STRESS, continued Environmentally induced attention deficit disorder (technology and activity overload) Job insecurity Worrying about losing job creates problems even if jobs are plentiful. Survivors of downsizing may fear future cuts, loss of friends.

METHODS AND TECHNIQUES FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT Note: Distress is less likely if you have the right resources. Eliminate or modify the stressor. Get appropriate physical exercise. Rest sufficiently. Maintain a healthy diet. Build a support network. Practice visualization and meditation.

STRESS MANAGEMENT, continued Practice everyday techniques of stress reduction, such as: Learning how to relax, Get a massage, Get help with a stressful task, Finish something you have started, however small.

DEALING WITH PROCRASTINATION Commit to what you want in life. Calculate the cost of procrastination. Use WIFO, or “worst in, first out.” Break the task into manageable chunks. Make a commitment to other people. Remove some clutter from your mind. Satisfy your stimulation quota in constructive ways. Eliminate tangible rewards for procrastinating.

ATTITUDES AND VALUES FOR PRODUCTIVITY Begin with a mission and goals. Play the inner game of work (shut down your inner critic, so you can focus on what is important). Work smarter, not harder (plan your task, and use deliberate practice). Value orderliness and cleanliness (yet some people work well amid clutter). Value good attendance and punctuality.

ATTITUDES AND VALUES FOR PRODUCTIVITY, continued Attain a balance in life and avoid being a workaholic: Learn to diplomatically say no to your boss and family members. Workaholism is an addiction to work in which non-work is not fun. Increase your energy (rituals for body, emotions, mind, and spirit).

WORK HABITS AND SKILLS FOR PRODUCTIVITY Prepare a to-do list and set priorities. Streamline your work and emphasize important tasks. Concentrate on one important task instead of multitasking. Stay in control of paperwork and electronic work. Work productively from your home or virtual office. Enhance your Internet search skills.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS OF MULTITASKING Can lead to problems in concentration and significant errors for most people. Errors increase, and amount of time to perform the task may double. Task may be done inefficiently. Rudeness problem occurs when multitasking in presence of others.

WORKING AT HOME OR FROM VIRTUAL OFFICE Need to be self-starter, self-disciplined. Act as if you work in traditional office. Stay in touch with teammates, and other workers as well. Minimize conducting personal life at the same time as working. Schedule regular times for meals and snacks.

OVERCOMING TIME WASTERS Time wasting depends on its purpose, such as chatting with a coworker to avoid work versus building a relationship. Even if you save just 10 minutes per day, the productivity gain over a year would be enormous. Maintaining a time log for two weeks is an effective starting point. Time wasters include daydreaming, checking e-mail too frequently, and perfectionism.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE A PERFECTIONIST WHEN YOU… Often correct the speech of others. Keep checking and rechecking your e-mails before sending. Check the expiration date on food so you can purchase the freshest. Rarely start a new assignment until you have finished the previous one. Become upset when you make a mistake.

Strive for Excellence Not perfection!