Managing Stress- Work life balance

Six myths about stress

1:  Stress is the same for everybody.

Stress is different for each of us. What is stressful for one person may or may not be stressful for another; each of us responds to stress in an entirely different way.

2:  Stress is always bad for you.

According to this view, zero stress makes us happy and healthy. Wrong. Stress is to the human condition what tension is to the violin string: too little and the music is dull and raspy; too much and the music is shrill or the string snaps. Stress can be the kiss of death or the spice of life. The issue, really, is how to manage it. Managed stress makes us productive and happy; mismanaged stress hurts and even kills us.

3:  Stress is everywhere, so you can’t do anything about it.

Not so. You can plan your life so that stress does not overwhelm you. Effective planning involves setting priorities and working on simple problems first, solving them, and then going on to more complex difficulties. When stress is mismanaged, it’s difficult to prioritize. All your problems seem to be equal and stress seems to be everywhere.

4: The most popular techniques for reducing stress are the best ones.

Again, not so. No universally effective stress reduction techniques exist. We are all different, our lives are different, our situations are different, and our reactions are different. Only a comprehensive program tailored to the individual works.

5:   No symptoms, no stress.

Absence of symptoms does not mean the absence of stress. In fact, camouflaging symptoms with medication may deprive you of the signals you need for reducing the strain on your physiological and psychological systems.

6:  Only major symptoms of stress require attention.

This myth assumes that the “minor” symptoms, such as headaches or stomach acid, may be safely ignored. Minor symptoms of stress are the early warnings that your life is getting out of hand and that you need to do a better job of managing stress.

Work Life Balance –  If you’re finding it more challenging than ever to juggle the demands of your job and the rest of your life, you’re not alone.

Many people are putting in extra hours, or using their smartphones to be on call when they’re not physically at work.

“A lot of people are having a more difficult time finding balance in their lives because there have been cutbacks or redundancies where they work. They’re afraid it may happen to them, so they’re putting in more hours.

Even if you don’t have much control over the hours you have to work, you should ask yourself: In what other ways am I bringing greater enjoyment into my life? Place emphasis on your time and attention on things you can control.

Here are five ways to bring a little more balance to your daily routine:

1. When you plan your week, make it a point to schedule time with your family and friends, and activities that help you recharge. Make time to see your friends on your calendar; you’ll have something to look forward to and an extra incentive to manage your time well so you don’t have to cancel. It helps to be proactive about scheduling. When you’re out with go out with your friends, schedule another night out on the calendar for 1 month later.
2. Drop activities that sap your time or energy. Many people waste their time on activities or people that add no value — for example, spending too much time at work with a colleague who is constantly venting and gossiping. Take stock of activities that don’t enhance your career or personal life, and minimise the time you spend on them. You may even be able to leave work earlier if you make a conscious effort to limit the time you spend on the web and social media sites, making personal calls, or checking your bank balance. We often get sucked into these habits that are making us much less efficient without realising it.
3. Re-think your errands. Consider whether you can outsource any of your time-consuming household chores or responsibilities. Could you order your groceries online and have them delivered? Have your dry cleaning picked up and dropped off at your home or office? Even if you’re on a tight budget, you may discover that the time you’ll save will make it worth it. Why not trade services with friends. Offer to do tasks that you enjoy or that you were planning to do anyway. You could exchange gardening services for babysitting services. If you like to cook, you could prepare and freeze a couple of meals and give them to a friend in exchange for wrapping your xmas /birthday gifts.
4. Get moving. It’s hard to make time for exercise when you have a jam-packed schedule, but it may ultimately help you get more done by boosting your energy level and ability to concentrate. Research shows exercise can help you to be more alert.
5. Remember that a little relaxation goes a long way. Don’t assume that you need to make big changes to bring more balance to your life. Setting realistic goals, like leaving the office earlier 1 night per week. Slowly build more activities into your schedule that are important to you, Maybe you can start by spending an hour a week on a hobby or planning a weekend getaway with your loved ones once a year. Even during a hectic day, you can take 10 or 15 minutes to do something that will recharge your batteries. Take a bath, read, go for a walk, or listen to music. You have to make a little time for the things that ignite your joy.