Shifting Perspectives: Managing Stress and Worry in an Ever Changing Workplace

Shifting Perspectives: Managing Stress and Worry in an Ever Changing Workplace

There you are, sitting at your desk or driving down the road, working on a daily task or listening to the radio. Suddenly, your palms start sweating, you feel dizzy, your heart beats fast, you quickly struggle to catch your breath. As most would, you then go to the hospital expecting that something is wrong. After all the testing is done the doctor walks in calmly and says, “You’ve had a panic attack.” How could this be? You had thought that you had a solid grip on all the things that had been causing stress and worry in your life. However, the more you think, the more you realize you had not been managing these things as effectively as you should have.

Let’s be honest, stress and worry are a part of all our lives. While it may not end in a panic attack, it affects us all in some way. As much as we wish we could, we can’t just click delete on the desktop file in our brain titled, “Things that stress me out.” Stress is something that we must deal with, and need to deal with if we want to live a fulfilling life. In 2022, the World Health Organization found that 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress while 54% of workers report that work stress affects their home life.

Business owners, especially small business owners, know this reality all to well. Every day, they face things like searching for talent in today’s difficult hiring environment, inflation, a challenging economy, employee retention, virtual vs in-person work environments, the list goes on. So where do we start? How do we take a logical approach towards handling stress and worry in today’s workplace? How do we change our perspective when facing these things?

Compete Against Your Own Standards

Often, we find ourselves worrying about the standards others have set for us. Obviously, things such as sales quotas or business goals that are set for us are important to meet. But what about other expectations or standards? Maybe it’s that you find yourself worrying more about the business down the road or the person at the desk next to you and their performance. You think to yourself, “Well if they are doing *insert accomplishment, sales numbers, or achievement here* then I should be too, shouldn’t I?” Comparing your life and career timeline to those you see on social media or in the workplace is a slippery slope and one that often creates unnecessary stress. If you are too busy comparing your work with someone else’s, how much time does that take away from what really matters? The truth is, that at the end of the day, the only person that can affect the way you work, or your level of performance is yourself. So focus on the expectations you set for yourself. Align your expectations with goals that have been set for you. Be realistic about your expectations and compete with yourself.

Accept the Worst and Improve on the Worst

Suppose you get in the car today after work and start driving home? What’s the worst thing that can happen? I pose this question in trainings that I facilitate. Most of the time, people respond with, “I get in a wreck and die.” Morbid, perhaps, a possible reality, absolutely. Next I ask, "What can you do to change that or improve on that?" Maybe you put on your seatbelt? Put your phone down while driving? Drive the speed limit (or close to it.) Surely after implementing these steps the possibility of a substantial car wreck decreases. Next time you find yourself facing a stressful situation, think of the worst that can happen. Be honest with your answer, embrace it. Then, take steps to improve on it.

Find Peace and Joy in Those Around You

Unless you find yourself on a deserted island with an old volleyball named Wilson, chances are you interact with people daily. When you find yourself stressed or worried, focus on other people. Ask them how they are doing and become genuinely interested in them. I have found it extremely difficult to worry about the things that are causing me stress in my life when I fill my mind with the needs and circumstances in the lives of those around me. In the end, you are reducing the stress in your life by shifting the perspective to those around you instead of only focusing on yourself. All while building those around you up by investing and taking interest in them.

We’ve all heard that there are a few things in life that are certain, death and taxes. While true, I would argue that the third may be stress and worry. Another famous phrase most of us have heard is, “If you have a lemon, make lemonade.” Dale Carnegie coined this in his book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. So the next time we are faced with stress and worry, let’s change our perspective. In doing so, we might just make a step towards reducing stress in our lives.?

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About the Author: Ian Mohorn strives to help businesses and people achieve their highest potential all while assisting them to succeed in selling, leadership, engagement, presentations, managing stress and worry, self-confidence, communication and human relations skills. He is President and CEO of SCIE & Associates, LLC which offers Dale Carnegie Programs in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. His mission is to develop and serve all those he works with to the best of our ability. He understands that business clients are more than clients, they are partners. Partners that have trusted him and Dale Carnegie Training of the Emerald Coast with the most of important part of their business: their people.

People. Partnership. Performance.