Stress is Straining Your Productivity

The C-Suite, entrepreneurs, stay-at-home moms, and everyone in between are united by a common thread. Our health. Health is a complex product of an integrated or dis-integrated mind and body.

It eclipses, both, weight and labs results. It encompasses the spiritual, mental, emotional, social and physical aspects of our lives. It affects our productivity and how we show up in the world.

Because my approach to health and fitness is heavily focused on healing from within to produce outward results, I am always interested in how I can increase my subject matter expertise for better client outcomes.

To my delight, while scrolling through my feed, I noticed an article by “Hello Monday” podcast host and Linkedin Senior Editor-at-Large, Jessi Hempel. In it, she shared her interview  with Jerry Colonna, former venture capitalist, executive coach and author of the book, Reboot: Leadership and the Art of Growing Up . He is also known as the "CEO whisperer". They discussed the appropriateness of bringing the “whole self” into the office.

After reading the highlights, I knew that I needed to listen to what they had to say... and share it. I was struck by his honesty and the poignancy of the interview. At one point, Mr. Colonna described experiencing what he termed as “visceral dissonance”. For those unfamiliar with dissonance, it is a term associated with psychology.

Cognitive dissonance is the psychological or mental discomfort/stress that we experience when our beliefs or values clash with how we live. It may also occur when we discover contradictions to those beliefs and values that we cannot reconcile.

According to A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, we strive for psychological consistency to function at our best. In the face of inconsistency (and discomfort), we look for ways to win the inner struggle. This is normally accomplished by incorporating new beliefs or avoiding circumstances that increase our mental stress.

Health and Productivity

Most of us are aware, through personal experience, that stress can affect our productivity. In a previous article, “When Life Feels More Like a Game of Survival”  I compared living with chronic stress to approaching every day as if there were a zombie apocalypse. Living in survival mode requires mental resources that will quickly deplete and can leave us feeling drained, stuck, and unmotivated.

Not only are we affected, but the stress that we endure is pervasive and insidious. It spreads throughout our workplaces and homes. In an interview with Knowledge@Wharton,  Mr. Colonna relayed this message from “an executive at a large software company” , “…health care claims for anxiety-related illnesses for the children of their top executives had gone up 30%, 40%, 50% in the previous two years.”

When we are mired in stress, we can become oblivious to the effects that it has on those around us. Often, we are unaware of the effects that it has directly on us…to our detriment.

Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.

C.G. Jung

Common Signs of Stress

Although we will each have our own reactions, stress causes a physiological response that is essentially beyond our control, without intervention and awareness.

Here’s where honesty, journaling and awareness come in. Many times, we can deny that we are stressed or think that we are handling things much better than we actually are. While this may make us feel like we have superhuman mental capabilities, our body will continue to silently release its cascade of neurochemicals and hormones and the damage will continue.

Incidentally, here are many similarities between the signs and symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.

• Cold or sweaty hands or feet
• Frequent colds, infections, herpes sores (immune system)
• Rashes, itching, hives, “goose bumps”
• Unexplained or frequent “allergy” attacks
• Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea (GI)
• Excess belching, flatulence
• Constipation, diarrhea
• Frequent sighing
• Panic attacks
• Chest pain, palpitations, rapid pulse
• Decreased libido
• Disorganization
• Depression (which comes with its own symptoms)
• Frequent mood swings 
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Insomnia, nightmares, disturbing dreams
• Difficulty concentrating, racing thoughts
• Trouble learning new information
• Forgetfulness, confusion
• Difficulty in making decisions
• Feeling overwhelmed or stuck
• Frustration or irritability, Overreactions
• Obsessive or compulsive behavior (helps with control)
• Reduced productivity
• Impulse buying (releases dopamine)
• Social withdrawal and isolation

·      Constant tiredness, weakness, fatigue

·      Weight gain or loss without diet

·      Legal and/or illegal substance use

·      Excessive gambling 

·      Excess anxiety/worry

Imagine trying to effectively work, parent and participate in a healthy relationship while experiencing some (or many) of the symptoms listed. 

In my own past, I have battled chronic stress, dissonance, anxiety and depression. I hid it well. No matter what was going on, I was always “Ok”. My smile, lightheartedness and friendly demeanor were a costume, covering what was going on inside. As I reflect on the list of symptoms, I am grateful that I survived. 

Unfortunately, that survival involved emotional eating, denial, and the crippling of my mental/emotional health. It also took a toll on my marriage and family.

The way to truly gain control over stress is to acknowledge it and begin to develop a plan that is right for us and fits our particular lifestyle, abilities and values. Awareness of your body’s personal cues and reactions is a great place to start. Observe yourself in situations in which you are likely to become stressed. 

·      Notice your breathing and heartrate. 

·      Are your hands or jaws clenched? 

·      Are your palms sweating? 

·      What is your “stress normal”? By that I mean, how does your body normally react? 

·      Do different stressors and situations produce different responses in your body? 

·      Is there a pattern? 

Learning to observe yourself and developing the necessary coping tools may just save your life.