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  SAHOA  
 
598 West Main St
Suite #7
Norwich, CT 06360
(860) 889-2893
 
 

 


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Stress on the job

By Stephen Ingle, Wordco
 

Overworked? Stressed out? Do you feel like screaming at your next customer?

Being overwhelmed with work happens to all of us from time to time. Here are some ideas for getting through those times:

1) Get up from your desk and do something non-work related: take out the trash, wash the dishes, watch the news on TV. Do some yoga stretches. Go for a walk if you need to. Get your mind off of work, however briefly.

2) Pour yourself a glass of ice water or make yourself a cup of tea. Avoid sweetened beverages.

3) Take a breath. Re-enter your office. Put on some relaxing music.

4) Clean off your desk. Start with the bigger stuff, and work down to the papers and pens.

5) Neaten up the rest of your office.

6) Turn off the music. Make a list of everything that needs to be done. Mark those items that have to be taken care of today or tomorrow.

7) Remind yourself of why you're in business and why you work from home. Give yourself positive messages, like "I'm really good at what I do" or "I love the freedom of working from home." (Don't say "I suck" or "Anybody who would actually pay money for my services is an idiot").

8) Now set the timer for one hour and begin work on your priority items. Of the priority items, which is absolutely the most important to get done first? Start with that item.

9) Make your to-do list for the next day. Be realistic about what you can get accomplished. If you need to miss some deadlines, plan to call those clients in the morning.

10) In the evening, set aside time to relax. Avoid alcohol. Get a good night's rest. Everything will look more manageable in the morning.

Do I actually practice what I preach? Not usually, unless I get really really stressed out. If any other members have ideas about dealing with stress, I'd love to hear them (after I finish my beer and bag of chocolate chip cookies).