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MAYO
CLINIC
April 2004 (Vol. 11, No. 1)
Executive stress
Stress is chief among executives' health concerns
Physicians at Mayo Clinic say more and more executives
admit that stress is affecting their jobs, family life
and health. Start with an unpredictable economy, pressure
to maintain profitability and increased responsibilities.
Add concerns about travel and workplace security, and
you've got a pressure-cooker environment. "It's
no wonder that stress is high on the list of executive
concerns this year," says Dr. Christian Van Den
Berg, chair of Executive and International Medicine.
Van Den Berg and his colleagues see about 2,500
executives a year through the Mayo Clinic Executive
Health Program in Jacksonville. The program offers a
comprehensive one- to two-day medical evaluation for
busy professionals.
Not all stress is bad. Whether you're an executive or
not, some degree of stress is a necessary part of life.
Stress can be positive when it provides motivation to
achieve your goals, Van Den Berg says. "However,
when you have too much stress, or it lasts too long,
it can be harmful to your health."
Taking a stress inventory can help you reduce stress
by pinpointing the cause. Trouble on the job, the death
of a loved one and personal injury are obvious, but
daily hassles and demands are easy to overlook. "Persistent
little things like commuting, unproductive meetings,
too many commitments and family arguments can wreak
more havoc on your health over time than the intermittent
big things,"
Van Den Berg says.
He suggests people keep a stress journal, listing all
the demands on their time and energy for one week. Once
the stressors are identified, there are four ways to
cope: Accept the situation, avoid it, alter it or adapt
to it.
"Focus on changing the things you can and accepting
the things you cannot," Van Den Berg says. In addition,
try:
* Relaxing
* Relabeling
* Regular exercise
* Humor
* Strengthening or establishing a supportnetwork
* Making more personal time
Relaxing can reverse the physical effects
of stress and make a person feel better, think better
and perform better. Van Den Berg suggests people relax
half an hour each day.
Attaching negative labels to too many situations makes
life seem gloomy. Van Den Berg suggests relabeling situations
with a positive outlook. Instead of thinking, "No
one communicates," try, "I'll open the channels
of communication." Instead of thinking, "It's
not going to get better," think, "I'll give
it one more try."
Aerobic exercise reduces stress by increasing the body's
production of natural painkillers (endorphins). It also
increases oxygen to the brain, which releases tension
from muscles. Physical activity also provides a time
out from stressful situations.
Laughter is an "inner upper," Van Den Berg
says. "People should allow themselves to experience
moments of joy without feeling guilty."
And don't forget the power of friendships. Studies of
people who remain happy and healthy despite many life
stresses conclude that most have very good social support.
Activity overload is a source of stress in many people's
lives. Carve more personal time out of your busy life.
Prioritize your activities and cut out low-priority
ones and any that are not necessary, enjoyable or satisfying.
The result: more time alone, or more time to do the
things you really enjoy.
"You cannot eliminate all the stress in your life,
but you can learn to deal with it actively and effectively,"
Van Den Berg says. "Stop thinking of stress as
something that just happens to you. Instead, take charge
of your stress and turn it into a positive force in
your life."
http://www.mayoclinic.org/checkup-2004/apr-stress.html
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