Managing stress
Article by Lucy Seifert Life Coach London
"There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full." Henry Kissinger
Do you feel like you’re sinking under your ‘to do’ list?
Are you feeling overburdened and tired all the time?
Use coaching first to talk & unburden, then to seek solutions or ways of coping with life’s stressors
What is stress?
The word stress originates from the old French word destresse meaning to be oppressed. There is no single definition of stress, but in general it can be defined as an individual’s Inability to cope with the demands of a situation.
It is not necessarily the situation in itself that is stressful, not the external but rather how each of us feels and behaves in relation to the event or circumstances. For example, one person’s negative stress can be another’s positive stressor or motivator, such as meeting a deadline. However, there are, of course, some life events which are more likely to produce stress in the majority of people, such as the break-up of a relationship or being made redundant from the job you love.
Stress at work
Stress in the workplace is a response by body and brain to too much or too little pressure. Perhaps you are one of those who feels your employer places high demands on you yet fails to provide sufficient resources (eg. time, budget, staff) to cope with these demands. Some clients speak of lack of support, such as ineffective systems of supervision or lack of accessibility to managers to discuss their concerns.
However, stress may not only be at the door of the employing organisation, since as individuals we can also add to our levels of stress by:
- Placing unrealistically high expectations on ourselves
- Being resistant to seeking support or advice from manager, colleagues, friends, family , mentor or other professional helper
- Viewing a situation so that it becomes more stressful than it need be
Symptoms of stress
The signs of stress are many and it’s worth getting to recognise yours. Symptoms include headaches, difficulty sleeping, feeling forever tired, an inability to relax, shoulder and neck pain and forgetfulness. If you recognise you are more stressed than usual, it’s time to stop, take stock and consider how to control it before it takes control of you.
The other type of negative stress is where the demands placed on us are below our capacities, resulting in boredom, lack of fulfillment and discontent. Then we need to find ways of increasing the demands on ourselves.
How can Lucy Seifert Life Coach London help?
Life Coaching will help you identify your key stressors, separating the demands you make on yourself from the external demands made upon you. We will explore ways to prevent, reduce or manage your stressors (causes of stress), internal & external and develop an action plan of strategies and skills to address current circumstances that will also serve you for future events
This may include enhancing your skills & capacities through, for example, assertiveness training, confidence coaching, time management techniques & other skills development either at my office in London or over the telephone.
It may involve establishing a better work life balance. And remember:
“The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." (Author Unknown)
Contact me - Lucy Seifert Life Coach London - today on:
Tel: 020 8922 3140
Mob: 07956 663151
Email:
info@lucyseifertcoaching-training.co.uk
