Stress Management for Leaders

How to Optimize Health and Productivity

What do Olympic athletes and high potentials do to reduce stress and maximize performance? Glean the essence of their wisdom, along with understanding the hidden costs of stress to your organization.

Stress and Productivity Statistics
Approximately 40% to 50% of all adult workers experience the negative effects of stress (American Psychological Association, 1997).

In a study by Northwestern National Life Insurance, 70% of workers said that job stress makes them less productive as a result of frequent health problems.

According to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, healthcare costs are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.

Major Consequences of Stress in the Workplace
1. Absenteeism
2. Turnover
3. Diminished performance & productivity
4. Substance Abuse
5. Anxiety and Depression
6. Increased health compensation claims

Four Keys to Reducing Stress

(1) Break. If you sit at your job, take a 5-10 minute break every hour. Move around. For others, take a 10-15 minute break mid-morning and mid-afternoon in addition to lunch. You will be more alert, productive and creative.

(2) Breathing. Most of us breathe too shallowly and that contributes to the build-up stress. Take long deep breaths regularly whenever you can think of it. Exhale twice as long and make a sigh to relax your body even more.

(3) Balance. If you are a person who works a lot, I encourage you to create balance in your life.  Eat healthy food when you should in the correct portion sizes. Drink half your weight in ounces of water each day. If you weight 120 pounds, drink 60 ounces of water. Get 7.5 – 8 hours of sleep. Most of us need that. Some of us need 9 hours to feel good. Exercise. Thirty minutes a day is ideal.

(4) Beliefs. Watch your automatic negative thinking. Make a chart and put the old limiting beliefs on the left side. Write the new counter-statements on the right side. Look at it daily to guide your decision making.

If you want help to shift your mindset and your behavior, please contact me. I’m happy to help.

Benita A. Esposito, MA, Licensed Professional Counselor
The Esposito Institute, Inc.
2 Offices: Atlanta and Blairsville, Georgia
Life coaching is available worldwide. www.SensitiveIntrovert.com
Psychotherapy: www.Flourishing-Lives.com