Success Under Stress

Success Under Stress, Powerful Tools for Staying Calm, Confident, and Productive When the Pressure’s On, by Sharon Melnick, Amacom 2013 Quick, can you name one or two people in your life who are not stressed?

I’m thinking.

Wait, don’t push me, I’ll think of them.

Yah, all right, I’ve got one… well maybe.

Okay, I give up. 

So maybe my Aunt Liz – she died last year, but does that count? – wasn’t stressed.  She knew how to laugh.

Stress is normal, it’s how we get stuff.  Its life, so why try to reduce what drives us all to success?

Dr. Melnick’s response is stunning.  See if you are in any of these groups:

                *75 percent of average American adults have experienced moderate to high levels of stress in the past month

                * Nearly half feel that their stress has increased in the past year

                * 77 percent regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress

                *Nearly half lie awake at night as a result of stress

                *51% say they are less productive at work due to stress.

Find one that fits?  I’ll go with the 77% physical symptoms – a headache right behind the left ear when I’m repressing anger – and the half who lie awake at night.  This book offers quick tips and questionnaires, examples – take your pick, to make a dent in that big black pulsing stress flow.  My personal favorite, one that I am sure women will love, is:

                *Become a serial mono-focused.  If you think multi-tasking is the most effective way

                To tackle an overload of demands, think again.  “In reality, you lose efficiency and focus each time you have to switch between topic and projects,” Melnick states.  “As you do that over the course of the day, you can take up to 30 percent longer to complete a task and make twice as many mistakes.”  The better way, advises Dr. Melnick, is serial monofocus.  Give your full attention to what you’re doing in the moment and then shift your attention to the next task.  The Mill Girl is not entirely convinced, but perhaps this advice will work for professionals who have structured their task list to include distinct, completeable tasks.    I am buying her advice on managing emails, office interruptions and cell phones, however.  She attributes 24/7 connectivity to these devices and offers that managing your own schedule more positively will generate more empowering results – “People will understand and actually respect you for only being available when you can give them your full attention.”

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