ThriveWithNancy

Ugh…Stress! Hello, Help Coming Your Way

September 27, 2022 Nancy Fredericks Season 2 Episode 46
ThriveWithNancy
Ugh…Stress! Hello, Help Coming Your Way
Show Notes Transcript

Is stress damaging your joy? Then, hang onto your hat…On this podcast, I’m sharing my best stress relief tips! They work. Pull out a piece of paper to note the practical and easy-to-implement ideas coming your way.

ThriveWithNancy Podcast addresses the tricky points you run into daily as a woman executive. Nancy Fredericks shares all the secrets she's acquired as an experienced thought-leader. She's passionate about sharing practical, insider solutions with women executives to tap into on your way to achieving all of your career hopes and dreams. 

No one generates a fulfilling, successful career alone. Explore two opportunities to boost your career in 2022.... 

Ready to knock over every stumbling block standing in the way of the career you've aspired to achieve? You can have Nancy Fredericks in your back pocket through YOUR STRATEGIC EDGE coaching package…it comes with a ton of extra goodies. Check it out at: https://thrivewithnancy.com/executive/

Thrive@Work MasterMind program is a monthly 90-minute virtual community of professional women committed to growing and developing their careers through real-life, in-the-moment learning. Join this group of dynamic women acquiring the secrets rarely shared regarding career success for women--one that is satisfying and fulfilling to you. Check it out at: https://www.thrivewithnancy.com/thrive/ 

Speaker 1:

Is stress damaging your joy, then hang onto your hat on this podcast, I'm sharing my best stress relief dips, and they work. Pull out a piece of paper to note the practical and easy to implement ideas. Coming your way. Welcome to thrive with Nancy. This podcast is dedicated to you, an executive woman who has done well in your career, and you're up for boosting the results you achieve while enjoying your career and life. I don't have to tell you that stress is a killer of your happiness and dreams. Well, your life you've experienced it for yourself. Yes. Stress is a common experience in today's fast paced world, but it doesn't have to be before we explore solutions. Let's ground this podcast in research that reveals stress could have debilitating adverse effects on your physical and mental health. It also takes a toll on your wellbeing in small and significant ways. Let's kick off this life. Saving life, generating life fulfilling podcast. UUG stress. Hello, help coming. Your way. First is lists. One of the quickest stress reliever techniques you can take on is to create a list. Your stress level immediately drops as you sit down and record each activity. Why for three reasons, the first is mental energy reliever. The effort to keep track of every project on your desk has your brain spinning in high gear, striving to keep track of everything. When you write your thoughts down, you permit your brain to move on to either relax or concentrate on critical activities, such as getting something done. Second idea. Mini planning lists provide visual clarity. It is you proactively pre-planning your task based upon priorities. Remember not every willynilly thought that passes through your mind needs to be chronicled. That only adds stress to your life. Not diminishes it. Third satisfaction. I do not know about you. I get satisfaction checking item after item off my list, tangible results, no matter how small offer a sense of fulfillment, a good thing as well as a stress. Reducing thing, no question generating lists are stress reducers, and you must be gentle on yourself with your lists. A fluid flexible point of view leads to a healthy, more stress, free existence, a rigid attitude. As you persist against all odds, attempting to complete each item, no matter what will end up defeating the purpose, such an attitude I have to tell you is guaranteed to activate your stress levels rather than calming them down. The next big idea is urgency. Would you be surprised to hear your performance increases and your stress decreases as you focus on what and what not to pay attention to at work. It's time to rate yourself on how effectively you have prevented the daily stressors you face from eating you alive. Think about it. If you give yourself a low score, that means you've not nailed stressfully and a great idea to help you along the pathway is the parade 80 20 approach. It's absolutely an equation that turns it all around for so many executives today, in a nutshell, 80% of your time, attention products, customers, files, et cetera, typically produce only 20% of your results. Did you hear that 20% in contrast 20% of your time and attention generates 80% of your results? Does that blow your mind? It should. This is a life changing concept. Try the exercise out first, ask yourself what are the 80% bigs stressors? You know, the biggest and ugliest stressors. You face now write them down because as you put pen to paper, they become real rather than nebulous overwrought bees buzzing in your head distracting. You now consider where you can extend 20% of your effort toward fighting stress. Did you hear that? Put your attention into fighting stress once your list is in place, it is time to think. Red R E D reduce, eliminate or delegate. No one can do this for you. This is you pen and paper in hand. You are the most influential advocate for change in your work in life, especially in regards to stress. Second now ask yourself which stressors do you spend? 80% of your attention fighting. Think about it. Write those down too. By focusing on these stressors, your energy has sucked up leaving little time to focus on areas. You can and will make a difference and then commit to not touching them. Don't work on those 80% that doesn't produce much results. Don't work on them until they become a stress priority. The gift of consciously removing one stressor after another at work and from your life is that you are the one who decides what you tackle it is you transforming yourself. It is you recognizing what is the right 80 20 ratio for you. The next big idea is silence. This suggestion may be difficult for some. I have to tell you. I know it is for me, but just because it's personally challenging doesn't mean it isn't excellent advice. Did you know that silence can help lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. In addition, silence allows you to disconnect from the constant stream of information and stimuli that bombards you daily. This quiet pause in your day helps promote feelings of calm and relaxation. So next time you're feeling stressed. Try spending some time in silence. You may be stunned at how often it can help. Quiet, stressful self talk that is dragging you down. No wonder it is said. Silence is golden. The next big shift is question more often than not. When you look at the root cause of stress, you'll discover yourself. No kidding. Yes. The world around you is often crazy. Yes, you are expected to achieve more with fewer resources than ever. Yes, you live a 24 7 work reality. However, how you respond to and label the events in your life profoundly determines the impact it has on you. Good or bad challenge yourself. Does your mindset support the reduction of stress? Think about these perfection is not reality. Listen to your internal dialogue. I anticipate you'll discover many unrealistic and unreasonable expectations, which are rarely appropriate or accurate determinants of your success chatting to you all day long. Not sure this is true for you. Ask if I am managing someone who I respect and believe is an outstanding resource. Would I speak to them the way I am speaking to myself? You know, tone of voice, the words you use, the chastisement that emerges from deep within inside of you, the likelihood is never more than half the battle is identifying your harmful thought patterns, recognizing what it feels like when you have unconstructed judgment, swirling around in your head and then transforming them into self talk that supports stress relief rather than contributes to stress overwhelm. Think about this. Keep looking for solution. The harmful downside of your negative thinking is that it holds you back from exploring possibilities. It leaves you bogged down in that nothing can change mentality. It freezes you in a continual downward spiral. When you are in this mode, stop and ask yourself, huh? What if my thinking isn't accurate? What can I do to overcome the situation? You will be astonished by how innovative you become when you ask healthy questions and then challenge yourself to do better. The bottom line is that you govern whether you're internal exchanges with self point, the way to your success or not a decision not to change your attitude leaves you as a victim mired in negative energy, or you could lift yourself above the fray to become solution oriented. It's your choice. And guess what? It just came to mind and I'm throwing this next stress solution in as a bonus chew gum. Yes. You heard me. Chewing gum is an anxiety and stress reliever. As it increases alertness boost, blood flow to the brain enhances performance improves multitasking, alleviates daytime tiredness. Pretty dogone impressive. Merely by chewing gum. Wouldn't you say, but please, please. Under no circumstances to your CU while talking to your boss or during virtual meetings, not a good look and likely to add a whole level of stress. You have never experienced before with a negative impression you generate. Oh, oh, oh. And did you know chocolate is a stress reliever too. So is it time to stock your desk drawer with dark chocolate for you and your peers to combat stress and fuel higher productivity? Here I am giving you two bonus stress reducers to take on. Can you feel your stress levels sinking into calmness through these four mindset shifts? Oops, oops. There I am for getting those last two that I gave you as a bonus, making them six, nine set shifts, which one resonated with you. Are you going to make lists become more urgent, seek silence and ask questions, but let's not forget chewing gum or filling your desk drawer with chocolate. What action are you going to take? Game change starts with you. Great ideas are nothing more than dust. If they don't change you, please don't simply appreciate the new ideas and never implement them. Your stress levels. Rest in your hands, mind boggling. Isn't it. When so often you thought it was the outside world affecting your stress levels. I'm committed to your success. My vision is that you look forward to going to work every day because much of the stress and dread is gone. I'd appreciate you hitting the like button or subscribing or sharing this podcast. I need you to spread the word together. We can transform not merely your career, but the whole world as well. There's more to your strategic edge coaching program than stress. If you check it out, we can overcome any less than career problems. I would be honored to explore a partnering relationship with you to develop an add needed executive level skills to your leadership arsenal. Check out the, your strategic edge coaching program full of extras, such as$125 a month. Thrive at work mastermind virtual program with other dynamic executives given to you for free. The website is WW dot thrive with nancy.com forward slash executive slash. If you're interested in talking to me, click the link on the page to schedule a free discovery call. I'd love to discover how together we could achieve all you hope is possible for your career and perhaps discuss some new ideas you've never thought of before. Let's bring all your giftedness and possibilities to life. Remember no one ever makes it to the top or even arrives at their next career destination alone.