5 Things Stress is Costing You That You Hadn't Realised
Stress is part of business life and we accept it, but it does have a cost attached to it which we often overlook. Let’s look at what stress is costing you right now and what we can start to do about it. It makes sense to invest in what just may be a life line or your pot of gold, so let's dive in.
TIME
Stress has the power to hijack time and affect your entire day. You waste time stressing and worrying about possible scenarios and outcomes. Would you allow anyone that much power? Remember this is time lost that you’ll never get back. You may not even be aware of what you're doing half the time, that's the scary bit.
ENERGY
Our emotions are involved when we are stressed and that means energy spent. It can leave you drained and defeated and, if you work for yourself, you know too well how much energy you need to remain positive and enthusiastic. Without a strategy to deal with stress you are at the mercy of the elements and you won’t be getting the results you want.
PRODUCTIVITY
In order for you to be your most productive, it requires a clear head, an uncluttered environment and a sense of control in your world. Stress is an emotional response to a perceived threat, and while you’re on alert, which is your defense mechanism to protect yourself, your performance is affected. Productivity dwindles away when our fight or flight response is triggered. Notice I said ‘perceived’ threat. Much of our stress can be eliminated by changing the way we view the situation and this is where you need a few extra weapons in your arsenal.
CREATIVITY
In a state of alert and self-preservation, creativity takes a back seat as well. Stress effectively shuts down your higher order brain responsible for complex problem solving and creative tasks.
OPPORTUNITY
When you’re stressed, you’re focused on the problem and it becomes incredibly difficult to see new opportunities and possibilities. The very opportunity you were waiting for could be around the corner or right in front of you, but because your focus is elsewhere you can’t see it.
WHERE TO START
We need a new relationship with stress. There's good stress where the mind activates hormones to meet the task and it's exhilarating, energizing and inspiring. Then there's the bad kind we call 'distress' where, again, we go all defensive because our mind perceives a threat coming our way. But in this day and age we all just call it stress.
Acknowledge what stress is costing you by writing it down. Is it time, energy, productivity, creativity or opportunity?
Get a mental picture of what your world looks like without the stress and begin to write it down. Use this to visualize what you’re aiming for. The more vivid you can make this vision the more compelling it will be. So, involve all your senses and write down what it feels like to be there.
The process of writing down a preferable future (as if you are there) has a powerful effect on your unconscious mind. It registers the moment as if it has happened. This is important for you to know. How many times have you stressed over a ‘perceived and imagined’ scenario that never took place? Your mind put you in the situation as if it happened, and gave you the stress to make it authentic as a freebie! You've got to love your brain for that.
We can therefore do the same in the reverse way. We can place ourselves in a time that has not happened yet, and imagine the life we want to experience. Instead of imagining what you were going to say to that person, or what you were going to do, and get all stressed out about it, do the opposite. Imagine yourself standing tall and powerful, feeling optimistic, energetic, alive, purposeful, hopeful, giving, contributing, growing, doing what really matters and taking the higher road.
Stop paying the cost and start cashing in on the resources and power you already have—your imagination and unconscious mind. Everything begins with our self-awareness. I hope that just by reading this article you become more aware of the cost you're paying without even realising it.
Writing things down, journaling, will start to make a big impact on how you handle stress. Aside from that, if you need my help as a professional, I can give you all the mind tools you need to combat and beat the unwanted stress that you can have control over, just get in touch for a free, no obligation chat.
Claude Arganaraz is a Leadership, Business and Life Coach. He helps clients find balance, stress less, gain direction and focus without the hype or hard work. Get in touch today for a free chat at claude@outlook.com.au.
