Why stress management? How often we hear this term, the twenty-first century’s way of saying, “Chill out” amidst the hectic, fast-paced modern world.  There are many misconceptions about “stress management,” including an image of being forced into trying to relax, meditate, do yoga, and eat bland health diets.  Moreover, doing stress management may seem boring and time consuming, often undoable in today’s busy world.  

But there is a greater purpose for embodying the principles of stress management, as its core is about healing and human potential.  Most everyone wants what it has to offer, including the potential to be more effective and efficient on the job, feel more at ease socially, have fewer headaches and sleepless nights, and experience greater freedom and poise as a way of life.  No one wants to feel “stressed,” “wired,” or hypersensitive to daily hassles.   Excessive fear and worry can make life unnecessarily difficult, impede relationships and professional performance, and diminish social ease and grace. 

Chronic stress is highly prevalent in today’s business world, often resulting in team discord and low morale of employees.   Stress can burden the health of managers and overall company success.   Anxiety can impede a sales professional’s ability to sell with the confidence that makes sales.  Stress causes headaches, muscle tension, and numerous unpleasant bodily symptoms, and often costs a company in terms of chronic absenteeism and turnover.   Most everyone feels the burden of stress in one way or another, so the key is learning how to overcome stress with a few simple and effective strategies that make sense in today’s busy world, especially in business. 

Stress management is simple and practical, and a few easy strategies practiced regularly and effectively can help people now, especially in the workplace.  Forget the long hours of meditation and yoga, although these do yield tremendous health benefits and are a worthy way of life.  Stress management is about trying simple strategies and feeling immediate benefits in terms of health and poise.  Rewarding strategies can be incorporated while making phone calls, while food is cooking in the microwave, or while standing in line at the bank.  Stress management is simple and practical when properly understood.  It’s about breaking bad habits and getting rid of old ways of thinking that lead to stress.   It’s about enhancing team synergy at work. 

It gives purpose to the day to be your best self, and make things happen the way you want them to.  It can feel like a gift to take on a simple stress management protocol, because the more you apply it, the better you feel.  The bottom line about stress management is that it is doable for everyone, at home or at work.  Stress management heals individuals and work environments, enhances occupational health, and builds character.  

Dr. Ben Allen is a clinical psychologist, executive coach, and workshop facilitator.  He offers practical, informative, and highly motivating programs for individuals and businesses.