Many people are reporting that economic woes and financial uncertainties are major sources of
stress in their lives, and with stress comes a host of other problems, none of which are good for our emotional and physical health. Making matters worse, this added stress raises concerns at a time in our history when stressful lives have become the rule rather than the exception.
Gone are the Leave It to Beaver days when Ward Cleaver, the loving husband, dedicated father, and bread winner, worked until a respectable hour, then came home to Wally, Beaver, and of course, June, the quintessential stay-at-home wife and mother. That "American Dream" has been replaced by what some are calling the "American Dream on Steroids." In fact, the Center for Work-Life Policy, in its report, Seduction and Risk: The Emergence of Extreme Jobs, notes: "... the 40-hour workweek is a relic of the past." And with technological advances, such as smart phones, iPads, and laptop computers that serve to blur the boundaries between work and home life (see Connection Overload!), there are many for which the "work week" has no end.
All these "extras" in our lives equate to extra stress, which when coupled with the current economic strain can spell disaster for our emotional and physical well-being. It is a well-established fact that as stress increases so do a lot of other emotional and behavioral problems, including fatigue, headaches, anxiety,
anger, irritability,
depression,
sleep problems, overeating, and drug and alcohol use, Medically, chronic stress has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, ulcers, and a variety of other serious physical conditions. Stress also can deplete our physical and emotional resources, leading to a state of exhaustion. In short, today's economic troubles are making us sick in more ways than we may realize. But when the news every day seems to go from bad to worse, what can be done to ease the stress?
The first step is to recognize when you're spiraling downward. Many people today are so consumed with trying to keep their heads above water, they don't even realize they're under extreme stress and on the dangerous road to burnout. Others suffer from the "It will never happen to me" mentality. While everyone else is watching them slowly crash and burn, they deny that anything is wrong.
Recognize the Warning Signs: The warning signs of extreme stress and burnout include:
- Loss of enjoyment for work or family time;
- Physical symptoms, such as chest pain, frequent headaches, shortness of breath, stomach pain, or heart palpitations, for which there are no medical explanations;
- Skipping meals or lack of appetite;
- Increased irritability, frustration, and anger or emotional hypersensitivity at seemingly inconsequential things;
- Chronic fatigue or feeling drained and tired all the time;
- Feelings of apathy, helplessness, and hopelessness;
- Loss of productivity despite long work hours;
- Isolative behaviors (wanting to be alone, closing doors to prevent others from access, being generally inaccessible, eating lunch alone);
- Feeling trapped without opportunities for relief or escape;
- Feeling as if nothing has purpose or meaning;
- Negative or overly critical self-perception or self-talk;
- Increased absenteeism, missed appointments, chronic tardiness, or not returning phone calls;
- Increased illness;
- Loss of motivation; and
- Forgetfulness or impaired concentration and attention.
These symptoms are signals being sent to you, compliments of your body and mind, that you're under too much stress. The key (and the challenge) is to listen. But what is the best way to listen?
Finding Stress Relief that Works for YOU: Stress management is a very unique and personal thing. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. So beware of stress relief programs, workshops, or books that offer predesigned programs that are "guaranteed" to relieve your stress because none of these "programs" can possibly take into consideration your specific and unique circumstances. In fact, what is stress-relieving for one person may be stress-inducing for another. That's why, for a stress management program to work, you need to take an active role in the process, developing a one-of-a-kind recipe, so to speak, that best fits your personality, lifestyle, and stress level. To help you create this special recipe, here are a few ingredients you may want to consider:
