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Posts tagged ‘stress’

Oct 8

You Know It’s Time For A New Job When…

A significant percentage of my coaching clients struggle with whether or not to stay in their current job or career. For people who are underpaid, overstressed, have a toxic boss or want to relocate for lifestyle reasons, the decision to move on usually comes easy.

However, many clients are paid well, enjoy certain aspects of their job, have developed friendships at work, or feel insecure about the future. These and other factors can create paralysis. Even when clients have a strong gut feeling the time is right to move on, they can remain in a state of inaction for years.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try

Below is a list of four signs the time may be right to commit to finding greener pastures.

Values gap. This occurs when there is a  misalignment between what you experience day-to-day versus how you want to live your life. The larger the gap (or gaps), the more discomfort your experience. For example, if your highest value is compassion, and you work for a company that treats its customers or workers poorly, the gap often manifests itself as stress, frustration and disengagement. (Tip: pick your top five values from this list and compare them to what is valued at work.)

Dead end. If you look at your supervisor and say, “I don’t want that job!” it is time to consider whether you are comfortable in your present position for the foreseeable future. If you want to move up, it may be time to prepare to do it elsewhere.

Another version of the dead end is that you find you are no longer challenged at work, and are on autopilot most of the time.  If your one-up is unable or unwilling to provide new challenges, it is a sign your are on the path to…

Boredom. In the workplace, boredom is defined a lack meaningful work to absorb your energy. It impacts people at all stages of their careers, from entry-level to executive positions. In addition, research suggests extroverts, high performers, and younger workers are at greater risk for boredom.

John Eastwood, Ph.D., one of the authors of “The Unengaged Mind,”  writes boredom is associated with a host of unwelcome effects such as increased drug and alcohol use, overeating, depression, anxiety, and poor performance.

Same time next year. When I lived in the corporate world, I took time out around my work anniversary to assess if I wanted to be working for the same people/company on my next anniversary. When I didn’t want to, I quietly began to take steps to find another position. If your stomach churns at the thought of one more year doing the same old – same old, determine why and either fix it, come to terms with it, or begin to move on.

If you are struggling in your current position, or want to clarify whether the time is right for you to move on from your current job, please contact me at Galford@acceleratedcoachingandconsulting.com for a free, no obligation one-hour Power Session.

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting LLC, and specializes in business, leadership and life coaching and Marcom consulting.

Oct 6

5 Ways You Can Quickly Boost Your Mood At Work

A bad mood not only makes you feel crummy, it drains energy and blocks creativity. It also makes it difficult to be fully present and engage with others in productive ways.

Down moods are often the result of locking onto a negative event or thought. Sometimes we needlessly create stress by anticipating worst-case scenarios for future events.

-Gratitude makes sense of our past, (1)

When I am feeling the funk, in a negative way, I have learned how to quickly move myself into a better state of mind. For me, the theme from the Banana Splits Adventure Hour, “The Tra La La Song,” is an instant mood enhancer. I can’t hear the song (especially its chorus) without singing out loud. It is slightly ridiculous, but it works for me.

You have more control over your mood than you may realize. In addition to listening to music that makes you feel good, there are other quick mood boosters you can use at the office.

Photographs. Research indicates looking at pictures is a bigger mood booster than eating chocolate. Load some of your favorite photos on your phone, an electronic picture frame, post a few in your cubicle or hang in your office. Then, take breaks and focus on those images of the people, places and things that bring you joy.

Move. Parking your posterior in a chair for hours on end is bad for your body and your mood. Instead of  grabbing a cup of coffee or heading to the vending machine for a package of Chuckles, walk around the office, take a short (or long) walk outside, use the stairs or stretch.  The goal is to get your heart pumping, and blood flowing with a dose of feel-good endorphins.

Vacation. Just thinking about your next vacation reduces stress. Whether you will escape to a warm beach in the depth of winter, spend time with far off loved ones, camp out under the stars, or hit the slopes, anticipating your next getaway will help you get through today.

Love. Shut down the computer, turn down the phone, close your eyes and bring to mind a few of your favorite things. You may want to focus on a meaningful event, such as when you met your significant other, held your child for the first time, or playtime with your pet. Gratefulness is a terrific way to reconnect to the best parts of yourself and your life, which can inoculate you from stress.

A coach can help you power through difficult times at work and create new opportunities for professionals and personal success.

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting LLC, and specializes in business, leadership and life coaching and Marcom consulting. Email me at Galford@acceleratedcoachingandconsulting.com for a free hour-long Power Session.

Aug 26

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Taking Time Off Work Adds Years To Your Life

Children are heading back to school and summer’s final hurrah in the U.S., Labor Day, is once again upon us. With that in mind, my question for you is: did you take time off this summer?

Note the question starts with “did you,” and not, “how much.”

Figures vary, but between 20 and 25 percent of U.S. workers have zero paid days off. The Families and Work Institute reports less than half those who receive paid time off take the full allotment of vacation time they earn. Both sets of statistics have serious short- and long-term consequences for employees and employers.

Stress is an ignorant state

Some leaders might believe it saves money and increases productivity to withhold paid vacation time, or nurture a culture that discourages taking time off (or expects people to work during their off hours).

What these leaders actually do is nurture an environment where there is no escape from work-related stress. This leads to unhealthy employees, drives up health care costs, and increases absenteeism. These work environments contribute to the early death of some of their best employees. Good leaders should strive to leave a better legacy than this.

Vacations Are Good For People And Companies

While stress can be good for us in the short-term by boosting energy and focus. The American Psychology Association  reports extreme stress can adversely affect the immune, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and central nervous systems.

Mayo Clinic reports long-term stress “can disrupt almost all your body’s processes,” and lead to a higher incidence of health problems such as:

  • anxiety
  • depression
  • digestive problems
  • heart disease
  • sleep problems
  • weight gain
  • memory and concentration impairment.

If half or more of your employees are at higher risk of those health issues due to your policies or culture, any perceived cost and productivity benefits evaporate. Organizations with significant numbers of long-term employees need to examine paid time off policies and employee utilization to maximize positive impacts of vacations.

Need more proof? The Framingham Heart Study confirms vacations can mitigate some of the worst effects of long-term work stress. Researchers followed more than 12,000 men at risk of heart disease for nine years. The findings? The more vacations they took, the longer they lived.

Harvard Health Publications puts an even finer point on this relationship. It reports, “men who took the most vacations were 29 percent less likely to be diagnosed with heart disease and 17 percent less likely to die over the nine-year study period than those who did not take regular vacations.”

Granted, these last two findings focused only on men, but stress has similar impacts on both genders.

In my coaching and consulting practice, I encourage business owners to provide paid time off to all employees (after a onboarding period), and work with leaders to explore “use it or lose it” paid time off policies. I also urge clients to use all their paid time off, and avoid the temptation to check or answer work e-mail when away from the office.

Need help setting good boundaries between your work and personal life? Or help getting your career back on track?  Contact me for a free coaching assessment call.

Gregory Alford, MS. Psy., is founder of Accelerated Coaching & Consulting, LLC, and specializes in business, leadership and life coaching and consulting. 

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