Stress Less, Achieve More: A Simple Formula to Help You!

Here is the formula. D > CS = SR

When your demands exceed your coping skills, you have a stress reaction.

Demands include anything you need to do from simple tasks such as grocery shopping to more challenging task such as conducting a performance appraisal and preparing a presentation to senior management.

We all face three types of demands, each to varying degrees:

• Family demands: Caring for our home, supporting immediate family members, and navigating complex family relationships. This can also involve assisting elderly parents and close relatives.
• Work demands: Managing increased workloads, meeting tight deadlines, adapting to new technologies, and working with diverse, sometimes challenging personalities.
• Personal demands: Prioritizing mental and physical health, staying informed on matters that affect our careers, families, and social lives, and maintaining sufficient income to meet financial needs.

You face a unique set of demands each day. And they shift as changes in your life occur.

Coping skills encompass the actions you take to manage the demands in life. These skills include:

• Self-Management Skills: Setting goals, prioritizing tasks, making timely decisions, resolving conflicts, managing time, and maintaining healthy habits in eating and drinking.
• Physical Activity: Engaging in activities that keep your body fit, like walking, jogging, sports, and weightlifting.
• Relaxation Practices: Activities that support mental well-being, such as yoga, meditation, listening to music, reading, or enjoying sports.
• Support System: The trusted network of people—friends, family, colleagues, coaches, and therapists—you turn to for help, advice, and guidance.

Each person has their own unique set of coping skills. Effective coping skills helps you successfully deal with your demands.

When demands increase, some people reduce their coping skills so they can spend more time working on their demands. This is a bad idea.

During high-demand periods, you should increase your coping skills. Spend more time meditating, exercising, and going to yoga.

Another action to avoid—some people use unhealthy coping techniques such as excessive drinking, taking drugs, and over-eating.

These actions are not helpful and create new problems for people to deal with.

Stress reactions occur when our demands surpass our coping abilities.

Stress reactions may include:

• Behavioral responses: Such as yelling, arguing, withdrawing, or isolating oneself.
• Physical responses: Such as headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, and sexual performance difficulties.
• Psychological responses: Such as anxiety, depression, mood swings, and trouble focusing.”

Everyone has experienced one or more of these reactions.

Stress reactions impact your productivity, disrupt relationships, and negatively impact your health.

When you are stressed, you have difficulty concentrating, processing information, making effective decisions, and getting things done on time.

Applying the Formula

You have three key options: 1) reduce your demands, 2) enhance your coping skills, and 3) do both.

• Reduce your demands: Identify tasks you can stop or delegate. Set limits on extra projects and learn to say “no” politely. Seek advice from your support network on strategies they use to manage demands.
• Enhance your coping skills: Focus on improving one self-management skill each month. Commit to daily practices like yoga, meditation, and exercise. Find a mentor who can guide you in building resilience.

Summary

D > CS = SR—is a useful formula. It simplifies what you need to do to manage your stress.

When stress reactions are minimized, you are more productive. In addition, you are more invigorated physically, mentally, and emotionally.

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Paul B. Thornton is an author and speaker. His books are available at Amazon.

• Add Value-Improve the Status Quo
• Leadership Styles
• The Leadership Process 
• Is your organization aligned?
• Performance Management for New Managers 

He can be contacted at pbthornton74@gmail.com.