Dealing with Stress?

AUGUST 12, 2019

YOU’LL BE AMAZED AT HOW QUICKLY YOU MAY START TO FEEL BETTER ONCE YOU DISRUPT THE CYCLE OF STRESS. CHECK OUT THESE POINTERS FROM THE CLEAN EARTH EH&S TEAM!

Have you ever run through a red light while driving without even realizing it?  We don’t need to be on a phone to have our thoughts distract us to the extent that we are not fully engaged in the present.  After such an experience, have we snapped back into the present being so thankful that we did not cause an accident or hurt ourselves?  Distractions can happen to anyone at any moment.  There are many reasons for distractions.  Having to deal with stress due to unpleasant realities is one of them.  It is safe to say that that we all have stress in our lives.  However, because most of our waking hours are spent at work and traveling to and from work that is time where most of our stresses are dealt with.  Unfortunately, stress causes us to become distracted, to lose focus which leads to accidents, injuries, disabilities, etc.

So, what can we do to minimize the negative impact that stress has on our life?

• Organize our lives:
  • Know our limits.  Be realistic about what we can and can’t accomplish in a day.
  • Prioritize our day.  Work on finishing the most urgent/important items first.
  • Tackle our most unpleasant or most difficult tasks at the beginning of the day when our minds are fresh. 
  • If the workload is too much, let’s speak up and let our Supervisors know so they can help us to prioritize what needs to get done first or to get the additional help that we need. 
• Avoid focusing on only the bad things that are happening in our lives.  Let’s mindfully consider the good things as well. 
• Try to resolve the issues that are causing us to be stressed. Knowledge is powerful, and self-knowledge is especially powerful.
• Stop worrying about the things we can’t change.
• Let’s not leave things unfinished.  If we allow things to fester for a few days, it usually just makes matters worse.   
• Recognize that we are mentally distracted and react accordingly. If we are going to pose a greater risk at work, it’s best to stay home for the day.  For instance, if we find out that a close someone in our life has suddenly been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and we are mentally distracted with the news, we can stop for a while to reflect upon it, work through our feelings before continuing with work. 
• Learn to lean on friends and loved ones. Co-workers can be great listeners as well.  Whatever we do, we should not hold it in.  Let’s not be shy, we all have our problems.
• Try to laugh. A sense of humor goes a long way in dealing with life’s daily challenges.

- The Clean Earth EH&S Team