People Keep Telling Me I am Stressed, but I Don’t See It
My client, Jane, who is in a new management position told me recently: “People keep telling me I am stressed out, I don’t see it”. Everyone around her saw her as a “ticking time bomb”, ready to explode. She thought it was an acceptable level of the everyday stressors she was facing in her new position. She was excited about her evolving role in the company and wanted to succeed. Jane found herself working overtime, learning how to manage people, feeling the pressure of her executive’s expectations, while juggling her family schedule. She was experiencing brain overload and was headed toward burnout. Thru our coaching session she was able to see how much she had on her plate and how “managing it all was affecting her. She enrolled in Stress Intelligence Training and found a new way to see her situation and changes the way she was reacting to the stress of her new role. She found a way to rearrange her schedule to accommodate all of her work and home responsibilities. The most important thing she did was to see where she was pressuring herself with unrealistic expectations of herself. Through Stress Intelligence Training she continued to grow in the company and have a happy home life. She offered a great analogy of what happened to her.
Jane’s lesson learned. I reworded to include some of the principles of the Stress Intelligence Training
I look at my personal stress by using the analogy of an overworked computer. When my computer tries to download a massive file, needs to be backed-up, or has too many pictures of my friends, family and vacations stored, the optimal functioning of the machine is seriously compromised.
Don’t Overload Your Command Center
That box on top of your body, containing your command center of thought and emotion, also slows down once it’s overloaded. Like that stalling computer screen, the mind also experiences “system errors”. However, with expert guidance, care, and attention, these system errors can be repaired. With neglect and added demands, this human “system error” can deteriorate into burnout.
What Happens When Your Mind Goes into Burnout?
Concentration, response time, access to skills and memories are all compromised. Those feeling that you have placed in the “I will get to it later” basket come randomly flooding to the surface! Your mind literally begins to brownout. You know the feeling! Maybe you are more stressed than you realize. While you try daily to access your power supply, your brain and body show you signs of draining that very limited power source.
Comparing your stress to a lackluster power grid, do any of these signs apply to you?
- New or constant physical aches and pains
- Fading out during normal conversations
- Restless sleep due to stressful dreams
- Loss of interest in things that you loved to do
- Loss of emotion, or even a surprise surge of emotion
- Skipping meals or eating more than necessary
- Staring numbly into space or computer screen, unaware of your state of mind
- Waking up exhausted after a full night sleep
- Driving and not remembering where you have been or where you are going
- Quick to judge, react rashly or being crabby
If you see yourself in 5 or more of the above symptoms, you just might be headed for burnout. Your mind and body are screaming for relief.
If Jane’s story resonates with you or if you see yourself in 5 or more of the above symptoms, you just might be headed for burnout. Your mind and body are screaming for relief.
If you are interested in learning more about Stress Intelligence Training and how you can prevent burnout, please contact me for a complimentary session 513.703.3891 Or view this 10-minute video… https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2757007105289132034