Many of us are well aware of situations or circumstances that cause us stress. In the moment we can recognize the signs of emotional response to the stress we are suddenly experiencing. Are we as good at recognizing stress over the long term? What about stress that slowly creeps in? This kind of stress starts off small but accumulates over time and before you know it, we are blowing our tops. We have all experienced this stress at some time or another in our lives. It isn't as easily recognized or noticeable in our lives until it builds up and becomes too much.
There are still ways of catching this stress before it becomes an explosion. We need to be much more intentional about recognizing it before it becomes overwhelming.
The following is a list of signs and symptoms of stress, personal and work related:
weight change
changes in hygiene
posture
trembling or shaking
increased smoking or coffee drinking
change in energy (highly energized, or lethargic)
skin pallor or blushing
breathlessness
inarticulate speech
sighing
changes in health
nail biting
tearfulness
frowning or overly serious
tone of voice
alcohol or drug abuse
Signs and symptoms of stress at work:
being late for work
absenteeism
longer lunch breaks
clock watching
leaving early
changes in productivity
performance issues
frequent mistakes or accidents
poor memory
difficulty making decisions
impaired judgment
lack of personal care
loss of temper, mood swings, over-reactions
withdrawal socially or isolating self
poor time management and inability to meet deadlines
low morale / commitment to the employer
conflict in workplace relationships
low efficiency
Do any of these sound familiar? When you reflect on the particularly stressful times in your life, which of these were prevalent? We can't always rely on the obvious emotional responses to stress. Not everything that causes us stress is immediate. However, if we pay attention to our physiological responses, as well as our other more known responses, we can still recognize and respond accordingly. If any of the above signs and symptoms stand out to you chances are they are the best indicators of sneaky stress in your life. Evaluate these areas often and note any changes. Once you have started regularly monitoring your emotional, psychological, as well as your physiological patterns, you will be able to recognize the signs of stress earlier and deal with it in a more effective way.
Charmaine Hammond, MA, BA, is an international transformational speaker, bestselling author and radio host, helping people live inspired, resilient lives and is a leading trainer in corporate North America helping transform workplaces. She is also an award winning and bestselling author of On Toby's Terms (Bettie Youngs Books,Sept. 2010). Toby the Pet Therapy Dog - and his hospital friends (Bettie Youngs Books, Aug. 2010), and Bounce Forward, and has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul-What I learned from the dog (Sept. 2009). She is also co-authoring a new book GPS Your Best Life. You can find all that Charmaine offers at www.hammondgroup.biz and wwwontobysterms.com.