Chapter 58. Recognize When You’re Stressed

The good manager stays well ahead of the stress game. And why? Because stress is counterproductive—it isn’t profitable. The old image of the stressed executive popping pills, with high blood pressure but still pulling off fantastic deals is just that—old. The modern executive is laid back, unhurried, charming, thoughtful, careful, on top of their job. You don’t need stress. You really, really don’t. Yes, you need excitement, challenge, enthusiasm, exhilaration, and stimulation, but you do not need stress.

Stress is just excitement and fun that has gone wrong. Instead of loving your job, you start to fear it. Instead of being excited, you experience fear. Instead of challenge, it’s confrontation.

So how do you manifest stress? No really, how do you experience it? This is such a personal thing. I know when I’m under a lot of stress because I shout more, reason less, demand more, am polite less, rush more, and am laid back less. But that’s me. For you it might be smoking or drinking more or not sleeping or not eating (or eating too much or too hurriedly or too much junk food) or it might show as nervous exhaustion (sleeping too much), panic attacks, twitches, tics, irrational fears, inappropriate behavior, driving too fast (me again as well to that one). If you don’t know what your signs are, ask somebody who knows you well—they will be able to tell you.

When I notice a couple of my stress symptoms, I take time out to check

• Why am I stressed?

• What is causing the stress?

• What can I do about it?

• How can I stop it recurring again?

I don’t like being stressed (my children say I am a real pain) and there is no job worth doing that I’m going to allow to affect my health detrimentally. I know how to chill—I’m very good at lowering the stress levels once I notice they’ve crept up. I know what works for me. What works for you?