Nov

14

Learning to exhale

Filed Under Time management, Work life balance issues, Working smarter not harder | 

Here’s a quick quiz for you:

  1. Do you always feel you don’t have enough time?
  2. Are you working on too many projects at once?
  3. Do you procrastinate and then push to get something done at the last minute?
  4. Have you been dropping the ball lately and forgetting things?
  5. Are you on edge emotionally?

If you answered yes to at least four of the five questions, chances are you are running on adrenaline.

“Adrenaline is a hormone produced in high-stress or physically exhilarating situations by the adrenal gland in our body. The term “fight or flight” is often used to characterize the circumstances under which adrenaline is released into the body. It is an early evolutionary adaptation to allow better coping with dangerous and unexpected situations.”

Research shows that it’s important to “work off” the adrenaline that is being released into our system when we experience stressful situations. Failing to do so results in high amounts of adrenaline staying in the body which, in turn, results to “insomnia, anxiety, depression, and a suppressed immune system.”

Now that we got the scientific part over with, it’s safe to say that people can become addicted to this “adrenaline rush.” It becomes a habit and many use it to get through the day and accomplish all that is expected of them.

If you are one of these people, consider the following:

  • Evaluate your commitments and let go of some. Consider that not every commitment is created equal.
  • Review your schedule. See how you can shift things around to create time for uninterrupted work and planning.
  • Evaluate your work habits. Are you good at delegating or do you pride yourself in getting the job done better and faster on your own?
  • Minimize distractions. Don’t pick-up your phone every time it rings. Resist checking e-mail constantly and instead check email at regular intervals.
  • Communicate your needs and expectations.
  • Make sure you eat healthy. Keep nutritious snacks in the office.
  • Make time for physical activity and exercise. Take a walk between meetings, before or after lunch, breathe some fresh air and clear your head.
  • Give your mind a break; listen to relaxation tapes; read something other than work documents, look outside your window and notice what’s there.
  • If all else fails, you can at least remember to take a few deep breaths before and after you engage in adrenaline producing behaviors.

Give it a try! Your body will thank you and the people around you will begin to exhale too.

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