Manage the Stress of Responsibility
Please take care of yourself and strive to maintain your health. Whether you are already at the top or are working your way up the organizational ladder, you will find that increased
professional responsibility also means increased stress. I’ve had a colleague,
Dr. Amir Rashidian, change my mind regarding stress. I no longer view all stress as bad. There is, in fact, good stress. However, stress, regardless of its nature, can significantly impact your body and mind.
It is too easy to fall into bad
lifestyle habits when you’re stressed, but this is the time to intentionally do the opposite. Your ability to manage stress is related to
your fitness level, what you eat and drink,
how much sleep you get, the state and strength of your
closest relationships, how centered you are
spiritually, and whether you have
positive outlets for your emotional energy. I’ve seen and heard too many stories of people who succumbed to bad lifestyle choices during periods of intense stress and suffered the consequences (sometimes even fatally). Don’t let this be you!
Start Small and Build Healthy Habits
You don’t become fit, healthy, and well-adjusted overnight.
It takes concerted effort and work. Starting today, take stock of where you stand in terms of your lifestyle behaviors. Where could you use some improvement? What are the most glaring issues? Then, start small and make incremental positive changes every day.
Don’t try to do too much at once. Select one area for improvement and concentrate on it. Success will beget further success, and then you will be able to take on another issue. Think long term! Think healthy! Stress is an inevitable fact of life. Embrace and manage it. Don’t let it overwhelm you and bring you down.
