Are You Working Too Hard?

A Conversation with Mind/Body Researcher Herbert Benson. Is stress good or bad for you? The answer is both. New research demonstrates that managers who learn to regulate stress can be more productive and happy at work-and do the same for their teams.

Research te!!s us that "en and wo"en react di##erent!y to stress and that di##ering situations create their stress. $or e%a"&!e' one study done at the (niversity o# A!berta #ound that wo"en wake in the "orning with their !owest stress !eve!s. These !eve!s c!i"b as they rush around the house getting everyone ready #or work and schoo!. Their stress !eve!s rise unti! they get to work when they begin to dro& back a bit. Their stress !eve!s s!ow!y rise again during the day and continue to rise as they co"e ho"e and !ook a#ter kids' dinner and househo!d chores. Their stress !eve!s usua!!y don)t dro& again unti! they are ready #or bed. Men on the other hand rise with !ower stress !eve!s*usua!!y !ower than their "ate)s stress !eve!s i# he is "arried. They don)t rise signi#icant!y unti! the drive to work. Then !eve!s begin a s!ow c!i"b that continues throughout their day. However' as they !eave work their stress !eve!s begin to dro& and continue dro&&ing a#ter they arrive ho"e. +enera!!y they retire with !ow stress !eve!s. This is a genera!i,ed version o# what ha&&ens to stress !eve!s with each gender and o# course there are "any variations o# this scenario- wo"en without chi!dren and high &ressure .obs' "en whose stress !eve!s begin to rise the "inute their #eet hit the #!oor in the "orning and who are in de"and unti! the end o# the day. However' #or "any' this wi!! ring true. Managers apply pressure to themselves and their teams in the belief that it will make them more productive. After all, stress is an intrinsic part of work and a critical element of achievement; without a certain amount of it, we would never perform at all. Yet the dangers of burnout are real. Studies cited by the ational institute for !ccupational Safety and "ealth# $!S"% indicate that some &'( of all workers today feel overworked, pressured, and s)uee*ed to the point of an+iety, depression, and disease. ,he cost to employers is appalling- .orporate health insurance premiums in the /nited States shot up by n.0( in 0''&1)uadruple the rate of inflation1according to survey figures from the "enry 2. 3aiser 4amily 4oundation. ,oday, the American $nstitute of Stress reports, roughly 5'( of doctor visits stem from stress1related complaints and illnesses-

 $n total, American businesses lose 78'' billion annually to lowered productivity, absenteeism, health1care, and related costs stemming from stress. The Relaxation Response. "e first described a techni)ue to bring forth the comple+ physiologic dance between stress and rela+ation, and the benefits to managers of practices such as meditation, in these pages in 9Your $nnate Asset for .ombating Stress9. :enson and ;roctor have found that managers can learn to use stress productively by applying the 9breakout principle91a parado+ical active1passive. :y using simple techni)ues to regulate the amounts of stress one feels, a manager can increase performance and productivity and avoid burnout. 6. <e all know that unmanaged stress can be destructive. :ut are there positive sides to stress as well= Stress is a physiological response to any change, whether good or bad, that alerts the adaptive fight-or-flight response in the brain and the body. Good stress, also called "eustress," gives us energy and motivates us to strive and produce. e see eustress in elite athletes, creative artists, and all !inds of high achievers. Stress is a physiological response to any change, whether good or bad, that alerts the adaptive fight-or-flight response in the brain and the body. Good stress, also called "eustress," gives us energy and motivates us to strive and produce. e see eustress in elite athletes, creative artists, and all !inds of high achievers.

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Many companies offer various kinds of stress1reduction programs, from on1site yoga classes and massage to fancy gyms to workshops. <hat>s wrong with these= "t#s critical that companies do something to address the rampant negative effects of wor!place stress if they want to compete effectively, but often the !inds of programs they institute are stop gaps.

The Yerkes/0odson Curve 1tress is an essentia! res&onse in high!y co"&etitive environ"ents. Be#ore a race 'be#ore an e%a"' be#ore an i"&ortant "eeting' your heart rate goes u& and so does your b!ood &ressure. You beco"e "ore #ocused' a!ert' and e##icient. But &asta certain !eve!' stress co"&ro"ises your &er#or"ance' e##iciency' and eventua!!y your hea!th. Two Harvard researchers' Robert M ' Yerkes and 2ohn 0. 0odson' #irst ca!ibrated the re!ationshi& between stress and &er#or"ance in 3456' which has been dubbed the Yerkes/0odson !aw.

 Anyone who7s c!inched an i"&ortant dea! or had a good &er#or"ance review en.oys the bene#its o# good stress. 8##iciency increases when stress increases' but on!y u& to a &oint9 a#ter that' &er#or"ance #a!!s o## dra"atica!!y.

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Managing stress :ndividua! a&&roaches Ti"e "g"t 8%ercise Re!a%ation trng 8%&and socia! su&&ort sys ;rgani,ationa! a&&roaches We!!ness &rogra"s :"&roved org se!ection' &!ace"ent' co""' e"&!oyee invo!ve"ent Rea!istic goa! setting 2ob redesigning etc (!ti"ate!y' !eaders need on!y !ook at the high cost o# stress to their businesses to understand why this is so i"&ortant.They are !osing out because they are not &aying &ro&er attention to teaching their e"&!oyees a si"&!e a&&roach/one that can not on!y save their co"&anies enor"ous costs but a!so #ree the &roductivity and creativity in their workers.

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