Work Smarter

 A 2006 survey found that the main causes of stress in respondents’ lives broke down as follows:

·           46% workload

·           28% personal issues

·           20% juggling work/personal lives

·             6% other

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·        That’s more than half of the stress connected in some way with work. And according to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, health care expenditures are nearly 50% greater for workers who report high levels of stress.

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·       What can we do to cut work-related stress?

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·        *  Have clear expectations. This requires communicating—like emailing a meeting summary to say, “Here’s what I think you expect from me based on our discussion. Do I understand correctly?”

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·         *   Limit work hours. Whether you work eight, nine, or twelve hours, the work will keep accumulating. Take your lunch break, holidays, and an annual vacation. A rested, un-frazzled employee ultimately produces more.

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·         *  Set realistic goals for each day. Keeping a to-do list in order of priority will help you focus. If you need to let the phone pick up messages from 2–3 PM so you can stay focused, do it.