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An Active Life, Detaching From Work Helps With Managing Your Stress

Posted on: Thursday, 31 March 2005, 21:00 CST

The phone rings constantly, appointments seem endless, and conference calls come all too often. For John Mueller, his job as the securities manager at SSM St. Joseph's Health Center in St. Charles and SSM St. Joseph Hospital West in Lake Saint Louis certainly carries hefty demands on his time and attention.

Stress is part of the daily adventure, but I have to find ways to deal with it. If I don't, it will consume my life, Mueller said.

As the securities manager, Mueller typically spends 10- to 12- hour days at the hospital handling safety management, security, hazardous waste and emergency preparedness. Like many Americans, Mueller will spend more than a quarter of his adult life working. Although long hours and stressful situations may come with the territory, doctors say that too much can affect physical and behavioral health.

There are various triggers that cause stress, perhaps excessive time pressures or lack of control over work. But if the person does not have a way to relieve the frustrations by getting away from work, there will be physical or behavioral signs. For example difficulty sleeping, an increased heart rate, loss of motivation or commitment and short temperedness, said Anthony Zolezzi, a California-based entrepreneur and author of The Detachment Paradox.

Throughout his time in working with managers and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Zolezzi found that many of these leaders were sacrificing their health in order to get ahead in their job.

There was no separation between the person and the job. They were so wound up in the company that they were identifying themselves through their jobs. But when they found a way to detach themselves from work by having a thriving life outside, they were much more productive, creative and energetic, Zolezzi said.

As for Mueller, he said he begins to feel more stressed when it comes to the unknown disasters that could happen at any time.

We have to be prepared for anything, especially for events like 9/ 11 when there were mass casualties. When people are at their worst, this hospital has to be at its best. I love this job and find it quite rewarding, but planning for the unknown is stressful. Sometimes I have to find time away to collect my thoughts, Mueller said.

Through his studies and observations, Zolezzi found it is impossible to escape pressure at work altogether, but learning to manage the stress and detach from work will make a difference.

The best way is to quit taking it personally; make sure you're rested and feel good; keep everything in perspective; when you have to work over the weekend, make it on your terms; and finally, recognize attempts of control at work and use them to your benefit. By this I mean get your satisfaction from a personal creative pursuit which you can control. It will make all the difference in the world, Zolezzi said.

A team of counselors from St. Anthony's Medical Center in St. Louis offer the following tips on managing stress.

* Manage time effectively. Don't take on more than you can handle.

* Make time to relax at work by stretching and breathing deeply. This will help to keep you focused and prevent tired muscles. Getting outside for a walk during lunch is a great habit to get into.

* Identify the situations that stress you out the most. How could you act differently?

* Take part in regular activities outside work. There is more to life than the office.

* Regular physical activities are proven to reduce stress levels. It can also trigger brain chemicals that improve mood.

* Confiding in trusted friends and relatives may offer a fresh perspective and make stressful situations seem more manageable.

* For more serious stress-related issues like depression and anxiety, consult a doctor or counselor.

Ever since his college days, Mueller has found that exercising six days a week is a huge relief from the stress that accompanies his daily life.

When I run in the morning, there is no pager and no cell phone. It is just me and my thoughts. I like that, Mueller said.

Many employers in the area recognize this need to get away. SSM St. Joseph hospitals offers employees an Employee Assistance Program, in which the company offers free professional assistance to all employees and their immediate family members for a wide range of personal concerns, such as stress/anxiety, marital/relationship concerns, elder care, depression, substance abuse, job stress or parent/child issues. SSM Health Care's corporate and network offices offer an annual $100 stipend to employees to be used for wellness activities, such as a membership to a fitness club or the purchase of an exercise machine. SSM St. Joseph also sponsors employee discount rates on wellness programs offered by other groups such as the YMCA or the local St. Peters Rec-Plex.

A.G. Edwards & Sons in St. Louis offers free yoga classes, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and an indoor track. MasterCard International Global Technology Headquarters in O'Fallon sponsors various employee social activities, offers an employee assistance program, hires an in-house massage therapist that comes monthly and offers a work-life solutions hotline 24 hours a day.

To help his fellow employees at SSM St. Joseph, Mueller will be part of the Healthy Living Steering Team.

I want to help people live happier lives altogether. To me, that all starts with an active lifestyle to manage stress, Mueller said.

Source: St. Charles County Business Record

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