Photo Courtesy of StockVault
Many of us are aware if the havoc excess stress can take on our mind and bodies. Stress can cause so many mental and physical ailments that make it difficult to handle day-to-day activities. Yet, we often take on more than we are mentally & physically capable of doing without undue stress. A recent Yale Study found that prolonged stress causes degeneration in the area of the brain responsible for self-control.
Stress in and of itself is unavoidable and researchers note that some stress is good for us. Our “fight or flight” response is a reaction to outside stressors. As most us us no longer need to worry about being chased by a lion, we have evolved to use this “good” stress in other ways such as competitions, brain storming etc.
Forbes Magazine noted in their recent article on stress that we tend to perform at our optimal level when we are under stress. However, Forbes cites new research from UC Berkeley that points outs the benefits as well as the harmfulness stress can have on one’s personal life, work performance and overall brain function.
The study led by Elizabeth Kirby, shows the key to using stress to our benefit is the duration of the stressor. Short bursts of stress are productive and can cause a person to perform at their best (creates new brain cells responsible for memory); however, long durations of stress (more than a few minutes) it has negative effects on a person’s mental stability as well as their physical performance by suppressing the brain’s ability to develop new cells. Kirby states, “I think intermittent stressful events are probably what keeps the brain more alert, and you perform better when you are alert.”
The question is what to do to decrease the effects prolonged stress (which many of us deal with) has on us and increase our ability to Stay Calm in stressful situations:
– Take time to note the things that you are grateful for. It does improve your mood and reduces cortisol by 23% (according to research from UC Davis).
– Stop asking “What If”. Things can go in a myriad of directions at any given time. Don’t stress about something that doesn’t exist.
– Think Positive. Yes it is that easy (or is it?) Thinking about something positive helps make stress intermittent by focusing your brain’s attention onto something that is completely stress-free. You have to give your wandering brain a little help by consciously selecting something positive to think about.
– Disconnect: Turn off that cell phone. Taking regular time off the grid can help keep your stress under control. When you make yourself available to your work 24/7, you expose yourself to a constant barrage of stressors.
– Sleep. It increases your emotional intelligence and your ability to manage your stress levels. When you sleep, your brain literally recharges, shuffling through the day’s memories and storing or discarding them (which causes dreams), so that you wake up alert and clear-headed.
– Stop the Negative Self-Talk. We tend to be our worst critics. There is no rewind button so stop evaluating yourself based on situations from the past. Once you’ve taken a moment to slow down the negative momentum of your thoughts, you will be more rational and clear-headed in evaluating their veracity.
Most important and perhaps the hardest tip to implement:
– Re-frame Your Perspective. Stress and worry are fueled by our own skewed perception of events. It’s easy to think that unrealistic deadlines, unforgiving bosses, and out-of-control traffic are the reasons we’re so stressed all the time. You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control how you respond to them. So before you spend too much time dwelling on something, take a minute to put the situation in perspective. If you aren’t sure when you need to do this, try looking for clues that your anxiety may not be proportional to the stressor.
The lesson to take with you: The bad news: Stress increases your risk of heart disease, depression, and obesity and decreases your cognitive performance. The good news: The majority of a person’s stress is subjective and under their control.
Brian Ahearn, CMCT® Chief Influence Officer influencePEOPLE Helping You Learn to Hear “Yes”.Alex Ferguson: Persuasion Secrets of Managing Manchester United
In May 2013, Sir Alex Ferguson or SAF as he’s otherwise known as, stepped down as manager of Manchester United. He had just won his 13th Premiership title, the most successful and highly decorated manager in English football. This ended his 26th season in charge of one of the biggest sporting franchises in the world.During his time at Old Trafford he won 38 titles including two UEFA champions league trophies. Ferguson took control of the club at a time when player status was more important than winning titles, over the course of four seasons and under severe pressure to deliver, he transformed the club from the inside out. He employed countless talent scouts to find the best youth players at grassroots level and developed an academy that produced one of the most successful teams in English football history. Every season a major development was installed inside the club that cemented United’s ability to find and retain the best playing staff. Ferguson was well known for having his finger on the pulse in every area of the club. Only Matt Busby, a legendary former United manager had any such influence across the entire club. So how did he do it? Ferguson was well known for his ability to psychologically influence the players around him and rival managers. Ferguson believed that the key to success was to make sure that every player put in 100% during training. He never allowed a bad training session as this proved a player would find mediocrity acceptable, he knew bad habits form quickly. He ensured that every player who under-performed at half time became aware of their poor performances thus the legendary motivational skills reared itself in the dressing room.Former rival manager Jose Mourinho claimed Ferguson was the master of the ‘second game’, sing the media to motivate his team and to begin, as he put it, ‘to play the next game before it starts’.The club and everyone around him knew he was the authority figure. If a player tried to take over the dressing room or put in a poor performance he was either swiftly removed from the club or was given a severe face-to-face screaming which had become known as the hairdryer treatment. His authority was without question embedded into the organization. Over the course of his 26 season reign he made difficult choices and this came in the form of releasing established world class players such as Roy Keane, Jaap Stam and David Beckham to make room for untested younger players such as Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo who became medal winners at United.There was another side to Ferguson, he was liked and respected. He was treated respectfully by senior management and back-room support staff and reciprocated respect by demonstrating fairness and his ability to empathize. These skills were tested during the season of 1995-96 when maverick player Eric Cantona attacked an opposition supporter Kung-Fu style and consequently given a heavy suspension lasting several months. Over the course of this period, Ferguson mentally coached Cantona, firstly to retain his services and secondly to mentally motivate and prepare the player for his return. Subsequently, Cantona blossomed to become a model player and became club captain helping United secure more silverware.This method of psychologically preparing and motivating players culminated in United’s first UEFA Champions league title in 1999. They faced a tough fixture against Germany’s Bayern Munich. At half-time United were trailing, he reminded his players that if they lost the match they would not as much be allowed to touch the trophy, just amble past at a safe distance wearing their losers medal. One of the players later recalled that Ferguson’s inspirational speech turned fearful men into world-beaters. During that same season, United became the first side from a major league to win the treble of Champions league, English Premier league and League cup in a single season.Ferguson understood the importance being consistent. One of his key skills in improving the preparedness of his players was his use of story telling and being to talk to each player individually. He liked to change the themes of his team talks with regularity. “I once heard a coach start with ‘this must be the 1000th team talk I’ve had with you’ and saw a player quickly respond with ‘and I’ve slept through half of them!’ If a player was to sit out a game, he gave a personal and very frank conversation that conveyed empathy and instilled confidence in the player.Ferguson emphasized on the use of instilling confidence on the training pitch. “There is no room for criticism on the training field’. ‘There is nothing better than hearing ‘well-done.” 
SeanCialdini “Influence” Series! Would you like to learn more about influence from the experts? Check out the Cialdini “Influence” Series featuring Cialdini Method Certified Trainers from around the world.