Deeper Insights: Resources to Help You Kick Anxiety and Stress

Throughout August 2019, DRIVEN has been gazing into the future— the place from which Anxiety, Stress and Overwhelm keep us unproductive in the present. We published three articles and delivered an OfficeHours webinar exploring the challenges faced by those of us who are debilitated by these emotions. Therein, we offered examples and solutions so motivated professionals like you can break down the barriers and achieve better equilibrium in the workplace. For instance, in my recent article Finding The Trigger: Releasing Anxiety, I gave advice, including a real case study, for courageously finding the cause of your angst as a springboard for changing your mindset and ultimately embracing the future event that had you so distracted in the first place. I hope you’ve discovered these articles and have re-leased your life and career by examining your own relationship to the unknowable future.

As with each of DRIVEN’s topics, there are exceptional resources for further reading and listening. These include related DRIVEN articles and external resources like books, podcasts and video presentations. Here’s the August roundup of our favorite links related to overcoming your anxious and stressful reservations about the future, some of which will link you to additional resources therein. Explore them, and then reach out to us. We’d love to hear what resonates with you in these areas! 

On Stress:Reporting In From OfficeHours: Participants in DRIVEN’s recent webinar, Releasing Stress, Anxiety and Overwhelm, had some remarkable feedback to share in real time. It was solid evidence that those of us who suffer from these emotions are not alone. These professionals reported in on what they’re feeling stressed about, how the stress manifests, and what they do effectively to manage that stress. Link to the recording HERE.

The 3-Second Pause: Self-imposed stress often results from not setting boundaries with our colleagues. For instance, haven’t you been taken off-guard when someone unexpectedly asked you to write to your network colleagues to promote an event? Reliable professionals like ourselves love being involved. This prompts our knee-jerk reaction to be, “Sure, I can certainly squeeze that in”. Then the reality of burnout sets in, and we underdeliver our promise. There’s a benefit to saying “No”; master the art of doing so, and you’ll dial down your stress while not disappointing your colleagues. Read DRIVEN’s article on setting boundaries HERE.

The Most Effective Management: It’s been said many times, and we would agree: The best way to manage stress and anxiety is through exercise and meditation. Where meditation is the purest form of being present, exercise is vital for all aspects of well-being. Get a glimpse of the bigger picture by reading DRIVEN’s homegrown articles on meditation HERE, and exercise HERE.

Meditation, In Detail: One of the most powerful benefits of being part of the C-IQ community is the co-creation my fellow coaches allow. We are constantly sharing exercises, techniques and experiences to deliver to our individual clients and to further embody C-IQ ourselves. During a monthly international mastermind session focused on Diversity and Inclusion, the spirited Shawna Pelton explained why a particular grounding meditation was so effective. I asked her to take me through the mediation and to share it with the DRIVEN community, too! Link to the recording HERE, and thank you, Shawna!

Put The Glass Down: It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses as early in the evening as you can. Don’t carry your burdens through the into the night. There’s a great little analogy about stress to keep by your bedside, told by Angel and Marc Chernoff. I affectionately have labeled it the water glass story, and it stands as a “powerful yet simple metaphor that will change the way you think.” Link to the quick story HERE.

Make Stress Your Friend: Stress is unhealthy for you, but only if you believe it’s true. It’s Henry Ford’s classic case of “whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk will show you why. 

On Anxiety:

The Energy Crisis Assessment: 12 years ago, the Harvard Business Review published an article that included a clever and concise quiz that could measure your stress and anxiety level by examining the state of your mind, body, spirit and emotions. DRIVEN has republished this Energy Crisis Assessment, and it could be the quickest and easiest way to determine where you stand. Link to the quiz HERE.

The R.A.I.N. of Anxiety: Meditation teacher Tara Brach has a protocol that I often refer to which has proven quite effective in opening one’s eyes to the causes of and solutions for their anxieties. It’s been modified and customized in a 3-minute recording by me. Link to it HERE.

Catch and Release: EQ expert Travis Bradberry notes that only 36% of people can identify their emotions as they happen. To be in this minority, it’s necessary to catch yourself when you become anxious for no reason at all, and then actively “release” the anxiety. Explore this further by reading a quick DRIVEN article on the topic HERE.

Something You Should Know: Noelle Nelson has written several books on the subject of appreciation including The Power Of Appreciation. When I listened to her interview on the podcast Something You Should Know, I was struck by how powerful a tool appreciation can be to manage workplace anxiety. Link to the interview HERE.

If you enjoy what you’re reading and are considering living life more fully, schedule a complimentary consultative session with DRIVEN HERE.