You would be amazed at learning what stress can do to you. It can affect your health, your behavior, your work, and your business. So, why are we all so stressed out? Because there is too much to do and too little time to do it! I have decided to have less to do every day and to decrease my stress level. The costs of being stressed out and overworked are just too high. Here are some problems I have seen that result from stress.
(1) Stress can cause you to be impatient with people
I have too much to do, and when I do phone calls, I tend to be in a hurry. If the person who is supposed to help me can’t make it, I tend to get the work done myself. But, I am not so nice to people when I do the work myself because I am stressed out from over working. If people talk back to me, I sometimes even yell at them. I am much nicer when I have a chance to do some serious relaxing.
(2) Stress can cause your mental functioning to be impaired
I remember going to Whole Foods once. I was working much too much. I forgot one thing, and left my bag with a lady in the front. When I came back, the lady had no idea who I was. I started losing my head and panicking. I started raising my voice. Then another lady looked at my receipt and told me that the lady two aisles over was the one who had helped me. The two ladies were both Hispanic, and of a similar age. Under normal circumstances I am not sure if I would have confused them, but I was very embarrassed.
(3) Stress causes you to make bad decisions
When you have to make a decision at the last minute, it won’t be a good one. You need to reflect slowly on decisions to make a good one. That is why I recommend relaxing and bathing before you make any critical choices for your business. It makes sense to put off decision making until you are in a good state of mind even if the delay causes a temporary loss.
(4) Stress causes spelling mistakes
I make lots of spelling and writing mistakes when under stress. It is okay to do a first draft of writing work under stress. But, proofread and fine tune your work when you are feeling relaxed, preferably after a long trip to the beach at night which is the most relaxing place a person can go!
(5) Stress impairs your ability to prioritize
A good business person does tasks in order of priority. When you are under stress, it is difficult to be able to figure out what is a priority. You just want to crank work out fast. To me, it makes sense to do busy-work while stressed, and thinking work on a different day while relaxed, or during my breaks where I can daydream.
(6) Stress causes the urge to drink; Drinking reduces stress
So, is drinking good or bad? I’m not sure. Drinking red wine in small amounts is good for you. Eating healthy foods reduces stress.
(7) According to Kabbalah, stress is good.
One Kabbalist once told our group that stress is good. If you are under stress that means you are accomplishing a lot of tasks in a short amount of time. Being under pressure means you are doing lots of things at once or in a limited amount of time which indicates efficiency. On the other hand Warren Buffet chooses to work two hours a day and be selective to where he devotes his time. He spends his time only thinking about the highest priorities and leaves the rest to others!
(8) Stress causes action
When you are under stress, you tend to take action more quickly than when you are relaxed. Another reason why stress is good.
(9) Stress causes temporary insanity
If the stress really gets out of hand, you won’t be able to think at all and go into a sort of mental paralysis. When this happens, it is time to take some time off!