Val in the Media

Less Stress on the Job:

Nine Ways to Take the Pressure Off -- Now

Rachel Christmas Derrick
Essence, March 2000

"It's not unusual for me to start crying while I'm driving to work or on a plane for one of the business trips I take almost every week," says Marie, an account manager for a global human-resources consulting firm who asked us not to use her real name.

The high expectations of her position are stressing her out. "If I don't work late evenings and on weekends, I'm constantly checking my voice mail and e-mail from home, and I have to respond right away," she says.

The first and only Black person and one of few women at her level in her company, Marie is proud of how far her hard work and long hours have propelled her up the corporate ladder. Yet if a client complains or a supervisor hands a project to someone else, she wonders, Did such and such happen because I'm Black, because I'm a woman or because of my performance?

As Marie has found, the continual stress that working Black women face can take an emotional and physical toll. Trying to manage her demanding professional life without shortchanging her husband and two children has left her with frequent stomach pains, recurrent headaches and sleepless nights. Unchecked, stress can also lead to irritability, constant fatigue and skin eruptions, at best. At worst you put yourself at risk for reproductive problems, hypertension or heart disease. So how do we cope with work stress before it works us?

First of all , we need to keep in mind that stress is not always a bad thing. "At healthy levels, stress challenges us to perform at heights we might not have thought we could reach," notes Janice E. Williams, R.N., Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in New York.

"Although it certainly has external causes -- deadlines, large volumes of work, competing priorities," explains Val Williams, an executive coach in Edison, New Jersey, "the real cause of stress is not what happens to you, but how you react to it." Think about your own work setting: Many people have the same job conditions, yet some are more frazzled than others. So how do you account for that difference? "It's all in people's abilities to manage their reactions to demanding situations," says Val Williams. For example, you may believe that if only your boss would get off your back, you wouldn't be so pressured. But Williams contends that if only you would be different, you could handle your job with greater ease.

Here are nine strategies for helping you manage work tension.

Put yourself in control of your career. "Taking charge of your career means you are driving somewhere, not just arriving," says Val Williams. Are you content as an assistant, or would you rather be running your department -- or the company? Ask yourself where you want to be in a year, two years, five years? By discussing goals with your boss, and by paying close attention to what successful people do, you can gain control over your career -- and minimize the stress from feeling powerless.

Just say no. When too many new assignments come your way or coworkers cry out for help, you may be among the many sisters who are afraid to decline. You badly want to succeed and fear disappointing those who rely on you. However, Val Williams warns, "you can't say yes to everything without consequences -- excessive pressure and exhaustion. "When your boss assigns you a new project, for example, explain that, while you appreciate her faith in you, this is not a good time for you to take on a new task as you want to do a good job with what you already have on your plate. Or agree to the new assignment if your boss will arrange extra help for you.

Work smarter, not harder. To minimize pressure, map out what you need to tackle each day, delegate work and stay organized. For instance, decide that a particular document belongs on a certain place and always put it there so you won't waste time searching for it. "Learn to manage your time better," advises Linda Anderson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who runs a psychotherapy group for professional women of color in New York. "Divide large projects on your to-do list into smaller tasks so that every day you feel you're accomplishing something." And give yourself credit for everything you do.

Seek peace. When a rough day at work plucks your last nerve, take a quick time-out, says Hafeezah, founder of A Circle of Sisters, a national women's support network, and StressBreakers, a stress-reduction program in New York. She recommends this relaxation technique: (1) Close your eyes while at your desk or in a bathroom stall (or better yet, sitting outdoors). (2) Inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, take three slow, deep breaths. Imagine you are drawing tranquility into your body and expelling tension. (3) Visualize yourself in a comfortable chair in a sunny garden on a spring day listening to the birds and feeling the gentle breeze. If your mind wanders, concentrate on the details of the soothing sights, sounds and smells of your mental vacation.

Try a facelift. No, not your mug, you work space. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel -- and how much more productive you are -- if you clear desk clutter and organize papers into neat piles. Also, try desk-improvement tips:

Reach out and touch. For professional support and to develop business connections, join a trade organization for Blacks or for sisters -- or create your own. When things get hairy on the job, talk to those close to you. Research shows that the support of others is a buffer. However, Janice Williams recommends, vent to friends and family rather than coworkers.

Take body breaks. Get physical at least three times a week. Regular exercise lowers stress and boosts energy. Schedule a brisk 20-minute morning walk or half-hour lunchtime gym workout -- to feel and look better.

Eat right. Never skip meals. Poor nutrition hampers physical and mental performance. Avoid excess caffeine, which can affect mood. Eat a balanced diet, with six glasses of water daily and plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Be your best you. Stress is reduced or eliminated if you bring the best of yourself to each situation, says Janice Williams. So along with exercising and eating well, get enough sleep, seek regular medical care and nurture your spiritual side to stay balanced. Pamper yourself with consistent quiet time, bubble baths or massages. You work hard, and you deserve it.

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Rachel Christmas Derrick writes frequently on health, fitness and travel.

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