Rebirth Work Place Stress

There are some days that I really regret having to get up and go to work. I’m sure there are many others who feel the same way I feel. Whether it’s not liking the company you work for various reasons, the type of job duties you have, or perhaps, it’s the individuals you have to work with. I’m sure it’s a complicated combination of workplace stress that causes resentment, bitterness, or just plain anger. If you are one of those people who love their job and wake up refreshed and excited about showing up, then appreciate that blessing. Because on the other side of that coin or maybe just down the hall from you, is someone who just feels plain miserable.

I don’t think a story is even necessary here because we have all heard it or seen it all before. It’s cliché. Person A goes to sleep dreading to have to wake up and go into the office in the morning. When the alarm goes off, it’s almost as if your body is anticipating that awful alarm. Not having slept as well as you used to, your body drags and you roll or pull yourself out of bed to get showered, dressed and out the door by 7:30am to make it to work on time by 8:00am. Along the way, everything is an irritant – the trash can on the curb, the school bus’s frequent stops in front of you, listening to the world’s terrible news on the radio, the traffic, the spilt coffee, etc. And all this before you even clock in. Now you have to face an unbearable boss and a chatty-patty coworker. Then the real fun begins: balancing competing assignments with competing deadlines; an increase in your work duties on top of that; employee evaluations of your work performance, lack of support to get these tasks completed and another good old example of siloed working (there is no community or teamwork amongst your peers). You have to work late to get stuff done. You feel alone at a job in an office of many that may have little meaning to you personally, but it pays the bills and it supports you and your family’s lifestyle. To top all of this, it’s only Monday and you have to do it all over again.

Studies have shown that approximately 83% of workers in the United States alone suffer from stress related directly to work. It’s no mystery that stress at work leads to more serious issues like physical ailments such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia, or even detriments to your digestive system. The stresses also manifest on the following psychological aspects including severe levels of anxiety, irritability, depression, and a reduction in one’s ability to reason, to contemplate, and to focus. Lastly, our behaviors are subject to be disrupted. We often become more uncontrollably aggressive, our performance (in many areas) decreases, or we experience uncontainable mood swings. Needless to say, these negatively impact our own internal actions (intrapersonal – the relationship we have with ourselves, the internal monologues that we have to ourselves that help us make decisions), but they also impact our relationship with others (interpersonal – the relationship of communication that we share with others).

Well, I don’t have the answer to finding you a new job. But is finding a new job really the answer you need? Is it the job that’s frustrating? Is it really the people? Is it really the traffic or the work or the coffee or your alarm clock? Nah, it’s us. It’s me. With mindful dedication and focus on our place in the moment, we can take a different perspective on what we encounter and then how we choose to address it. A rebirth isn’t focused on finding a job that fits you; it’s focused on finding your place where you are. You are not bound by the restrictive perspectives your mind is putting you in. You are not bound by the roles we feel we are chained to. Rebirth is a freedom of mind and expression and perspective. We, again, are gifted with the freedom of choice. Maybe a new job is the solution, but what if it happens in a new role in a new office in a completely new environment? How then will you respond? Do you jump ship again? To be clear, if you are in a job that makes you unhappy, then move on to something different. When you suffer in that type of condition, innocents around you suffer as well. However, I would venture to say that finding or creating new frames to view things will go a long way in the meantime.

So, what’s the message? I point to a work I read by author, Tara Healey. She points to a super critical remedy I thought was ever so important if we seek to rebirth elements in our employment life to ease stress from our minds and help us find comfort. It’s with this that I present to you a path to your own personal rebirth, or opportunity to reposition yourself in the face of this work adversity. Through acknowledgement to her, I offer you this suggestion.

Stress Reprieve

Recognize that in this context (as well as in many other contexts), your thoughts are not factual. They are judgements based on past experiences placed on new events. What you think may not be the actual, factual existence that you have made it out to be in your head. How you perceive things to be may not in fact be as they appear. Consider removing the judgement from the thought. And by that, I mean, instead of dreading the thought of additional assignments, look at it as fuel, as new opportunity to build your experience, your skills, thus your resume. Furthermore, consider treating each frustrating experience as something new, something you’ve never had to do before. Let’s redefine experiences in a different way. Let’s take that positive spin. Any rebirth requires a change in action, yes, that is important. But the attitude and intention behind it are equally as important.

I want to add this last piece from personal experience. I used to think many of the jobs I have held in my past were useless or pointless. Moreover, they were uneventful and didn’t really matter. First, that is a complete fallacy. We all have a role to play whether it is big or small, monumental or seemingly insignificant. We all play a role in the chains of this life we share. Second, staying mindful is not about “learning one’s place” in a negative context. It’s about learning the importance of one’s place. There is nothing but honor in hard work. Being able to work hard is a gift.

Reflect on all the “insignificant” jobs in the world and then try and imagine a world without them. You should solidify your employment position in this life with pride. It is stressful, but know that you can change your mindset, your perspective, your belief, your attitude any time you want. It’s the gift of mindful rebirthing. Stay true to it.

Stay mindful…

Rebirths