The Work-A-Holic Wake Up Call: Four Steps to Effective Stress Management
The world of journalism reels with the sudden death of Tim Russert, famous for being NBC’s Sunday interviewer on Meet the Press. Praise is pouring in from all directions for this excellent journalist, a loving family man, a generous and kind human being, a devout Catholic, who enjoyed baseball. So why did he die so young? Not a word has been said about that.
Russert was just 58 years old, a vulnerable age group for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a heart attack, all of which he had. He was probably taking all the appropriate medications. Your doctor probably warned you to relax, maybe take a vacation. He had just returned from Rome with the family. But did your brain take a break too? By 7 in the morning he had finished his radio show and was preparing for the next assignment. It wasn’t going to be.
The most important legacy left to all those workaholics is “stop, take note and change. You could be next.”
I caught a glimpse of Tim Russert about three years ago moving fast to catch a plane at Washington National Airport. Since I make it my hobby at airports to keep an eye on stress profiles, it caught my attention before I realized who it was. Raised shoulders, a slight tummy, lax neck muscles suggesting sleep apnea, flushed face, perhaps from high blood pressure or running, looking anxiously at the chart completed the familiar but not unusual picture. Airports are populated with workaholics.
Workaholics put in long hours and their brain works non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They long for their work. Their highs are related to work, which makes them feel indispensable. They get up early to get to work before everyone else, maybe catch up with someone in another time zone. They don’t get enough sleep. They get their energy boost from coffee and a donut. The day is filled with tasks of problem solving, preparation and worrying about the next event, sending adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones through your veins.
Most of the day is spent sitting in meetings or in front of the computer. A symbolic exercise break can help or cause even more stress, depending on the thoughts that race through your brain as you hit the treadmill. They stay up late to catch up, take a briefcase home, eat without listening, and call it parallel processing. Then back to the computer. By not following this routine they run to catch the next flight, have a drink, a junk food and an uncomfortable night in a strange bed. Your drive is self-perpetuating.
Work addiction is an addiction like any other. Something has to give and often does. Hopefully, it’s just bad health. Or it takes its toll on the family, who are confused and perplexed. The relief found in having a drink or in a relationship with a coworker only complicates matters. Men are more vulnerable because they have a higher dose of invincibility and determination.
Work addiction kills. Like any addiction, it is treatable:
1. The first step is to recognize it for what it is.
2. The second step is to address harmful lifestyle changes that individually have harmful health consequences, but are together disastrous. Cumulative sleep loss causes weight problems and can actually lead to poor performance. Poorly managed stress involves unhealthy coping styles, such as overeating, drinking, or aggressive behavior. An unhealthy diet high in fat and carbohydrates and inactivity from sedentary habits lead to obesity, diabetes, sleep interrupted by snoring and apnea, high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart attacks and strokes.
Solutions include restoring activity habits throughout the day, such as getting up frequently, finding a reason to move, going up and down stairs, taking a short break to walk. Ban junk food, pretzels, potato chips, sandwiches, donuts, cookies, or other favorite office food and lead by example.
When you feel anxious or stressed, take a few deep breaths, pull your elbows back, your shoulders down, sit up straight, and relax your face by lowering your jaw slightly. You will find that it is very difficult to feel stressed with your mouth open. Decide that you will sleep through the night in your bed. Avoid drinking or eating anything within an hour or two of sleeping. Do not call or receive phone calls an hour before bed; dim the lights and avoid any serious discussion.
3. The third step is to learn, with or without professional help, to take frequent breaks during the day. Your brain in particular needs some downtime. Close the door, sit in your chair for five minutes, close your eyes, and try to clear your brain of any thoughts. The human body and brain can withstand almost any abuse if allowed to recover.
If you want to live, listen to Russert’s wake-up call.