Dealing With Stress at Work
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The relationship between work and stress seems to be very closely intertwined. Numerous studies show that dealing with stress at work is one of the top stressors for Americans. Eight in ten Americans report being stressed about their jobs. Dealing with stress at work includes competition between colleagues, heavy workloads, long work hours, shortage of resources, and long commutes in heavy traffic. It is estimated that American companies spend $300 billion yearly on stress related issues. Dealing with stress at work can also have a direct and dire effect on one’s health contributing to obesity, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, and depression.
To alleviate stress, various antidotes are broadly recommended such as exercise, reducing caffeine, self-help workshops, and taking time off work. While these activities provide momentary relief, they don’t sustain our relaxation, so looking for an enduring solution is inevitable. A solution that not only provides stress relief but also addresses the root cause of stress and nips it in the bud.
Sadhguru, a realized yogi and one of the foremost authorities on yoga, addresses how to deal with stress at work.
"When I first went to the United States a few years ago, wherever I went, everybody was talking about “stress management.” I really didn’t get this because in my understanding, we manage things which are precious to us – our business, our family, our money, our wealth, our children. Why would anyone manage stress? It took me a while to understand that people have concluded that stress is a part of their lives.
Stress is not a part of your life. Stress is just your inability to manage your own system. Stress happens not because of the nature of your work. The Prime Minister is complaining of stress, the peon is also complaining of stress. In between, every other person is saying his job is stressful. And those who are unemployed also find their situation stressful. So you are suffering your job – if I get you fired, will you be joyful?
No. So stress is obviously not about your job, isn’t it? It is just that you do not know how to manage your body, your mind, your emotions, your energy, your chemistry – you do not know how to manage anything. You are functioning by accident, so everything is stressful. So stress is just an inability to manage the inner situation, not the outer situation. So the first and foremost thing we need to work at is to make a human being peaceful and joyful. This will invariably happen if you do the right type of yoga. If it is done properly – because yoga is a subjective science – if it is delivered properly, it will work like a miracle and make this happen."
Explore the science and technology of wellbeing with Sadhguru. Inner Engineering is a powerful program for personal growth. To read more about how Inner Engineering works to relieve stress, click here [link no longer active].
