Study Suggests Workplace Stress Is Increasing

One of Dale Carnegie’s principles for overcoming worry is to live in “day-tight compartments.”

This term was first coined by Sir William Osler when he encountered this life-changing quote from Thomas Carlisle, “It is not our goal to see what lies dimly in the distance but to do what clearly lies at hand.”

For most people, this is easier said than done.  Worry is directly correlated to stress and both occur in the workplace more frequently than ever.

The outcomes of employees’ stress levels are typically as follows:

• Absence from work
• Low job satisfaction and morale
• A decrease in productivity
• A lesser commitment level

The aggregate result of individuals’ stress levels on an overall organization typically include:

• An increase in costs
• A decrease in performance
• A depletion of innovation capacity

Although the Dutch working population has maintained relatively low levels of workplace stress, a new study suggests it is increasing.

According to a Netherlands Working Conditions Survey NEA survey published in May of 2011, approx. one third of the Dutch working population has a chronic health disorder which includes mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.  The number of chronic disorders is increasing.

The number of work days lost due to mental complaints etc. is relatively high compared to the other reported causes. The number of work days lost due to conflicts at work is also rising, which suggests that the nature of the conflicts is becoming more serious.

Often times, stress is caused when one contemplates regrets and mistakes of the past, or has anxiety about upcoming events.  Stressed employees are often unable to perform what needs must be done at the moment because they are trapped in the past or future.  Dale Carnegie said, “If you want to avoid worry, do what Sir William Osler did: Live in “day-tight compartments.” Don’t stew about the futures. Just live each day until bedtime.”

By living in “day-tight compartments” we can hone all of our energy, motivation and skills into promptly accomplishing tasks which reflect the best of our abilities.  If you are overwhelmed with worry and simply cannot concentrate because of anxiety, try this strategy from Dale Carnegie:

1. Ask yourself, “What is the worst that can possibly happen?”
2. Prepare to accept the worst.
3. Try to improve on the worst.
4. Remind yourself of the exorbitant price you can pay for worry in terms of your health.

There are a variety of worry reduction strategies taught in the Dale Carnegie Course: Effective Communications & Human Relations/Skills For Success.  By taking the course, you’ll be better equipped to perform as a persuasive communicator, problem-solver and focused leader…since you will have overcome your worries and minimized your stress level.

This post is brought to you by Dale Carnegie Training Benelux, providers of professional development and management development courses and information in the Netherlands. Please connect with us on Facebook.

This entry was posted on January 26, 2012 at 9:15 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.