Stress is a natural part of any career journey. The goal of a stress-management
program is not to eliminate stress, but to recognize when stress is intolerably
high, and to manage its consequences. The exercise below is designed to
help you measure the amount of stress you are experiencing at work. Then,
a number of strategies are suggested for the management of this stress.
| Being in competition with associates for
important promotion |
100 |
| Being fired |
95 |
| Breakup of partnership by dissolution |
90 |
| Death of partner or associate |
85 |
| Promotion of an insider over your head |
80 |
| Promotion of an outsider over your head |
75 |
| Demotion |
75 |
| Handing in your resignation |
70 |
| Being transferred to another town or country |
65 |
| Having to refinance business |
65 |
| Merger of your firm with larger organization |
60 |
| New immediate superior |
60 |
| Starting work with new firm |
60 |
| Lawsuit against your firm |
60 |
| Finding close colleague is trying to stab you in the back |
55 |
| Personal public recognition (in press, by professional association) |
50 |
| Decrease in income |
50 |
| Having to fire close colleague |
50 |
| Change in character/status of important client (hence need for your
firm to change the business) |
50 |
| Serious personality change in associate |
45 |
| Lack of appreciation by superiors of your efforts |
45 |
| Resignation of secretary/assistant |
45 |
| Loss of important customer |
45 |
| Sale of equity in company to staff |
45 |
| Promotion |
40 |
| Lack of gratitude by colleague for favours |
40 |
| New secretary/assistant starting |
40 |
| Continuing corporate bank overdraft |
40 |
| Change in type of work |
35 |
| Strike against your firm |
35 |
| Relocation of your office or plant |
30 |
| Covering up mistake of colleague |
30 |
| Public criticism which is damaging to the firm |
30 |
| Having to fire competent staff |
25 |
| Increase in income |
25 |
| Being criticized by superior |
20 |
| Failure to meet contract deadline more than once a month |
20 |
| Increase in cost of materials |
20 |
| Securing important contract |
20 |
| Postal or other public-service disruption |
15 |
| Vacation (self or close staff) |
15 |
| Minor sickness (self or close staff) |
15 |
| Failure of supplier to meet your deadline |
15 |
| Complaint by client (but not backed up by action) |
10 |
| Disagreement with associates |
10 |
| Attendance in one week at more than three meetings involving three
or more people |
10 |
| Car breakdown or similar inconvenience |
10 |
| Reading important financial or political news |
10 |
| |
|
| TOTAL |
|
The average and normal stress level for optimum performance is around
300. Some people can tolerate a much higher level. However, most people
will experience some of the following symptoms at higher levels: upset
stomach, headache, increased smoking and drinking, muscular tension, the
desire to be left alone, insomnia, tightness in the chest, depression,
irritability, low self-esteem, and a proneness to frequent forgetfulness,
errors, and poor performance.
