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How to Beat CEO Stress
By Web
Editor Paul Diamond
Are you
working such long hours to get everything done that you’ve hit your limit?
Are your employees not finishing what you ask them to do or creating more
problems with poor work quality? Do you often feel that if you’re not there
to manage your business, important things will fall through the cracks or
not get done right?
If this
describes you, you’re not alone. Of almost 2,400 CEOs surveyed on the most
recent Vistage CEO Confidence Index, 50 percent say they are more stressed
this year than last. Only three percent say they are experiencing less
stress, while 44 percent expressed feeling the same amount.
Stress makes
you sick…and fat
Stress drives people to overeat, smoke, drink too much or lose sleep, and
these problems lead to health issues. Chronic stress robs the joy from your
life and lowers your body’s natural ability to fend off disease,
specifically migraines, ulcers, heartburn, diabetes, asthma, high blood
pressure, heart disease, autoimmune diseases and skin problems. As if that’s
not enough, stress is also linked to increased abdominal fat.
Two kinds of stress
Stress release expert
Dr. Bin Yang
describes two kinds of stress. “Intense stress produces the fight-or-flight
response and can increase blood flow by 300 to 400 percent to the lungs,
muscles and brain. Chronic stress, the type found in the workplace, has
negative effects on our health, emotion and performance.”
Chronic stress leads to anger, hostility or a feeling of being in a constant
rush. More than 1,000 stressed attorneys were recently studied and found to
be three to five times more likely to have a heart attack, says Vistage
speaker
E. Lee Rice, D.O.
Strategies
to reduce stress
The following strategies can help when you’re not coping well with stress in
your life. Every person has a stress "cup." Once that cup gets full and
overflows, symptoms begin to occur. The trick is to recognize when your cup
is reaching “full” and have a method for pouring it out.
-
Monitoring
system.
Give your spouse, children, friends, peers and employees permission to
tell you when they see the signs of stress getting out of control. If you
get angry and defensive, they’ll never tell you. Give them permission to
speak the truth.
-
Thought
control.
Says
author/talk show host and psychotherapist
Barton
Goldsmith PhD:
“Instead
of just thinking about the worst that could happen, think about what the
best scenario could be. Then examine what’s most likely to happen, and
grab hold of that. Let your mind find a reasonably positive outcome and it
will release your anxiety. If this doesn’t work, then you may need to roll
up your sleeves and do something deeper about it.”
-
Exercise.
This is one of the best ways to immediately reduce stress. Moderate,
comfortable exercise generates the relaxation response.
-
Nutrition
and supplements.
The higher your stress level, the more vitamins and minerals your body
needs. Eat healthy and supplement appropriately.
-
Meditation.
More than 1,300 scientific studies have documented the benefits of
meditation. To meditate, put yourself in a place of relaxation and listen
for that “still point” within yourself. Slow down your thoughts so you can
have feelings in between your thoughts. Amazing neurochemical changes
happen during meditation.
-
Getting
outdoors.
Vistage
Speaker, Dr.
Paul
Brenner
recommends, “Time alone, spent in nature” as a way to refocus on the
moment. Hiking on your local trail or sitting by the river can clear your
mind.
-
Relationships.
Feeling connected to other people plays a major role in reducing stress.
Isolation from others increases stress. "Our relationships with people
give us a sense of connectedness, balance, perspective and fulfillment.
Many studies show the value of relationships in strengthening our health
and immune response," Dr. Rice says.
-
Music and
the arts.
Listen to music. Read a good book. Watch the sun set. Having
multiple-senses imagery causes immediate neurochemical changes that
enhance the relaxation response.
Other stress
reduction strategies include:
-
Having a
positive outlook
-
Sex
-
Play (fun
activity without an end-result in mind)
-
Laughter
-
Helping
others
-
Silence
-
Forgiveness
-
Express
your gratitude
-
Hobbies
-
Massage
-
Vacations
-
Solitude
-
Spiritual
connectedness
-
Deep
abdominal breathing
All of these
suggestions point toward one truth about stress: Overlooking play, solitude
and significant relationships has potential health risks.
Stress Seminars
Dr. Yang holds two- and four-day executive stress seminars that teach
business owners how to utilize, prevent, eliminate and transform stress. The
seminars aren’t cheap, but what price would you place on more enjoyment from
life, looking and feeling younger, and attaining higher peak performance and
productivity?
For detailed information on managing stress, Vistage members can review the
Stress Management
best practices module.
CEOs Confide: “To relieve stress, I…”
Compiled by
Vistage Web Editor Paul Diamond
We asked
Vistage members what they do to relieve stress. Here are some of the answers
we got:
“I get up
early every day and pray.”
Charles Brewer III, CEO, C. Brewer Company, Anaheim, CA
“I stay
focused on my highest priorities and don’t worry about what isn’t getting
done since it’s not my highest priority.”
Susan Kuruvilla, President, Clark Security Products, San Diego, CA
“I assess the situation. Think of all the possible solutions, then get
help/seek knowledge from experts, professionals, peers, contacts, seminars,
or books. Once I come to a conclusion, I take action without second-guessing
it.”
Narasimhulu Neelagaru, MD., Chairman of the Board, Quantum National Bank,
Suwanee, Ga
“I relieve
my stress by exercising every morning. I also make sure my assistant
schedules me in a hotel with an excellent fitness center when I'm on the
road. I stayed at a Westin last week that had a treadmill in the room!”
Julie Klapstein ,CEO Availity, LLC, Jacksonville, Fl
“I focus on
bottom-line issues, prioritize constantly, and pray every morning.”
Tom Campanaro , CEO Engineering Fitness
International Inc, San Diego, CA
“Running
immediately after work helps me compartmentalize the day and self-reflect,
and it prepares me for my number one job, my family.”
David Keefe, President,Trilogy Plumbing, Inc., Anaheim, CA
“I
decompress by cooking. Preparing a dish to share with others refocuses me. I
get involved with the ingredients and tasting. I think about how to present
the final meal and how my guests will react to my attempt to please them.
But, these are all parallel aspects of managing a construction project –
just transformed to another platform – and it works for me. I am not
cognizant of the parallel, just enjoying the moment and my proficiency in
another realm.”
Marjorie L. Herter, President, Vee See Construction Company, Inc., Oak Lawn,
IL
“Spending time with my family, including weekends at our second home on the
lake, helps me unwind. It’s good to be in a different environment, away from
the everyday hustle and bustle.”
Joe Scollo, COO, American Safety Insurance Services, Inc., Atlanta, GA
“My mind can
usually see things worse than they are. I daily need to anchor my thinking
in reality, not fear of what might happen.”
Steve Crossley, President, Genesis Insulation, Inc., Jacksonville, FL
“Vistage
speaker Nikki Nemerouf taught us to take a sheet of paper and write down
things we appreciate and are grateful for in five different categories. He
recommended we look at it each morning and each time we get stressed.
Supposedly it’s physiologically impossible to be upset and in a state of
appreciation at the same time.”
Anna Belyaev, CEO,
Type A
Learning Agency, Chicago, IL
“Three
things work the best for stress relief for me--reading, family time and
volunteering.”
Don J. Ilkka, DDS, Leesburg, Fl
“The more
hours I invest into the workplace, I ratchet up my exercise time
proportionately. More tennis, basketball, weight training and such make for
a more balanced lifestyle!”
Chris S. Barton, CEO, Wholesale Carrier Services, Inc., Coral
Springs, Fl
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