Today we have a guest editorial from Stanley Popovich as Steve is traveling to SQL Server Connections.
Stress and anxiety are very common in today’s information technology industry. As a result, here is a list of techniques that a person in the information technology industry can use to help manage their daily job stresses and anxieties.
Sometimes, we get stressed when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could take a walk, listen to some music, read the newspaper or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things.
Sometimes things happened that might take everyone by surprise. Be flexible and when expected things happen learn to deal with them immediately.
When facing a current or upcoming task at your computer job that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, divide the task into a series of smaller steps and then complete each of the smaller tasks one at a time. Completing these smaller tasks will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.
Talk with the people you work with on a regular basis. Find out what is on their minds. Ask for any suggestions on how to improve business productivity and morale. Communicating with your workers and managers will help prevent future problems and conflicts.
Challenge your negative thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts that make you fearful or depressed, challenge those thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense. For example, you are afraid that if you do not get that job promotion then you will be stuck at your job forever. This depresses you, however your thinking in this situation is unrealistic. The fact of the matter is that there all are kinds of jobs available and just because you don’t get this job promotion doesn’t mean that you will never get one.
Remember that no one can predict the future with one hundred percent certainty. Even if the thing that you feared does happen there are circumstances and factors that you can’t predict which can be used to your advantage. For instance, you are at your place of work and you miss the deadline for a computer project you have been working on for the last few months. Everything you feared is coming true. Suddenly, your manager comes to your office and tells you that the deadline is extended and that he forgot to tell you the day before. This unknown factor changes everything.
Finally, do what you can today. Do not put things off when you can do them today. You never know when something may come up and being efficient on a daily basis can prevent future problems down the road.
In every anxiety-related situation you experience at your computer job, begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to take a walk to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself that you got through it the last time by taking a walk. This will give you the confidence to manage your anxiety the next time around.
Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a counselor, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Managing your fears and anxieties takes practice. The more you practice, the better you will become.
