Costco Connection - September 2008

says. “I once worked with a nightmare woman who constantly berated me,” she reports. “I visualized a ferret head above her neck, which was not only funny but helped remove me from taking anything she said personally.”

Put things in perspective. When you feel frazzled, stop and rate your stress level from 1 to 10, with 1 being you missed out on office doughnuts and 10 meaning you were just fired, says Zoglio. “Rating your stress puts things in perspective, which helps avoid overreaction.” Similarly, she suggests taking a “gratitude break” and listing three things— maybe your health, job and friendships—for which you’re thankful. Your focus instantly shifts from what’s wrong to what’s right. Even in the midst of a pressure-filled situation, it’s calming to remind yourself that the stressors will eventually pass.

Photo opportunity. Humans’ brains are wired to instantly respond to visuals, says McLaren. By turning to a calming image on your computer screen or office wall, she says, you’ll quickly “feel” yourself walking along that favorite beach or fishing from that boat, which will help you temporarily disengage from a stressful environment.

Do a good deed. Take a minute or two to help an employee who is confronting a personal crisis. Or compliment a co-worker on her presentation. “Positive psychology studies indicate that when we’re helping or giving to someone,” says Zoglio, “it [quickly] makes us feel fuller, more confident and uplifted.”

Write it down. Writing down your feelings is a vehicle for quickly helping to transfer stress from your mind to the paper or computer, says McLaren. Writing helps qualify and quantify what you’re stressed about, she says, providing a more objective—and calmer—understanding of the situation. C

Harvey Meyer is a St. Louis Park, Minnesota, freelancer.

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mon relaxing technique for starting meditation, Cora says, adding that deeper breaths help oxygenate your blood, reducing the chances you’ll experience high blood pressure, headaches and fatigue, among other stress-related ailments.—HM