Stress management is a vital skill for personal and professional success.

From my own experience, stress is harmful because it shuts down constructive thought and results in stasis, with little improvement or change.  This static condition can become a downward spiral of self-pity and depression resulting in even more stress.

One of the best stress management remedies is a small constructive step towards positive action.  The operative words are constructive and action.

Physical action involves our muscles and this can reduce stress through new muscle memory.  People who seek to improve themselves and thereby overcome stress willingly accept that change is necessary.

Constructive action implies that we stop the self-destructive, stress behaviors and replace them with positive behaviors that develop positive muscle memory.

Crossing the bridge from stress & stasis to constructive action is possible when rational thinking prevails regarding stress and its causes.

Constructive action implies that we stop the self-destructive, stress behaviors and replace them with positive behaviors that develop positive muscle memory.  Transitioning from stress & stasis to constructive action  is easier to overcome when we challenge our own thoughts and begin the constructive, anti-stress behaviors.

The operative words are constructive and action.

The below, two-minute video shares insight into Stress Management and Muscle Memory.  The video’s message about stress and change is both basic and profound.  Wait until the end of this stress video.

As the video says, developing good muscle memory isn’t easy and it’s not always fast, however it can be very rewarding.  We will experience less stress when we learn and apply new behaviors – one step at a time.  Practice makes perfect for worthwhile behaviors.  Especially when we serve difficult customers.

Thinking rationally about stress includes believing that you have two choices: you can either react or respond.

When people react to stress, this is derived from their primitive brain.  If a customer yells at you, you start yelling back.  A primitive stress reaction doesn’t take much work or thinking  – we simply react to the customer’s behavior.

A response to an adverse event takes a little more effort.  Service professionals who respond will minimize stress because he or she will pause and then think rationally about what is really happening.  Rational thinking results in letting the customer vent while listening actively and conveying a helpful tone of voice.  These constructive behaviors develop new habits and muscle memory.

Service professionals must learn that the customer’s behavior is not the problem.  The problem is whatever is causing the customer to behave that way.  Fixing the real problem will inevitably fix the customer’s behavior.  And this results in less stress.

Stress Management

Add your comments below regarding the video and request topics that you’d like to see me include in future blogs.

My travel schedule is robust during the few weeks with availability for training and consulting.  My fees are affordable and your ROI is guaranteed.  Visit the calendar on this website to see where I’ll be traveling.  My training also includes stress management.