Stress Management

As working professionals, we constantly hear about the importance of work-life balance. And many employers now brag about their work-life benefits and family-friendly policies. But for many of us, trying to find the perfect way to juggle these roles can seem nearly impossible.

You’re going to have good days and bad days at the office (and in life). The trick is to have more good ones than bad ones, and this begins with having the right attitude. When you’re having a bad day at the office, remember that life is all about the big picture and to give yourself a break when you feel frustrated or lost. Effective leaders know this is true for themselves and everyone else.

It’s here: Valentine’s Day. The Great American Shakedown. And it’s unstoppable. Office professionals across the country dread this day as both men and woman are stuffed full of manufactured expectations like Thanksgiving (a real holiday) turkeys. But there is no escaping the madness; the best one can hope to do is survive it. Here’s how:

It’s not difficult to imagine that women, who are paid less than men for doing the same work, are more stressed than men. It’s nearly impossible to embrace a situation with open arms and peace of mind when you know you’re being discriminated against. And that’s just the beginning. Despite the Mr. Mom phenomenon, the role of men in corporate society has remained relatively unchanged, while the role for women is constantly evolving as equality at the workplace remains a fundamental human issue.

It’s Friday, which means the weekend is here. The holidays are over, and the winter doldrums are in full swing. So what is there left to talk about? Why your job of course. We spend so much of our lives at work that one would think the last thing anyone would want to talk about over a few beers on a Friday evening is their job, but it is. And it’s annoying, especially for those who have to listen.

Most office professionals have achieved success in life through hard work, discipline and tenacity. Getting ahead is all about diligence, and those who don’t work as hard as they do are behind for a good reason. However, another quality most effective professionals share is a positive disposition. For some this comes naturally; others, however, have to make a proactive choice to maintain a positive disposition. But the benefits of being positive boost every aspect of our lives—mentally, emotionally and physically.

We all must cope with undesirable people, events and situations at work. Nance Pelgram in accounting chomps raw vegetables all day. Phillip Hightower wears the same pair of pants for weeks without washing them; you know this because of the blue chalk mark—perhaps from a game of pool—on his back pocket. Tom Daniels, an inept womanizer, thinks that insulting you is a way of flirting (um, not when it comes to your clothes).

Perhaps no demographic in the workplace is analyzed more than the working mother. There are more surveys, articles and pie charts our there that deconstruct the life of a working mother than there are for housing numbers, gasoline prices or the Oscars. Data about working mothers is everywhere. And now there is more data, but this time it addresses what childless career women feel about working mothers. Hint: They’re scared of them.

• How Stress Hits You in Your Gut [FoxNews.com]
• Why Your Odds of Getting Hired Just Got Better [MainStreet.com]
• Rules You Must Learn to Get Hired Today [Glass Door]
• Steps for a Successful Federal Job Search [Bankrate.com]
• What You Can Learn from Getting Fired [WSJ.com]

As if there isn’t enough pressure with job interviews, the process comes with a seemingly endless barrage of advice about how to do everything from dress and smile to shake hands and focus the conversation on your talents and skills.