Doing More With Less - The New Norm That Is Killing The American Work Force

Doing more with less has become the new norm, if not the new slogan, not only to every business out there but also to educational institutions around the world.  While the concept is great and cuts down tremendously on expenses, the question is to whose expense?

Do you know that about one million American call in sick for stress-related reasons
on a daily basis?  And that one of the top causes of stress today is job overload?

Are you stressed at work?  Here are a couple of symptoms that you can look for if you suspect that you are on overload: fatigue, headache, upset stomach, muscle tension, change of appetite, teeth grinding, change in sex drive, feeling dizzy, irritability, anger, feeling nervous, or lack of energy.

And while looking for a new job sounds appealing, beware that the greener grass that you see on the other side might just be a facade.  Doing more with less is a trend that is everywhere and is here to stay.  So what should you do?

You probably heard the ancient story of the 3 blind men trying to describe an elephant. One touches the tail and describes the elephant as a snake. Another stumbles against the side and describes the elephant as a wall. Yet the other touches the leg and describes the elephant as a tall tree.

The point? Perhaps what’s stressing you right now at work is not of as much significance as the mental angle you are experiencing it from. Learning to psychologically position yourself at an advantageous angle can make the difference of whether you end up experiencing powerlessness or empowerment.

In the job, there are lots of things that you cannot change and focusing on them will increase your stress level.  The solution while obvious is frequently ignored.  You must adopt an empowering mindset.  Here are four simple mindsets you can adopt today to help you get started on your empowerment journey:

1. Nothing in Life is Permanent.   Understanding that everything in life is transitory will give you an empowering viewpoint in regards to what’s currently taking place.  If you constantly remind yourself that whatever turbulence you are experiencing at this moment is temporary, you will remain hopeful about the future.   

Even when things begin to look promising, embracing this temporary mindset can be very helpful. You see, misfortunes are not the main cause of unhappiness but rather people’s inability to appreciate the little fortunes all around them. Cherishing the little things in life is usually a byproduct of the understanding that nothing is permanent, not even you.

2. What’s great about this?  Ask and you shall receive. If you are tired of getting negative answers, then you have to stop asking negative questions.  The opposite also applies. Great questions generate great answers.  If you want to redirect your mental energy towards the positives and away from negative happenings just ask yourself: what’s great about what’s taking place?    

Finding the silver lining on a day-to-day basis is achieved by asking better questions. Just like every lemon can be turned into lemonade with the right ingredients, every challenge can be turned into an opportunity with the right question.

3. Trust the Bigger Plan.   No matter how big your plans are, the universe always has much bigger plans for you. So when things don’t work according to your plans, realize that there’s something else out there guiding you; and that which you are perceiving as a detour might be the actual road you must travel on; at least for now.

Don’t get so caught up on the way things should’ve been, could’ve been, or would’ve been. Looking from where you stand you will never be able to comprehend the magnitude of the grand plan that’s in store for you. Trust that you are where you are because that’s where you need to be.

 
4. Laugh today. Ten years from now you will be laughing at your current challenges.  The question is, why wait 10 years? You can beat the rush, if you start laughing today.

If you lack the foresight to project yourself into the future, then look into the past and you’ll be able to find past troubling situation that you have already laughed about.

Remember what Soren Kierkegaard said on this regard “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.”  So whether you can see it or not, you will eventually be laughing at your current predicament.    Why not start today?

5.Becoming a positive thinker.  How can anyone be positive when negatives things keep happening? Just like working out, being positive is muscle and the more you exercise it, the stronger it will get. Keep these simple mindsets in the forefront of your mind for the next 30 days and you might become the positive thinker of the office.  1-Remind yourself that nothing is permanent. 2-Ask yourself what’s great about what’s happening? 3-Trust the bigger plan 4-Why wait 10 years to laugh at your current challenge when you could start laughing today.   And if your coworkers are constantly fatigued and calling sick, perhaps you might want to share these simple mindsets with them.  


About The Author:
Andres Lara is a sought-after motivational speaker that speaks to groups from all walks of life on the psychology of how to stay motivated during difficult times.  Connect with him www.TheCubanGuy.com   www.Facebook.com/Motivation911  or @motivation911 or call: 239-424-9152