The Inverted-U Model - Stress Management from MindTools Balancing Pressure and Performance (Also known as Yerkes-Dodson Law) Get the pressure right. © iStockphoto/SteveStone Have you ever worked on a project that had a tight-but-achievable deadline, and that needed your unique, expert knowledge for it to be completed successfully? Even though you found it challenging, you may have delivered some of your best work. Or, think back to a project you worked on where there was little pressure to deliver. The deadline was flexible and the work wasn't challenging. There's a subtle relationship between pressure and performance. This relationship is explained by the Inverted-U Model, which we'll look at in this article. About the Model The Inverted-U model (also known as the Yerkes-Dodson Law), was created by psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dodson as long ago as 1908. It shows the relationship between pressure (or arousal) and performance. According to the model, peak performance is achieved when people experience a moderate level of pressure. Tip: Note:
The Life Career Rainbow - Get a better work/life balance - Career Development from MindTools Finding a Work/Life Balance That Suits You © iStockphoto Just as we move through different stages in our life, so we also move through different stages in our career. And just as demands for our time in our personal life can vary, so can demands at work. When peaks of demand in one area match troughs in another, life can be good. However, when demands are in synch we can experience dissatisfaction, stress, anxiety, depression and a whole host of other ills. In 1980, Donald Super introduced a theory that describes career development in terms of Life Stages and Life Roles. Super called this theory the "Life Career Rainbow". Here, we look at how you can use the Life Career Rainbow to find the work/life balance that suits you at this stage of your life and career. Understanding the Model The Life Career Rainbow (see figure 1 below) helps us think about the different roles we play at different times in our life. ... for the complete article: Mind Tools Club members, click here.
Centering - Stress Management from MindTools Gaining Control at the Start of a Performance Centering helps you stay calm and grounded. © iStockphoto/spooh It's the worst nightmare for many people: You're about to give a speech before hundreds of people, and the speech could impact your career for years to come. Performance experts and life coaches have told you, time and time again, that you should walk onstage excited and confident about this opportunity. Have you ever been in a situation like this? Well, there is an effective process that can help: It's called centering, and anyone can learn it. What is Centering? Centering is a technique that originated, and is still used, in Aikido – one of the Japanese martial arts. You may wonder how this is connected with stress. One of the most fundamental principles of Aikido is learning to relax the mind during the stress caused while in a fight. They accomplish this by learning how to center. Centering, on the other hand, is designed to bring you back down to earth. How to Center Yourself
Subjective Well-Being - Career Skills from MindTools Living Your Own Good Life How do you define happiness? © iStockphoto/pascalgenest The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, and hell of heaven. – John Milton, English poet We all want to be happy in our lives, and we all want to experience "well-being." However, people often disagree about what well-being involves. The point is that well-being is subjective – we all have different ideas about what it means to live a fulfilling life. In this article, we'll examine the concept of "subjective well-being." ... for the complete article: Mind Tools Club members, click here. Join the Mind Tools Club to finish this article AND get 1,000 more resources Join now for just $1, first month "When I started using Mind Tools, I was not in a supervisory position.
Performance Planning - Stress Management Training from MindTools Planning to Manage Performance Stress © iStockphoto We all know the feeling of sickness in our stomach before an important presentation or performance. We have all experienced the sweaty palms, the raised heart rate, and the sense of agitation that we feel as these events approach. We have probably all also experienced how much worse this becomes when things go wrong in the run up to an event. This article helps you deal with this by helping you to prepare well for future performances. The Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking and Positive Thinking technique that we look at later may be enough to help you manage the fears, anxieties and negative thoughts that may arise in a small performance. For larger events, it is worth preparing a Performance Plan. Using the Tool To prepare your Performance Plan, begin by making a list all of the steps that you need to do from getting prepared for a performance through to its conclusion. Start far enough in advance to sort out any equipment problems.
Surviving Business Travel - Stress Management from MindTools Minimizing Stress During Business Trips Make business travel as comfortable as possible. © iStockphoto If you travel for work, you know it's often not quite the adventure that some may think. The surprises, inconveniences, and delays can be "interesting" when you're on vacation. But with business travel, you need to focus on being productive – so typical travel discomforts can often seem worse, because you're also dealing with business pressures. How often do you travel for business? The good news is that there are several ways to ensure that your travel will go as smoothly as possible, allowing you to concentrate on your business goals. Planning the Trip Preparing for your trip involves more than making flight and hotel reservations. ... for the complete article: Mind Tools Club members, click here. Join the Mind Tools Club to finish this article AND get 1,000 more resources Join now for just $1, first month "When I started using Mind Tools, I was not in a supervisory position.
Ben-Shahar's Happiness Model - Career Development from MindTools Finding the Right Path to Happiness (Also known as "The Hamburger Model") How can you ensure happiness now, and in the future? © iStockphoto/Kuklev Many people are raised with the belief that if you get good grades in school, get a degree from a good university, and then secure a good job, then you'll be happy. Sounds pretty familiar, right? The problem is that, sometimes, this approach to life doesn't make people happy. Sure, they might have a wonderful family, a good job and a lovely home, but they are still dissatisfied with life and are searching for something else. However, when we experience true happiness, our life takes on a joyful luster and vividness. So how can we find this type of happiness? According to Dr Tal Ben-Shahar, leading researcher and author of the book "Happier," we need to learn how to live for today and for tomorrow at the same time. The Model Explained According to Ben-Shahar's model, there are four archetypes that people can exhibit in the way they live.
PERMA Model - Career Development from MindTools Bringing Well-Being and Happiness to Your Life Put yourself on the road to happiness. © iStockphoto/silberkorn We all want to be happy. When we're happy, we're productive, we're good at building meaningful relationships with those around us, and... we feel great! However, happiness is a notoriously difficult thing to pin down, and by focusing on it too intensely, we can end up feeling unfulfilled. In this article we'll look at the PERMA Model. About the Model The PERMA Model was developed by respected positive psychologist, Martin Seligman, and was widely published in his influential 2011 book, "Flourish." "PERMA" stands for the five essential elements that should be in place for us to experience lasting well-being. 1. For us to experience well-being, we need positive emotion in our lives. 2. When we're truly engaged in a situation, task, or project, we experience a state of flow : time seems to stop, we lose our sense of self, and we concentrate intensely on the present. 3. 4. 5. Engagement
Minimizing Work Space Stress - Stress Management Techniques from MindTools Creating a Comfortable and Healthy Work Environment Identify and manage the sources of environmental stress in your work space. © iStockphoto/Yuri_Arcurs Ling has just moved into a new office. Unfortunately, it isn't a comfortable space – the lights are too dim, the air is chilly, and she's regularly distracted by her colleagues' loud conversations. She has to commute much further to the new office, and often arrives feeling tired, stressed, and irritable. After a few weeks, Ling realizes that her stress levels have increased, and that her productivity has dropped. After meeting with her boss to discuss the problem, they agree to make several small changes to her office. No matter what you do or where you work, it's likely that you'll have experienced environmental distractions during the day. Where Does Work Space Stress Come From? Work space stress can come from any physical conditions that you perceive as irritating, frustrating, uncomfortable, or unpleasant. Poor lighting. 1. 2. 3. 4.