Be more serene at work

People often work at an intense pace, and must frequently adapt. The continuous chain of projects and changes does not always leave them time to catch their breath. Added to this is the feeling of insecurity linked to turbulence in the business environment. Too frequently, this situation leads to excessive stress, about which warnings are multiplying. In Canada, insurance companies have noted since the early nineties a notable increase in work-related psychological health issues. In Europe, one of every two cases of absenteeism is related to chronic stress, according to a 2009 report by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. And these data do not take account of the growing phenomenon of “presenteeism,” that is, people who show up for work, but are completely disengaged. Even when annoyances and daily pressures don’t lead to these extremes, they can significantly diminish the energy people invest in their work and the satisfaction they derive from it. Phases of discouragement, loss of motivation and diminished self-confidence are all harmful repercussions both for the individual and for collective performance.

When faced with work overload, people often have the impression that they have little control over the situation. Indeed, the choice of objectives to attain or the projects we must work on is largely imposed on us, whether by our superiors, peers or the competitive environment. The volume of work consequently seems to be determined by our role and position within the organization. This is both true and false, however. Our environment undeniably exerts pressures and constraints on us. But beyond objective workload factors, everyone can develop reflexes to manage and deal with the situation more effectively. Setting aside time to unwind between peak periods, learning to waste less energy by focusing on one task at a time, concentrating on the real priorities, etc.—these are all practical ways to be more serene—and hence more effective—at work.

In this synopsis:
- Cope with stressful situations more effectively
- Get organized to boost your dynamism
- Deliberately cultivate your day-to-day sense of well-being