I admit I probably shouldn’t have been looking so closely … but, hey it was a crowded tram and I couldn’t help it.
Besides it’s not my fault they had both chosen the largest possible font size on their iPhones. I could read everything and I wasn’t even wearing my glasses!
It was last Friday morning and the tram was packed. I hadn’t been able to get a seat, so I was standing while trying to avoid holding on to anything (that’s just the germaphobe in me!). I happened to glance down at the 2 passengers sitting right in front of me.
They were both busy emailing on their iPhones.
Passenger 1: “TGIF. I have nothing left in me. My entire department is giving me the sh*ts and sometimes I just wish I could get rid of them all and start again. OVER IT. #stressed2themax“.
Passenger 2: “I’m feeling totally beat up right now. I thought I’d love the promotion but I think the responsibility (financially and otherwise) is giving me a stomach ulcer. I haven’t slept properly all week. The weekend can’t come around fast enough although I’ll probably have to work most of it. See you on Sunday x“.
They didn’t know each other and were clearly oblivious to what they were both feeling. I wondered how many other emails, text messages, or Facebook posts from other stressed out managers were being sent from my tram alone.
Did you know that nearly 50% of professionals feel stressed every day? Or that over 10 million working days are lost each year due to stress and anxiety?
For those at the head of some of the world’s largest corporations including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Virgin, stress management is an essential part of what separates them from their peers.
Taking advice from some of the greats around how they deal with stress can certainly help us improve our own approach to stress management. That’s why, after catching a glimpse of the stress levels of just 2 of my fellow commuters, I thought it would be worth sharing this Infographic from the team over at Make It Cheaper in the UK.
Author
Paul Slezak
With over two decades of experience in the recruitment and human capital industry, Paul Slezak has established himself as a transformative force in the realm of leadership and career coaching, group facilitation, and talent acquisition. His unique perspective, drawn from his early career as a leader in global recruitment firms and his entrepreneurial success with his own start-up, has enabled him to make a significant impact on leaders, teams, and organizations across the world. Paul's passion for helping others achieve success and high performance is evident in his commitment to transforming leaders and their teams at local, national, and international levels. He specializes in promoting the importance of human-centered intelligence, focusing on soft skills such as authenticity, transparency, and trust to complement business-centered acumen and drive better workplace outcomes. As an impartial facilitator, Paul brings his expertise to team offsites and strategy days, ensuring alignment on goals, values, and culture while keeping participants on task. His engaging and energetic presence, coupled with his unique "entertraining" and "edutaining" delivery style, enables him to connect with audiences both large and intimate, sharing personal and professional anecdotes that inspire and energize.
