| I was asked by a writer for Time Magazine to | | | | another $30,000 towards his retirement by |
| comment as a workplace expert on an interview | | | | working another year. It would pay for two |
| she conducted with a well known Indian "business | | | | vacations and a year membership at the golf club! |
| guru". Swami Parthasarathy was quoted in Time's | | | | He was considering making this choice until we |
| October 29, 2007 issue stating that "Work can | | | | had a heart to heart conversation. It is often hard |
| never tire you! What tires you are your worries | | | | to close the door or end something even if it |
| about the past and anxieties about the future." | | | | could cause you your life! |
| The philosopher's point of view makes a lot of | | | | The American Psychological Association (APA), |
| sense. My major comment was that sometimes | | | | published the results of its' Stress in America |
| you also have to help the environment change as | | | | survey in October. The survey asked 1,848 |
| well. | | | | Americans about their stress levels, the ways |
| I recently returned from a fly fishing trip visiting | | | | they cope with stress, and the effects it has on |
| some friends near Bend Oregon. It was my first | | | | their bodies and minds. The results of the survey |
| fly fishing experience and I even caught a fish! It | | | | found that one-third of Americans live with |
| must have been beginner's luck as most of the | | | | extreme stress and that 48 percent believe that |
| time I just sat on a large rock allowing the line to | | | | their stress has increased over the past five |
| drift downstream in the water casting occasionally | | | | years. For 75 percent of Americans, money and |
| when my mood suited me. I guess I had gotten | | | | work were the top stress-related factors. Only |
| tired of the hook getting caught in my jacket or | | | | 28 percent of Americans reported they are |
| the trees. The following example speaks to the | | | | managing their stress extremely well. Four in ten |
| importance of changing ones attitude and your | | | | reported that when they are stressed, they eat |
| environment. | | | | too much or eat unhealthy foods. Those who |
| One of my 60 year old friends, a high school | | | | drink (39 percent) or smoke cigarettes (19 |
| counselor, is considering retiring because of the | | | | percent) said they were more likely to engage in |
| stress. He told me that working as a high school | | | | those behaviors during periods of high stress. |
| counselor was right up there with airport flight | | | | I believe learning effective ways to become more |
| controller on the stress meter. He was told by his | | | | stress resilient in our fast-paced, |
| doctor that every additional year that he worked | | | | socially-networked, constantly changing, and |
| at his job could take 3 to 4 years off of his life. | | | | potentially dangerous world is a core competency |
| My good friend rationalized that he could save | | | | for health, success, and happiness. |