3 keys to survival
Our reaction is usually a greater predictor of how stress will impact us rather than the stressor itself, so stress management techniques usually focus on improving your responses. Dr. Edward Creagan of the Mayo Clinic offers these three very simple ideas in how to avoid and deal with stress, taken from a spy novel!
While waiting for an airplane, an interesting thing happened to me. I picked up a novel in a bookstore at a local airport and came across a story of a James Bond-type character who lived on the edge. His work was challenging, dangerous, and vital to national defense. When queried by his colleagues about his survival tactics, he mentioned three things which I think also apply to us. Regardless of the assignment or the project, there were just three things that he kept in mind.
- Keep it simple. The more moving parts, the more individuals involved, the more complex the program, the higher the risk of failure.
- Always be prepared for contingencies. What if … what might go wrong … how will I deal with x, y, or z? For example, as a public speaker, I always keep in mind plan B if my laptop explodes, if the projector “freezes,” or we lose power.
- Never panic. This means being prepared within reason for what may lie ahead.
As an afterthought, this agent also embraced the uncertainty of life. Things go wrong, relationships become painful, the goal sometimes is not reached. We need to be flexible, we need to be adaptable, and to recognize that there is great merit in staying in the day and turning over our needs and our concerns to a higher power however we may define that power.
The moral of the story? Always be open to new ideas — they can come from anywhere — and often less is more!
Wesleyan Resources: Stress Management
Discussion Questions: How do you implement these simple keys to survival in your life? Or what barriers do you believe exist to their implementation?
