Our blog focuses on the professional and educational development of ultrasound technicians. Gloria Lokos is an experienced Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer proficient in both cardiac and vascular ultrasound. She has over ten years of diverse clinical experience in the healthcare industry. Follow along, as she posts about the latest news, information and research!
With deadlines to meet, keeping the boss happy,and sifting through numerous emails everyday it’s no wonder that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reports that 25% of Americans say that work is the number one stressor in their lives. Most would consider feeling stressed just a part of life, however over time stress can take a toll on you both physically and emotionally. Stress can effect you physically causing headaches, chest pain, fatigue, digestive issues, cause sleeplessness, neck and shoulder pain, decrease your immunity to infections, and cause high blood pressure. Stress can effect you emotionally by making you irritable, overly emotional, and making it hard to focus.
Although there millions of things in our lives that stress us that we cannot plan or control, there are things that you can do to keep your stress levels down.
- Get Organized. Though the thought of organizing your desk may make you feel even more stressed, by keeping your work space neat and organized you will help yourself be more efficient. Not to mention, walking in to a clean work space is much less overwhelming than starting your morning by staring at the piles of paperwork on your desk.
- Prioritize your tasks. Take some time to make a list of all that you need to do, then put them in order of what needs to be done first. Not only does this give you a jumping off point, but it also can put things into perspective. When a million things are being thrown at us at once we can become overwhelmed, but making a plan for yourself can help you to focus on one thing at a time.
- Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Fueling your body with good nutrtrients can help to reduce the effects that stress has on your body. Mainitaining normal blood sugar levels can also keep you from becoming irritable throughout the day. Exercising not only helps to combat the negative effects of stress, but can also help to relieve stress. In addition to increasing your endorphine levels which can improve your mood, it also allows you to focus on something else besides all the things you need to do at work.
- Do something fun. Find something that you enjoy to do outside of work that allows you to let your hair down. Whether it be reading a book, doing yoga, or taking a photography class, having something that you enjoy to look forward to at the end of a work day can help to reduce stress.
- Leave work at the office. Though many of us have jobs that do not fall in to the typical 9 – 5 working hours, it is important to establish a boundary between work time and home time whenever possible. You need to be able to have time to relax and recharge.
Stress is a part of life. However, learning how to manage what makes you stressed can make a difference in you mental and physical health. For more information on stress and stress management please visit the following websites: