Our jobs consume a majority of our waking hours. We put in a lot of energy to perform outstandingly with the goal of impressing our employers and making more money. The problem with these work habits is that they are neurotic. We are obsessed and have trouble pumping the breaks. If we are not careful, the build up of stress could take its toll on our health, sanity, and personal lives.

Like they say, the first step to recovery is acknowledging that there is an issue. Let’s take that idea further and ask ourselves what has caused us to be so stressed. Dig deep and look at all facets of your life. For example: I work around 60 hours a week, try to maintain relationships, take care of myself, run a household and still have time to enjoy life. It is a lot and there are times where it is literally too much to handle. That is when I take a step back and re-prioritize.

Now that the key causes have been identified, the problems can be corrected head on. Don’t break your back working. Life it about enjoying the simple pleasures and the company you keep. If that one task doesn’t get done today, you’ll get to it tomorrow. If keeping to deadlines is an issue for you, try keeping a schedule and assign tasks to certain blocks of time. Also, it is good to ask yourself if what you’re stressing about is that important. Rating the importance of the matter will help keep it in perspective and lower your stress levels.

It helps to get into the habit of being conscious of your attitude. If you notice a change in the level of anxiety or frustrations, that is when you stop what you’re doing and take a couple minutes to yourself. Breathe, meditate, walk around, or whatever makes you relax.

If the stress and anxiety persist after you’ve tried everything, you need to seek professional help. There is more going on and the doctors will help identify and correct the problem with you.