Too Much Stress at Work?
S.H.I.F.T. Gears No Matter How Bad It Gets
Photo by Vasilis Caravitis on Unsplash
Work stress is something we all face at one point or another. It can feel overwhelming, with endless deadlines, demanding clients, or internal pressures.
But what if you could shift gears and regain control, no matter how bad things get? First, wanting to shift gears happens when you get sick and tired of being stressed at work.
Beyond our personal experience with stress, let’s look at several great reasons to do more about stress at work:
According to the American Institute of Stress, an estimated 83% of U.S. workers suffer from work-related stress, with approximately 1 million employees absent every day due to stress.
The Harvard Business Review reports that job stress is estimated to cause over $190 billion in annual healthcare costs. It is a significant factor in employee turnover, with 63% of workers saying they are ready to quit due to stress.
According to the American Psychological Association, about 76% of U.S. workers report that workplace stress affects their mental health, leading to anxiety or depression.
Gallup studies reveal that employees who experience high stress levels are 50% more likely to be disengaged at work, which can harm overall job performance and workplace morale.
The Global Organization Stress reports that over 60% of employees say their job is the most significant stressor, ranking work-related stress as a top concern across industries.
The S.H.I.F.T. Method for Stress at Work helps owners, leaders, managers, and employees to align, identify the sources of stress individually, and openly discuss them as a team.
The S.H.I.F.T. begins with a brief online workplace assessment for each team member. After we evaluate and discuss the sources of stress, we begin to discuss appropriate steps.
Here are the steps for the S.H.I.F.T. to begin. Success is about embracing the method, the process, and the byproduct that will come.
1. Self-Awareness: Observe Without Judgment
The first step to overcoming stress is self-awareness. Gallwey emphasizes the importance of observing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors without judgment. In my S.H.I.F.T. Method, Self-Awareness kicks in here.
Don’t immediately label the situation as bad or sound when stressed; observe. Notice how your body reacts, how your thoughts race, and where your emotions flare up.
This step is critical because awareness is the foundation of change. You can’t shift gears if you don’t know where you are. So, pause and ask yourself: What am I feeling? Why am I reacting this way?
Self-awareness is your first key to unlocking stress.
2. Higher Understanding: Identify the Source of Stress
Once you’re aware, it’s time to gain a Higher Understanding of the situation. Do your best to differentiate between external stressors (tight deadlines or difficult coworkers) and internal stressors (self-doubt or perfectionism).
Identify the true source of your stress so you can deal with it effectively.
In this step, ask yourself: Is this stress coming from something outside of me, or is it my response to the situation?
When you shift your understanding, you’ll see that while you may not control every external factor, you always control your response.
3. Introspection: Reduce Negative Inner Dialogue
Negative self-talk is one of the most significant contributors to stress. This is where Introspection comes into play. You can train your mind to quiet the inner critic that makes you doubt yourself and turns challenges into crises.
In this stage of the S.H.I.F.T. Method, take a moment to reflect on the dialogue running in your head. Are you saying things like, “I’ll never get this done,” or “I’m not good enough”?
Flip the script. Replace those thoughts with constructive, positive language like, “I’ll take this one step at a time,” or “I can handle this challenge.”
Introspection is about observing your stream of consciousness and programming yourself to stay focused, positive, and intentional. Doing so will reduce unnecessary stress and create a more balanced mindset.
4. Focused Intention: Set Clear, Achievable Goals
Gallwey highlights the importance of setting clear, manageable goals. When you’re overwhelmed, breaking down your tasks into smaller, achievable steps can be a game-changer.
This aligns perfectly with the Focused Intention in my S.H.I.F.T. Method. When stressed, your mind often goes into overdrive, focusing on everything at once.
Take a step back. Set clear, focused intentions for what you need to achieve next.
Ask yourself: What’s the most important thing I can do now? By narrowing your focus and setting realistic goals, you’ll regain control and make progress — stress-free.
5. Transcendence: Reframe Challenges as Opportunities
Finally, transcendent thinking is about reframing workplace challenges as opportunities for growth. This idea is at the heart of Transcendence, the final step of the S.H.I.F.T. Method.
When you transcend stress, you rise above it and see the bigger picture. Like a scientist changes the level of magnification on their microscope, we can change our perspective, the level of magnification through which we see people, places, and things.
Instead of viewing stress, setbacks, pain, and disappointment as threats, see them as opportunities to improve, grow, and evolve.
Ask yourself: What can I learn from this situation? How can I become better because of it? This perspective not only reduces stress but also transforms it into something empowering.
Wrapping It Up: Shift Gears, Transcend Stress
When stress hits hard, you can let it take control or use it as a stepping stone for growth. You can shift gears no matter how bad it gets by following these steps — self-awareness, higher understanding, introspection, focused intention, and transcendence.
Remember, you have the power to change your response to stress. It starts with observing without judgment, gaining clarity on your stressors, quieting your inner critic, focusing on what you can control, and reframing challenges as opportunities.
Stress at work is inevitable, but how you deal with it is entirely up to you. You are in control.
The next time you feel the pressure building, take a deep breath and S.H.I.F.T. gears — you’ve got this.
Clifford Jones is the founder and managing partner of Clarity Strategic Coaching, LLC. He writes about mental health, consciousness, and the art of human transformation. Cliff serves company leaders as an executive coach, strategic advisor, and communications consultant. He is also a family man, writer, visual artist, and mental health advocate. Learn more at www.CliffordJones.com.