We all deal with stress from time to time.

It is part of what we are, you could say it is part of our wiring.

Yet, while stress can get us moving, it also directly impacts on our ability to be productive.

How does your stress affect your work?

Stress Much?

Lack of organization and poor time management can lead to self-inflicted stress.

In fact, some people seem to always put themselves in stressful situations.

They even try to tell themselves that they like it…

When you say, “I work best under pressure.”

You are actually saying, “I don’t get my work done when I am not under pressure.”

While stress can be a tremendous motivator, it is often counter-productive.

What Stress Does To Your Productivity

Is your stress helping you or hindering you?

Here are 7 Ways That Stress Impacts Your Productivity:

1. Drains Your Energy – Ironically, stress will give you an adrenaline powered burst of get-up-and-go-like-hell. However, after that initial burst, it quickly drains your energy. Physically and emotionally, you will soon find yourself exhausted. And when you are losing sleep over your stress, you will not be able to perform at your best.
2. Impacts Your Focus – Stress hijacks your brain and makes it difficult to focus on what is important. It keeps nagging until you end up doing the urgent over your priorities.
3. Wastes Your Time – Ever spend an entire day worrying about something that “might happen?” Stress can make us spend time worrying that could have otherwise have been spent on productive activities.
4. Causes Interruptions - Have you ever had your internal fire alarm go off? You are right in the middle of something important, when you remember that stress-inducing item that you forget to do. Suddenly, you are dropping what you are doing to deal with the urgent item.
5. Decreases Your Creativity – When you are stressed you tend to “lock on” to the first solution that comes your way. Your mind has trouble opening up. Simply put, it limits your ability to come up with new ideas.
6. Affects Your Personality – Stress directly affects your personality. Have you ever worked with someone who is stressed and said, “You don’t seem like yourself?” They often snap at others without thinking, and yell without knowing it.
7. Impairs Your Judgement – Stress causes you to do things you wouldn’t normally do. You may find yourself taking risks that you wouldn’t normally take. In extreme cases, people will even do unethical things that go against their character.

Stress or Self-Destruction?

Stress may get you out of your chair right now. It may give you that jolt of attention that your body needs.

However, consider how it is affects you in the big picture. It is more detrimental that you realize. Maybe you have been under stress so long that you don’t know what your true potential.

Reduce your stress and increase your productivity.

Question: How does your stress impact your ability to get things done?