Many construction pros believe stress is inevitable while building a project. Some even think a little stress might improve performance. Personally, in short durations a little stress, anxiety or uncertainty can help me get a lot done. I get hyper alert, hyper busy, hyper vigilant and, with a little luck, hyper productive. Over extended durations, too much stress is bad though. We are starting to see this a bit as job security, financial concerns, changing work environments and changing work rules seem to be a daily issue.This is in addition to the usual stress and strain of building a better world and people are starting to fray or burnout a bit.
What can we do? Several studies detailed in this article found that meditation, mindfulness AND yoga for as little as 15 minutes a day can reduce stress and increase resilience. The studies included participants who were leaders within their companies and Marines. Marines who practiced mindfulness during the study experienced increased resilience after high stress combat scenarios. Construction is high stress and a bit dangerous at times but not quite as tough as battlefield decisions and actions Marines must make on a regular basis. If it can help Marines, it should be able to help construction pros. For me, this period of mindfulness includes jogs and walks. Those activities help me get away from "being productive" and let me focus on the step in front of me and the inner monologue in my head. What do you do to take care of yourself so that you can help build a better world?
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