Friday, July 9, 2010

Work, Stress and Cancer

A good friend in Philadelphia reminded me yesterday that not everyone has the means to take a a sabbatical - for even one day - because of financial, family and other life demands. Good point, well taken. I'm fortunate, for certain. So, I decided to do some research about ways to reduce stress on a daily basis - even if getting away for an extended period of time is not possible....

In researching the personal and professional reasons (and benefits) for taking a sabbatical, I learned so much about workplace dynamics and environments (arond the world different cultures treat "work" much differently and Harvard Business Review just published a great article on workplace communications). My former employer actually allowed me to chair a cross-organizational committee to generate create ideas and plans to develop a "sabbatical" program for staff (which is still under leadership review, but a great and progressive step forward for a large employer of over 22,000 people).

The number of American work hours are trending upward, which causes more stress each year for the typical US worker, and more work causes more stress in a cyclical fashion. Many studies have also linked stress to cancer. So, while a sabbatical may not be possible for everyone, there are many helpful ways to reduce stress in one's daily life....

There is a terrific "anti stress" kit on the LIVESTRONG (http://www.livestrong.org/) website for cancer survivors (like my brother and father). But, the tips and skills outlined on that website are really great for anyone - cancer survivor or not. Take a look and try to incorporate 1 or 2 of these anti-stress ideas into your life....

http://www.livestrong.org/Get-Help/Learn-About-Cancer/Cancer-Support-Topics/Emotional-Effects-of-Cancer/Stress

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