Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
Being an investment advisor is stressful. Not only are you coping with the difficulty of running a business, but you are also doing so amid increased competition and downward pressure on fees. Here’s some insight on how stress reduces your ability to work effectively – and what to do about it.
How stress affects your body
The ways our bodies respond to stress have been well documented by the medical field. According to the Mayo Clinic, when we perceive we are under acute stress, our adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol into our bodies. These hormones increase our heart rate, elevate our blood pressure and boost our energy. Once the perceived threat disappears, our heart rates and blood pressure return to normal.
Health risks of stress
Adverse health effects occur when we are under constant and unrelenting stress. Elevated levels of adrenaline and cortisol, over time, put us at increased risk of many health problems, including anxiety, depression, digestive problems, heart disease, sleep problems, weight gain and memory and concentration impairment.
That's bad enough, but it gets even worse.
A recent study from the Institute of Epidemiology in Munich found that almost 20% of employees are affected by high levels of work-related stress. The study observed that an increase in stress hormones can damage our circulation and major organs. Significantly, these hormones upset the ability of the body to moderate blood-glucose levels. As a consequence, the study concludes that stress at work raises the risk of diabetes by 45%, even among those not typically considered at risk.
A recent blog post by Don Joseph Goewey acknowledged these harmful effects of stress and added a new wrinkle: Stress hormones can shrink the part of the brain network that enables us to excel. . It can also kill brain cells. Goewey referred to a pair of brain scans from the Mayo Clinic that demonstrated the impact of stress on brain function. One showed a brain "beleaguered by stress." The other showed a brain functioning with little or no stress. The stress-free brain was lit up like a Christmas tree. The brain under stress looked like a satellite image of North Korea at night.
Reversing the effects of stress
The devastating effect that stress has on our overall health should be ample motivation to take positive steps to reduce stress in our lives, especially at work.
The good news, according to Goewey, is that achieving a reduction in stress and a return to optimal brain function can be achieved "within 4 to 8 weeks."
Here are some tips from SharpBrains for building resistance and preventing brain-damaging stress:
-
Relax
In a previous article, I discussed the many beneficial effects of the practice of meditation. Other valuable forms of relaxation include yoga and even simply walking outdoors. All of these activities can reduce stress and improve cognitive function.
-
Socialize
According to SharpBrains, having healthy, positive social relationships is "critical for both mental and physical health."
-
Get control
When we feel we are in control of our environment, our stress level goes down. Having a plan to deal with your high levels of stress will give you a feeling of psychological empowerment.
-
Laugh
Laughter not only feels good, but it also reduces stress and inhibits the release of powerful stress-related hormones into our system.
-
Be positive
Changing your attitude towards stress can have a profound effect on your level of it. When students at Harvard University were told the stress they were experiencing before an examination would likely improve performance on graduate school entrance exams, they earned higher scores on both the practice test and the final examination.
Instead of focusing on negative factors in your life, think about all of the positives. You may find it helpful to adopt the daily practice of writing down three or more things in your life for which you are grateful. The simple act of doing so can reduce your level of stress.
We all want to be successful and productive. Unfortunately, unless we recognize the harmful effects of stress in our life and adopt a plan to deal with it, we are unlikely to reach either of these goals.
Dan Solin is the director of investor advocacy for the BAM Alliance and a wealth advisor with Buckingham. He is a New York Times best-selling author of the Smartest series of books. His latest book is The Smartest Sales Book You'll Ever Read. He limits his sales coaching practice to advisory firms that advocate evidence-based investing.
Read more articles by Daniel Solin
