All the control freaks in the room just cheered in unison. But this doesn’t mean what you think. It’s important to recognize that stress is not about workload; it’s about control. There are so many factors that you cannot control. Focus where you do have control. Think about traveling and canceled airline flights. Most people would say that we don’t have control, but actually, the list of things we can control is wide-ranging. We can choose what time of day we fly (delays and cancellations cascade throughout the day), which airports we fly through (avoid Chicago in the winter), and even our mode of transportation (you actually save time if the drive time is less than five hours). At a minimum, you have control over how you choose to respond. Once you stop focusing on where you don’t have control, you might be surprised to find many ways in which you do have control and watch your stress melt away.
