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"The power of words is never more evident to me than when I\u2019m working with a client or team and the language turns negative:\u00A0The boss is difficult. The workloads are unmanageable. The policies are dumb.\nImmediately, I see the negative effect that kind of language has on the situation. You see, when you say the boss is difficult or the work is stressful, you create a self-fulfilling prophecy.\u00A0Organizational expert Robert Kreitner explains it like this: \u201CWe strive to validate our perceptions of reality, no matter how faulty they may be.\u201D\nSo, if you think the boss is a nightmare, you\u2019ll look for ways to validate that he is, in fact, a nightmare.\u00A0You say you feel stressed; you\u2019ll find more ways to feel stressed.\nIn the book\u00A0Words Can Change Your Brain, authors Newberg and Waldman suggest, \u201CA single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.\u201D That means, the more you engage in negative thinking and speech, the more your brain generates those kinds of thoughts. It\u2019s a downward spiral that will not only\u00A0affect your mood and outlook, but will create more stress for you as well. And who needs that?\nLet\u2019s look at a couple of common refrains I hear far too often. Once you notice these phrases in your daily speech, you can take action to reframe them to take some stress out of your day. Imagine that \u2014 reducing stress just by changing up the way you talk.\n1. \"I'm swamped\"\nThis used to be a favorite of mine. Invite me to lunch? Can't, I'm swamped. Take Friday off? No way, I\u2019m swamped.\nBut now, I stay away from this one. If I keep saying I\u2019m swamped, then I feel, well, swamped. I\u2019m simply reinforcing the feeling of being overwhelmed, whether I truly am or not.\nInstead, stay realistic about your workload \u2014 even if it\u2019s a bit overwhelming. Try phrases like, \"I've got a lot to do right now, but I know I'll complete it all on time,\" \"This is a huge project, but if I break it into smaller pieces it'll be less overwhelming,\" or, \"There's a lot on my plate, and I need time away to recharge. Taking Friday off will be good for me.\"\n2. \"I'm so busy\"\nI know very few people who feel that they aren't super busy right now. It's almost become a badge of honor to proclaim to our colleagues how consumed we are by our important activities.\nSurprisingly, it could be your behavior, more than your workload, that\u2019s giving you \u201Cbusy syndrome.\u201D Brigid Schulte, author of\u00A0Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time, says our obsession with multitasking is one of the culprits.\nWhen we multitask, we don\u2019t actually do things simultaneously; we switch back and forth between tasks. So, working on an email, while on a phone call, then responding to instant messages that pop up\u00A0makes you feel far busier\u00A0than you would be if you managed only one task at a time and gave it your full attention.\nWhen you\u2019re inclined to say, \"I'm so busy,\" stop and assess what you're really doing. Are you busy trying to do three things at one time and projecting that on your entire job (or life)? Instead, eliminate the phrase entirely. Start saying to yourself, \"I'm not that busy; I'm focused on the one thing I\u2019m doing now\" \u2014 and then do it.\n3. \"I don't have time for that\"\nThe trap of blaming a lack of time for not being able to do something is a common one. In the week ahead, notice how many times you find yourself saying, \"I don\u2019t have time to deal with [insert dreaded task here].\"\nWhether your inbox is overflowing\u00A0or your home office is completely disheveled because you \"don\u2019t have time\" to organize, stop and think about it. Is it really because you don't have time?\nThe reality is we all have the same number of hours in a day. So when you say, \"I don't have time,\" you\u2019re really saying that you've chosen not to give that activity your time and attention.\nOver the next few weeks, change it up. Instead of saying you don\u2019t have time, say, \"That\u2019s not a priority for me right now.\" Or, \"I know that needs to get done, but right now these other three things are more important.\"\u00A0Clearly delineating your priorities\u00A0puts you in control of your time and to-do list, instead of the other way around.\nThe fact is, the way you talk about yourself and your workplace has a huge influence on your stress level \u2014 and ultimately, your satisfaction. Watch for these three sayings this week, and see how you can change it up, reduce your stress and relieve some of the pressure."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/07/08/3-stressful-phrases/>