New York SBDC Research Network

By Caitlin Mullen From BizJournals [Researchers'] findings? Heavier drinking after work is more likely for those who routinely fake smiles, seem happier than they are or suppress the urge to roll their eyes — called “surface acting” — while on the job. It’s more than job stress that leads people to drink, researchers found. The more workers had to maintain control over negative emotions at work — suppressing their actual emotions in front of customers or the public — the less able they were to control their alcohol intake at the end of the day. In other words, they’ve exhausted self-control by the time they’re done with work. It was most apparent in impulsive people whose jobs involve one-time service encounters with customers — like coffee shop baristas or call center employees — rather than workers like nurses or teachers, who build relationships with patients or students, the study, published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, discovered.

From Monster.com When it comes to stress, there’s probably no greater trigger than what happens at work. And while some jobs are more stressful than others, The American Institute of Stress says there are common pain points that many workers share. The biggest is workload (46%), followed by people issues (28%), work/life balance (20%) and finally, lack of job security (6%). As a manager, you can’t necessarily turn the office into a zen meditation garden, but there are things you can do to lower your team’s stress levels—and create a happier, more productive office. “It’s important that the team not be stressed,” says Joanne Vitali, a certified career coach in the Philadelphia area. “Stress releases cortisol, which takes energy away from the prefrontal cortex, making you less able to reason and respond well. You are, in a nutshell, way less productive.” So, should you be encouraging your employees to meditate? Maybe. But there are other things you can do that directly affect t...

Are You Stressed?  Saturday, August 15, was National Relaxation Day, a day dedicated to unwinding and enjoying our personal lives. But for most of us, relaxing on the weekend isn't the challenge. We could all do with a little less stress at work, too. In this newsletter, we look at how stress affects business owners, executives and employees as well as what to do about it.   The Biggest Driver of Stress: Lack of Control No one is surprised to learn that owning a small business is intensely stressful. It certainly isn't a surprise to business owners.   One study points to lack of control as the largest source of stress. Even worse, obsessing over things that you don't have the power to change can have physiological effects such as raising your blood pressure and emotional effects like reduced...

The irony did not escape Paula Thompson. As a regional vice president of a firm helping scores of companies administer wellness programs for their employees, the 58-year-old Ohio executive was not practicing what she preached. Years of job stress and a road-food diet left her out of shape, overweight and exhausted. So she did what many people with her income and awareness level do. She went to a spa for two weeks in January — but not the type of pampering-and-yoga spa you might have in mind. Rather, she chose what some might not consider much of a vacation at all: A spa, yes, but also a regimented diet and fitness camp cum clinic where doctors evaluate you and nurses stick needles in you. And no booze is allowed. More from the New York Times .