Uncertainty is most damaging of all

We live a world filled with fear and doubt; fears about the financial future, job prospects even whether we will be able to keep our homes.

With a world economy that seems to stagger from crisis to crisis the situation is unlikely to change in the next few months and yet the uncertainty of the situation is damaging to both our physical and our mental well being.

It is an established fact that marriages and personal relationships are put under greater stress during a recession and divorce rates tend to rise.

This is particularly true for those who are in paid employment; it seems to be the loss of control that causes most stress and anxiety.

However, it appears that even though the self employed are at just as much risk of losing employment, they suffer with stress much less.

Why?
It appears that the self employed have a different mind set to those in paid employment. They do not expect work to be continuous and anticipate that there will be periods where they will be between jobs. They tend to have a "Plan B" or even a "Plan C" should the current pattern of income generation stop delivering.

How can we use this knowledge to reduce stress?
Instead of investing absolutely everything of yourself into paid employment, start to find ways in which you can take back some control. Prepare yourself just in case your job is made redundant.

Start to think of yourself as CEO of your own business, that business is you. Who will want your skills? How will you market yourself? What do you have to offer a prospective employer compared to the next person?

Top Tips
1) Dust off and refresh your CV
When was the last time you updated your CV? Make sure it is up to date with any courses you have attended and the most recent employment experience you have. Consider producing different versions of your CV to highlight different aspects of your career; use the appropriate CV if you need to pitch for a new job role.

2) Make sure that you are healthy
An employer is more likely to hire someone with a good health record than a poor one. If you have had lots of time off for coughs and colds it may pay you to think about your diet. Are you eating a good mix of foods? Do you supplement your diet with a multi-vitamin?

3) Exercise!
Stress raises the level of adrenalin and cortisol in the body. Long term raised stress levels are damaging and may lead to blood pressure and other problems. A little exercise each day will cause the body to use up the stress chemicals reducing the long term damage.

4) Learn a new skill
Now may be the best time to start learning a new skill. It might provide the route to an alternative career or simply impress on a would be employer that you are still willing and able to learn new skills.

5) Get networking
Business and social networks can all help you find a new job role whether you have been made redundant or not. Sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo and other are a great way to find potential employers or contacts in your profession. Log in and get connecting.

6) Turn a hobby in to a career
For some people a hobby can become a new career. The home video fan can become a provider of corporate media, the dressmaker can do clothing alterations, the short story writer can begin proof reading or writing copy for web pages.

Most important of all, remember that it is your response the pressure and uncertaintity which is most damaging to your health. Change the way you think, have an alternative plan, become the CEO of you and you'll have lots of alternatives to look at should the worst happen to you.