Learning to deal with new levels of stress

Up to this point, I haven’t been learning to deal with the stress very well at all.  I have a very strong sense of responsibility for my job and for doing it well.  Even though I’m doing the job of 2 catering people plus part trainer (for the new employee) at this point, I’ve somehow thought I should be able to get everything done that I did before.  Silly me!  Like that’s going to happen. 

I’ve put in a lot of overtime to try to stay on top of things, but then I’m not spending much time with my family which causes me more stress (by the way, my awesome husband has been extremely supportive in all this).  But when time spent on work starts to take over time spent with my family, I get really stressed.  My personality type is one that highly values family but that also works very hard and is most likely to be taken advantage of when it comes to work. 

It’s very hard to say ‘no’ to things or to tell management that I can’t work at this level.  I did tell my boss that I could not sustain this work load for an extended amount of time without going on stress leave.  So I’m passing off more of the simple things to other people in the office.  It’s hard for me to do this because I’m thinking I’m passing off parts of MY job to someone else (as if I’m not doing MY job).  I know this is psychological and I need to let it go.  My boss understands where I’m at and is supporting what I’m doing. 

Still, it hasn’t been easy.  This week was a big wake-up call for me.  I had a super relaxing weekend, but it only took 2 days of work to get me to the level of stress I was at last Thursday before the long weekend.  My husband said that he wished someday I could be happy again.  Whoa!  Am I always unhappy?  I certainly haven’t had any peace.  Work has constantly been on my mind, from the moment I wake up in the morning to the time I go to sleep at night. 

So I had to make a decision.  I had to choose not to allow work to destroy my life.  I have to choose to accept that I can’t get everything done and not to stress about it.  I have to choose to stop thinking about work when I come home.

I’m beginning to feel better after making this decision.  It’s something I have to consciously choose every day and several times a day at that!  I’m asking God for help, because I don’t know how to deal with something like this.  Your prayers would be appreciated, too.