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What does it mean to live a life in the fast lane? If you have a sports car, try driving on the fast lane (by the way, that’s the lane a sports car should be!) and you will know what I meant. It can really get your adrenalin all pumped up! When you whizzed past cars which you certainly would because you are in the fast lane, the feeling is exhilarating. BUT and it is a big BUT here, not everyone should be in the fast lane especially if you are not alert. You cannot afford to let your eyes wander away from the front and rear view – your focus should be 100%. There is no time to relax and losing your grip even for one second is unthinkable. I am no Formula 1 Driver but once in a while have tried driving on the fast lane and I only do that when I am alert and not having small talk with a passenger beside me.

Working life is very much like that too. Life in the fast lane is not for everyone. It is about keeping up and staying ahead of your competitors. Sometimes it is not a choice whether we live in the fast lane or not. Today, working hours is no more confined to the 9-6 window anymore. More than 30% of the office workforce carries a notebook to work and you are expected to answer mails and complete the project paper at home if necessary. If not a notebook, there is the blackberry haunting you. There is no opportunity for you to rest or allow the time to stand still for you to smell the flowers or indulge in bird watching.

Work stress inevitably crept in. Your eyes got strained after a long period of time focusing on the road. Stress led to anger, frustration, bad health and eventually, low productivity. What do you do then? The simple answer is to slow down and move to the middle lane. There is actually nothing wrong having a relaxing drive as long as you don’t get others to honk behind you.

However, what do you do if you are working in a company that had decided to take the fast lane – a dynamic leadership requires their employees to be as dynamic too. What can you do to prevent work stress from eating you up? Perhaps the following may help:-

• Lighten up. Learn to smile and laugh. Haven’t you heard laughter is the best medicine? Learn to even laugh at your own mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

• Don’t sweat the small stuff. Funny it may sound but if you care to recall, we often allow ourselves to sweat over the small stuffs without realizing it. Understand there are many small stuffs every day. Don’t let them get to you!

• Be grateful when you are feeling good and graceful when you’re feeling bad.

• Spend time with people who are optimistic!

• Or spend time with your kids – and learn to appreciate their innocence. Playing and doing things together with your kids can be the best therapy. If no kids, get a dog!

Actually there are countless tips that can be listed but more importantly, it is not what we do but the way we think and feel that matters. If you are generally a perfectionist, you may get agitated more easily than others because you are better in predicting the consequences and outcomes better. Even though this may be good (especially for your employer) but you would enjoy a poor quality of life. You will tend to have undue anxiety and sleepless nights worrying for something to happen that may not even take place. Reverse the way you “think and feel” may just do some wonders!

Life in the fast lane is not for every working executive after all but to some, driving in the fast lane can be the best therapy after a hard day’s work. My philosophy – try driving in the fast lane once in a while! After all, you only get to live once! I am going to take my Z3 for a topless spin tonight. Anyone wants to join me?