Stress actually affects what and how we think, so it can make it difficult to sort out priorities and stay motivated. The good news is that much of stress management is a skill that can be learned. Stress management is an ongoing process that requires regular ‘maintenance.’ A good first step is to become more familiar with your personal cues that stress is starting to build up: Do your work habits change? Do hobbies such as reading or exercise fall by the wayside? Does your body give you signals such as muscle tension or digestive problems? Everyone has their own ‘red flags’. And the sooner you recognize that stress is accumulating, the sooner you can take proactive steps to offload it, before it becomes an obstacle to performance. Having compassion for yourself when you are under stress can help motivate nurturing behaviors that ease stress like eating right, getting enough sleep, exercising and making time for meaningful interactions with friends and family.