Stress has been called the plague of the modern age. It is thought to be linked to two-thirds of medical conditions in the Western world. Studies show that it is not just our way of life that causes stress, but our way of work as well. Fortunately, for most of us the serious symptoms of stress are rare, but for some they can be a more or less permanent feature of life. If you are judged in your job by how well you manage yourself, then you will also be judged by how well you manage your stress.