Dangers of work anxiety: My hair fell out in clumps

Linda Wells has always been a high-achiever, embracing every possible opportunity for personal growth along a varied career path, but it wasn't until she left her safe job as a deputy school principal to work in real estate that she realised what a different environment she was entering.

It was 2002 and the market was at a low point. There were plenty of listings, but no one was buying.

"I thought, well, I'm here now so I have to be doing something, so I held lots of open homes where I established relationships with buyers.

"After the certainty of a regular pay cheque I was now on commission only, so when I finally got my first listing there was no turning back."

Linda says that her eventual rise to success was certainly in part because she'd expected – and intended - to work hard, so the long hours, the paperwork and the general highs and lows of real estate came as no surprise.

"The problem was that even when the market rose and income was rushing in, I still felt stressed.

"I'd lie awake, longing for my brain to slow down and stop fixating on events of the day, and what I should and shouldn't have done, and what I needed to do tomorrow.

"I was suffering physically, which often happens with pent-up anxiety and, in my case, my hair began falling out in clumps.

"I realised that I really wanted – and needed - was success without stress!"

Committed to achieving that goal, Linda spent a lot of time learning to break down the components of anxiety and find a way to help her mind relax.

Meanwhile, as she coached promising sales agents to earn more money, she realised that stress was everywhere.

"All around me in real estate I could see the results of anxiety that wasn't handled well and there were relationships collapsing, people drinking too much as a means of escape, and often spending too much money as well."

After 11 years, Linda decided to leave real estate and has since studied to become a highly-skilled mindset practitioner, using neuro-linguistic-programming through which, she believes, we can learn the language of our own minds and essentially re-programme them.

She also uses progressive thought field therapy, another tool that can help people in stressful situations.

Linda has become an in-demand motivational speaker and laughs that she's been described as an "expert on anxious men".

"I work with men and women, actually, and while some certainly are from the real estate industry, many others aren't."

She describes her technique as promoting a combination of self-awareness, self-management and self-control used together to overcome negative thoughts and create space for more positive experiences.

Her new book: Transforming your Stress into Business Success; Take Back Control, Regain Balance, Fuel Your Success is designed to offer hope and practical advice to anybody who is feeling burnt out.

"My big mantra, which is behind everything I do, is 'in order to do more, you need to do less'," she says.

"I've been very lucky in my life, and have always had great support, but I do know from my own experience how overwhelming stress can be, and I'm committed to helping people have better lives."