Managing stress for career success
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Introduction – In today’s VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain Complex and Ambiguous) environments, individuals are under stress to perform consistently in terms of their jobs. A certain level of stress is acceptable to drive performance but excessive stress is harmful to the mind and body and can even lead to serious health complications. Hence, in this brief article, my endeavour is to provide some insights on how to manage stress for career success.
What is Stress?
Definition
Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. The way we respond to stress however, makes a big difference to our overall wellbeing.
World Health Organization
1. Cultivate Optimism – Research has found that optimists climb the career ladder faster and farther than pessimists. Optimistic employees tend to be solution-oriented and more pleasant to be around, which boosts overall productivity. Optimism is useful when tackling challenges or approaching situations that could elicit high levels of stress.
2. Schedule your Time – At the start of every week set a regular time to do your scheduling. Make sure all the tasks you include are realistic. Avoid scheduling more than you can handle. Ensure you have enough time for essential tasks.
3. Schedule some “Think Time” – Scheduled breaks can be helpful for many reasons. Use them to relax, take care of personal tasks or think about things other than work. It helps to increase your focus after a scheduled break. This also helps to prevent monotony during the day and improve your wellbeing.
4. Plan Ahead – Think about what you have to accomplish in the near future, and come up with an action plan to guide you through the workload with the least amount of stress. Do not keep important tasks till the last minute. It becomes stressful to handle tasks in a limited time frame.
5. Break Large Tasks into Smaller Ones – It makes your task more manageable and less overpowering. Before breaking down a task, you must thoroughly understand it. Think about the logical order of completing the pieces. What should you do first, second, third, etc.? This also helps you to set more specific goals.
6. Recognise when you do your Best Work – Research has shown that the first hour of the day is your most productive. It may differ with each individual. Plan your most demanding tasks for the times you think you do your best work. Set a time limit in which to complete the work.
7. Avoid Distractions – Distractions at work can be a productivity killer. Identify common distractions that hamper your work. Establish a relaxing workspace that encourages productivity and reduces interruptions. Customize your notification settings, and allocate specific times for checking messages and social media. Keep your phone on silent mode.
8. Take Care of Yourself – Taking care of yourself is an important part of combating feelings of stress or burnout. Ensure you get adequate sleep. Reduce your intake of caffeine and alcohol. Eat a nutritious and well-balanced diet. Take up a hobby and allocate at least 2 or 3 hours a week to pursue this. Exercise regularly. Take up a sport. Listen to music.
9. Think Positively – Your attitude plays a major role in your level of stress, no matter what work you do. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them. Ensure that those in your life are positive and supportive people. No matter what negative thoughts you have, always focus on the big picture.
10. Avoid or Reduce Conflict with Colleagues – One of the biggest causes of conflict is lack of communication and when people misunderstand colleague’s intentions. Left unchecked, conflict can lead to bad decisions. It is usually better to voice a difference in opinion immediately and in a polite way, rather than allowing underlying resentment and anger to result in conflict.
11. Compromising – Compromising is a conflict resolution strategy in which solutions that meet the needs of both parties are chosen. It’s known as a “lose-lose” strategy, since neither of you achieve your full goal. Compromise is also usually preferable to one-sided outcomes. It is often regarded as less problematic than avoidance.
12. Connect with Family and Friends – Many of us feel stressed out more often than we would like to admit. Connecting with family and close friends can be a helpful antidote to stress too. Schedule time to ensure that family time happens. Sit down together for dinner and take turns sharing the day’s events. Confide in family or close friends when you have a problem. Remember, family doesn’t necessarily have to be considered blood relatives. Close friends or a mentor could be considered family.
13. Setting Realistic Expectations – Setting unrealistic goals can be a source of stress. When setting goals being realistic is essential. Avoid setting unrealistic goals or expecting too much from yourself or others. When you don’t meet your expectations, it can lead to negative feelings. When this happens, letting go can help you refocus and meet your goals.
14. Learning to Say “NO” – It’s hard for many of us to say “No” to someone, but if we are to maintain our health and sanity, at times it becomes a necessity. Learning to say No is the quickest and most effective way to reduce stress in interpersonal relationships. Say it politely, with a smile. Saying No establishes boundaries. There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying No, when the need arises.
15. Focus on Things that you can Control – Certain things are out of your control, and for some people, that simple fact is stressful. Do not waste time and energy on things that you cannot control. That means learning to let go, to surrender, and accept that which you cannot change. Shift your focus to those things that are in your control and which you can change.
Conclusion – Living with stress is now a new norm. The important issue is not to permit stress to overpower you. You need to learn techniques to deal with the stress, a few of which I have outlined in this article. Practice these techniques to have a rewarding career and life.
“Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response to what happens.
And our response is something we can choose.”
- Maureen Killoran
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