April is National Stress
Awareness Month and with this in mind, now is probably a good time to think about
one of our greatest stressors … work. Since studies show that Americans
dedicate an average of 80% of our waking hours to work related activities, it
would make sense that work related issues contribute to the majority of our
stress.
Most of us can’t quit our jobs
and quite frankly, quitting your job is not going to lesson your stress. Taking
a step back and reframing both how you view your work life and how you manage
your work life, can improve your quality of life. Check out these five quick
and easy tips, try one or two and see the difference that they can make.
1. Plan your activities: It is
important to timetable responsibilities, both on a daily basis and long-term.
Plan out the, what, why, how, when, and who will do the job. By placing
specific duties into a timeframe, you’ll be able to easily identify the weak
link, address the issue and move forward.
2. Organize your time on a daily
basis: Make a list of issues; give priority to the most important or the most
pressing issues. At the end of each day check what you’ve completed. If you
find that certain tasks or issues are not being addressed, re-evaluate your
list.
3. Don’t hesitate to ask: In the
fast paced world of today’s workplace, tasks and responsibilities often change.
It is hardly a black mark against you to ask a question if you are unsure.
However, not getting clarification and failing to deliver, will be.
4. Contribute to a positive
environment at work: Be open for discussions, have good communication with
others and do not be afraid of positive critique. Keep in mind individual
differences, some people perform better under pressure, others need more time
to organize their work. Knowing the work style of your colleagues is a positive
when a project needs to be completed.
5. Take a break and delegate:
Yes, you are allowed to take a breather. Break for a few minutes several time
throughout the day and learn how to let go. For any Type A personality,
delegating responsibilities can be tricky. But learning to delegate
responsibility is necessary unless you prefer burnout.
Not a single one of the above
tips are going to solve your work stress, but they will help you to begin to
identify specific areas where you are able to begin to make changes. In my
opinion, an area to really focus upon is a positive work environment. For those
that are in supervisory positions, you set the tone of the work environment.
Having a positive and energetic attitude is infectious and will help your
employees to feel more positive … leading to more productivity and less stress
for you.
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