KEEP THE PRESSURE DOWN: 5 STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING BUSINESS STRESS (May 21, 2019)

Stress is an unavoidable part of business—we all encounter moments where we feel overwhelmed, anxious, maybe even depressed. It’s a natural part of the human condition, and while external factors can be hard to control, we do have a choice about how we respond to stress and how we manage our emotional wellbeing. 

Firstly, what are some of the warning signs that might indicate stress is getting the better of you? For many business people, fatigue and low energy levels can be directly attributed to stress. Constant worry and anxiety put your body in high alert, and this drains your energy levels. Other symptoms include:

·         Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
·         Irritability
·         Forgetfulness
·         Digestive Issues
·         Weight gain or weight loss

Recognising and acknowledging these stress symptoms in yourself is a huge first step in the stress reduction process. So what can you do to take control? Here are five proven techniques for tackling stress and bringing the joy back to your business life.

1. Do Something Different

When stress is in control, you become much less productive and more prone to errors. Taking a short break or switching to another easy-to-do activity is an excellent technique for regaining control of your energy levels.

2. Manage Your Energy

While stress may originate in the mind, it’s the body that can suffer. By looking after our physical condition, we can reverse the effects of stress and help calm the mind. Starting with a healthy, high protein breakfast is one way to ensure the body has sufficient energy to sustain you until lunchtime. Building regular breaks and simple exercises into your daily routine will stimulate energy levels.

3. Develop Good Habits

A lot of everyday business activity is based around routines, and developing good routines is key to minimising stress. An unstructured workload can seem daunting and never-ending, but by ‘chunking’ the work into smaller, more manageable tasks—you’ll get a clearer picture of the path ahead.

4. Choose Your Attitude

We all react differently to external pressures, and our ability to cope often comes down to how we choose to view the issue. Using techniques such as mindfulness and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you can train your mind to take a more helpful approach to problems and explore alternative ways to deal with the situation.

5. Be Grateful

When things go wrong, we give them undue weight and tend to overlook all the things ‘going right’ in our business. Making a simple list of all your company’s recent wins and achievements is a great way to put things in perspective. Share the list amongst staff, ask them to add to it, and you’ll gain even more positive feedback.

Workplace stress will always be part of life, but by using these five techniques, you can build up your resilience, improve your productivity and ensure a better future for you and your business.