How to reduce stress is something that the working class has to deal with virtually on a day-to-day basis; it is something that you as an entrepreneur must plan to manage not just for yourself, but for your employees too. Repeated exposure to stress-causing situations without re-mediating actions is simply put, bad. Stress is often exacerbated by how we think and respond to the different situations around us.
The anxiety that is often a result of stress can have not only emotional but also bodily health repercussions. That is why it is of paramount importance for an entrepreneur to deliberately address office stress proactively. When you are stressed, your concentration levels decline. Stress can cause habitual escapism, a deterioration of the relationship between employees and eventually lead to poor delivery in the work environment. However, it is not only job execution that will suffer; more importantly, not catching it early enough can have long term and costly health repercussions on the individual involved.
So how do you as an entrepreneur reduce stress in the work environment? First thing you need to address is employee working hours. Anyone working long hours is a prime stress candidate and that should be a red flag for you. Work towards making sure your employees have a healthy work life balance. Of course, in the real world, this is a tricky balance between managing expenses and employee welfare but always remember that there is no point pushing your staff hard only for them to eventually burn out.
Another way to reduce stress is clearly charting employee roles. This is related to the earlier point. When reporting lines for example are not clear and job descriptions are virtually nonexistent, it is very possible for employees to find themselves doing work from several bosses. This means no one supervisor has the ‘overall picture. This is especially compounded where the employee may feel too intimidated to speak out against taking on more than he or she can handle.
Assurance on organizational stability and job progression is another key element. A perception that the institution is not stable or lacks opportunities for growth can lead to disillusionment and therefore office stress. In addition, exemplary performance must be rewarded; and it does not have to be expensive. Even something as seemingly minor as a citation in front of other employees is a major booster of self-esteem and a source of the impetus required to drive the organization one notch higher.
People management, though a broad term encompassing many other areas, deserves special mention as a separate way to reduce stress. Unless the circumstances dictate otherwise, avoid reprimanding your staff publicly. The exception here would be instances where the member of staff is instances where the issue may be one they have been warned about many times before or where there is clear insubordination. Otherwise, honest mistakes would best be dealt with one on one unless other members of staff stand to learn one way or the other from that particular member of staff’s mistake. Steer clear of an emotional reaction and always display professionalism. That way, the employee will see your correction is in good faith.
You are Awesome!!!
Talk soon…
Keep Moving Forward!
-Dave
Because depression can be the most serious of our problems, let’s start by seeing if you may be depressed. Keep in mind that everyone has their “blue” days.
The thing that separates clinical depression from simple melancholy is that the symptoms occur over a period of time. They don’t come and go, they stay around for awhile and can affect your life adversely.
Ask yourself the following questions. Answer yes if you’ve been feeling this way consistently over a period of two weeks.
If you can answer “Yes” to five or more of these questions, you could be suffering from clinical depression. It is important for you to seek out the help of a medical professional whether that be a doctor or a therapist. There are many medications out there that can help with depression.
Keep Moving Forward!
-Dave
You likely use problem solving everyday. It is often taken for granted. People do not realize just how wonderful and important problem solving is. Most people do not even recognize it as a skill. In fact, most of the time it is just second nature.
Solving problems can actually be defined as an art. This art of solving problems is something that we learn at a very young age. It helps us through life and is something we could not live without. Being able to solve problems is a life skill. It is important and it should be taken seriously to get the best results from it.
Looking at problem solving as an art can help you to become more appreciative of it. You can begin to use this art to its full potential and really respect its important. You just need to learn more about solving problems as a skill and an art.
Keep Moving Forward!
-Dave