The amount of stress that is out there in the world today can seem daunting to many people. The people who stress can really impact is those that are leaders in the workplace. This could be a manager or even somebody that everyone relies on to bring a positive attitude. Knowing how to handle stress is essential in keeping the workplace in the positive working attitude that it should be. A stressed manager can lead to not only decreased production but also an uncomfortable place to work if the manager takes his or her stress out on another person.
Don’t Bring Outside Problems to the Office
Life is full of stress and being able to compartmentalize this stress is one of the best things a manager can do. For example, some leaders tend to bring in family stress or outside of work stress to the office and it can make the working environment less than optimal. If a manager has control over more than one department then using the compartmentalizing method will work the best. If one department isn’t performing up to par then deflect that problem onto a department which is thriving at the current time. If a regional manager takes a stressed or negative attitude to another branch then this can be infectious and have the entire region suffering.
Take Some Time to Relax
Granted in the hustle and bustle of the day, finding time to relax might seem like a distant dream. Managers should take time whether it is on a lunch break or just some quiet time after meetings to unwind. All of the different work problems and distractions shouldn’t be present as this is a time to relax. Exercise is a great way to get rid of work related stress, some people have office buildings with gyms in them that should be taken full advantage over. Another good way to relax is through different meditation techniques.
Lay Off the Alcohol
Making sure to moderate the drinking that is done at home and at happy hours, is important. This is important to make sure your employees don’t see how much work is wearing you down and coping with work stress with alcohol is a quick way to begin relying on alcohol. Alcohol is also responsible in the decreased quality of sleep that is felt the next morning after drinking excessively. There are not many things that can increase stress and decrease your mood more than a night of little to no sleep.
Organize Periodically
Something that keeps people stressed is a large amount of clutter and disorganization. The stress will decrease as soon as the clutter goes away and the manager feels like they have more control over the situation. Organizing periodically can also help a manager keep anything from slipping his or her mind and keep the quality of their employees’ work at a high level.
As one can see, there are many ways to deflect and deal with stress that do not take much effort. Stress can make or break an office, hopefully you as the manager deal with it appropriately!
