10 Strategies to Decrease Workplace Stress & Reignite Your Passion!
Have you done something for you lately? If you answered "no" to that
question, you're not alone. A more important question to ask yourself
is why not? Having worked in the social service industry for the past
15+ years (I don't want to age myself too much!), I've witnesses many
changes. The most striking of these changes has been the creative
"outside the box" thinking of agencies committed to meeting the needs
of their customers despite shrinking resources. This has also meant
the donning of many new hats or responsibilities by staff that
traditionally had very specific roles and responsibilities. Stress on
the job is real, and it's on the rise. What can you do about it?
The majority of you entered this field because of your genuine desire
to help your customers move forward and advance in their careers or
education. What tends to happen during times of limited resources is
a shift from client centered services to a focus on performance
outcomes, which are crucial to continued funding. If the balance is
disrupted, it is easy to lose sight of the passion that brought you
here. Eventually, you begin to feel your energy level drop, and
burnout isn't far behind, especially when where in a climate where
layoffs have become commonplace.
The following are 10 strategies (we've added four new ones!) that will
help you regain your work life balance and reignite your passion!
1. Take Charge. In order to feel more in control, especially during
times of change, arrange to meet with your supervisor at least
quarterly to talk about your performance and your job. Take this
opportunity to clarify your strengths, weaknesses, and any areas you
can develop or improve on, including discussing any sources of
concern. This additional interaction may help solidify your "place"
in the organization since you've actively sought out input and
feedback and you've shown your willingness to continuously improve.
2. Unplug! If you carry a pager or cell phone for work, turn it off
once you leave the office. Most employers do not expect you to be
available 24/7 unless it's in your job description. Set boundaries
and stick to them. You need and deserve the down time.
3. Read it Later. Avoid checking work-related e-mail throughout the
day. Recently, I've gone as far as designating certain times during
the day when I check email and first thing in the morning is not one
of them. Email can become a great excuse not to do anything else,
especially when it's arriving in our inbox all day long! Set a time
to check it, and stick to it. Also avoid checking work-related emails
at home. I'm pretty sure a response at 11:30pm isn't necessary. It
can wait until the morning. We all know it's easy to get pulled into
the email whirlwind. Self and family time are important!
4. Simplify. Instead of packing your day full of tasks and
activities, determine what needs to be done, what can wait, and what
can be eliminated all together. Update your task list every day. A
colleague of mine recently shared her strategy for getting tasks done.
She makes a new list of seven priorities every day and completes what
she can on the list. She makes a new list the following day and only
carries over the tasks she chooses. For things you must complete,
determine how long each will take and assign a time. It will be less
overwhelming if you know how long each task will take to complete.
5. Calendar It! If it's not on your calendar, it's not something you
should be doing. That's a novel thought, but a very effective way to
work. After you've completed your task list, schedule time to work on
each item. You can "chunk" similar items in blocks of 30-60 minutes
and add more time as needed. You'll know right away if you can add
any additional tasks or responsibilities just by consulting your
calendar.
6. Time it. Try working in blocks of approximately 30 minutes per
task and then taking a short break. I actually use a timer, which is
set at 27 minutes. During that time, I stay completely focused on a
task and don't allow interruptions. When I'm on a "roll," I just
reset the time for another 27 minutes and keep working. This allows me
an opportunity to re-energize myself without becoming restless (or
bored!) with a particular task. It really works.
7. Say NO. Learn to say NO or not right now to items that are
not a necessary part of your job. If saying no isn't an option, be
sure to let the person know who assigned you the task how long it will
take to complete and when you will be able to fit it into your
schedule. Do not promise anything you can't deliver on - this will
create more stress! This is why it's so important to block out your
time on a calendar and stick to it. If time is limited, do the best
job possible. Sometimes it doesn't have to be perfect to still be a
job well done (yes, I'm talking to all you perfectionists out there).
8. Take a Break. Throughout the day, even if you're not timing
yourself, take a few minutes to clear your mind, especially if you're
feeling overwhelmed. Don't forget to take your lunch break. Make
sure you actually use it to do something for yourself, not to do more
work. Take a walk, exercise, do some type of activity that removes
you physically and mentally from work and don't feel guilty. Stick to
it, and do it now - right now!
9. Smile! Smiling is actually a great stress relieving technique.
When you're walking around the office, give everyone your best
"cheesy" grin. You know the one (I'm smiling right now thinking about
it :)). This will accomplish a few things - people will smile back,
making you feel good AND those that know you, will wonder what you're
smiling about! Have fun with it and make it easy on yourself. It
takes a lot more effort (and energy) to frown and look angry, right?
10. Relax. Plan a vacation at least once a year, preferably
twice! Having 45 days of vacation on the books isn't something to be
proud of. Use it! If you can't afford to go away, use the time to
do some things around the house - read a book, paint a room, or visit
a local museum. The possibilities are endless. Force yourself to do
it. You'll be glad that you did.
question, you're not alone. A more important question to ask yourself
is why not? Having worked in the social service industry for the past
15+ years (I don't want to age myself too much!), I've witnesses many
changes. The most striking of these changes has been the creative
"outside the box" thinking of agencies committed to meeting the needs
of their customers despite shrinking resources. This has also meant
the donning of many new hats or responsibilities by staff that
traditionally had very specific roles and responsibilities. Stress on
the job is real, and it's on the rise. What can you do about it?
The majority of you entered this field because of your genuine desire
to help your customers move forward and advance in their careers or
education. What tends to happen during times of limited resources is
a shift from client centered services to a focus on performance
outcomes, which are crucial to continued funding. If the balance is
disrupted, it is easy to lose sight of the passion that brought you
here. Eventually, you begin to feel your energy level drop, and
burnout isn't far behind, especially when where in a climate where
layoffs have become commonplace.
The following are 10 strategies (we've added four new ones!) that will
help you regain your work life balance and reignite your passion!
1. Take Charge. In order to feel more in control, especially during
times of change, arrange to meet with your supervisor at least
quarterly to talk about your performance and your job. Take this
opportunity to clarify your strengths, weaknesses, and any areas you
can develop or improve on, including discussing any sources of
concern. This additional interaction may help solidify your "place"
in the organization since you've actively sought out input and
feedback and you've shown your willingness to continuously improve.
2. Unplug! If you carry a pager or cell phone for work, turn it off
once you leave the office. Most employers do not expect you to be
available 24/7 unless it's in your job description. Set boundaries
and stick to them. You need and deserve the down time.
3. Read it Later. Avoid checking work-related e-mail throughout the
day. Recently, I've gone as far as designating certain times during
the day when I check email and first thing in the morning is not one
of them. Email can become a great excuse not to do anything else,
especially when it's arriving in our inbox all day long! Set a time
to check it, and stick to it. Also avoid checking work-related emails
at home. I'm pretty sure a response at 11:30pm isn't necessary. It
can wait until the morning. We all know it's easy to get pulled into
the email whirlwind. Self and family time are important!
4. Simplify. Instead of packing your day full of tasks and
activities, determine what needs to be done, what can wait, and what
can be eliminated all together. Update your task list every day. A
colleague of mine recently shared her strategy for getting tasks done.
She makes a new list of seven priorities every day and completes what
she can on the list. She makes a new list the following day and only
carries over the tasks she chooses. For things you must complete,
determine how long each will take and assign a time. It will be less
overwhelming if you know how long each task will take to complete.
5. Calendar It! If it's not on your calendar, it's not something you
should be doing. That's a novel thought, but a very effective way to
work. After you've completed your task list, schedule time to work on
each item. You can "chunk" similar items in blocks of 30-60 minutes
and add more time as needed. You'll know right away if you can add
any additional tasks or responsibilities just by consulting your
calendar.
6. Time it. Try working in blocks of approximately 30 minutes per
task and then taking a short break. I actually use a timer, which is
set at 27 minutes. During that time, I stay completely focused on a
task and don't allow interruptions. When I'm on a "roll," I just
reset the time for another 27 minutes and keep working. This allows me
an opportunity to re-energize myself without becoming restless (or
bored!) with a particular task. It really works.
7. Say NO. Learn to say NO or not right now to items that are
not a necessary part of your job. If saying no isn't an option, be
sure to let the person know who assigned you the task how long it will
take to complete and when you will be able to fit it into your
schedule. Do not promise anything you can't deliver on - this will
create more stress! This is why it's so important to block out your
time on a calendar and stick to it. If time is limited, do the best
job possible. Sometimes it doesn't have to be perfect to still be a
job well done (yes, I'm talking to all you perfectionists out there).
8. Take a Break. Throughout the day, even if you're not timing
yourself, take a few minutes to clear your mind, especially if you're
feeling overwhelmed. Don't forget to take your lunch break. Make
sure you actually use it to do something for yourself, not to do more
work. Take a walk, exercise, do some type of activity that removes
you physically and mentally from work and don't feel guilty. Stick to
it, and do it now - right now!
9. Smile! Smiling is actually a great stress relieving technique.
When you're walking around the office, give everyone your best
"cheesy" grin. You know the one (I'm smiling right now thinking about
it :)). This will accomplish a few things - people will smile back,
making you feel good AND those that know you, will wonder what you're
smiling about! Have fun with it and make it easy on yourself. It
takes a lot more effort (and energy) to frown and look angry, right?
10. Relax. Plan a vacation at least once a year, preferably
twice! Having 45 days of vacation on the books isn't something to be
proud of. Use it! If you can't afford to go away, use the time to
do some things around the house - read a book, paint a room, or visit
a local museum. The possibilities are endless. Force yourself to do
it. You'll be glad that you did.
