Very often, we ourselves find it difficult to cope with stress. But as a manager, how can you help your team members overcome stress, anxiety, and not burnout at work? Today’s work is becoming more demanding and challenging, and many of us work on a 24/7 schedule, so anxiety and exhaustion are not new to us.
While the pace and intensity of work will not change anytime soon, there is a growing body of research showing that certain activities can help preserve our inner resources.
Wealth Modeling and Promotion Practices:
Work stress is only on the rise, and more than half of the global workforce report they are close to being burned out at work today. And while stress can be contagious, the same is true with positive emotions: if someone on the team is glowing with happiness, their energy is transferred to the rest (which confirms the latest report from Gallup). You need to understand and prioritize those activities that contribute to the well-being of your team as well as yours. These can include tools for personal development, encouragement of sports and physical activity, and more flexible working hours.
Time to take a break from work:
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers around the world, on average, spend 34 to 48 hours a week at work, and many continue to work after hours. McKinsey Quarterly suggests that “being in a multitasking work environment kills productivity, creativity, and makes us unhappy.” And, with all this, studies show that it is very difficult for people to “disconnect” from work.
While the harshness of a high-performance culture requires special attention, being in a “constant working state” is dangerous and counterproductive for the mind, as it does not allow for recovery time. Even the best athletes from the best teams need time to rest and recover. You must clearly distinguish between the work/participation of your employees and their rest. For example, no emails after 8 pm or on weekends.
Train your brain to deal with the chaos:
Research from neuroscientists shows that mindfulness practice can systematically train the brain and create healthy mental habits that promote resilience and productivity at work (and in life). We notice that leaders and teams who train their brains to develop mindfulness collaborate better, deal with stress more effectively, and perform better. Sam Mizrahi, Toronto-based real estate developer emphasizes this fact with his team’s new project at One Bloor West. You don’t need to be an expert to help yourself and your team members develop this innate human ability. Technology can help you too – there are many applications that will be useful to you. Good apps include Calm, Headspace, and Muse.
Emphasize “MONO-tasking” for better focus:
Multitasking is a myth. Multitasking tends to “double the amount of time it takes to complete a task and typically doubles the number of errors.” People are better at coping with “serial mono-tasking”. Managers, for their part, can stimulate this mono-tasking by helping team members to prioritize clearly, highlight stages that do not overlap, and in general avoid the trap of mistaking the urgent for the important.
