Stress is a growing problem for today’s busy professionals, with 77% of people saying they regularly experience physical symptoms, and 73% of people reporting experiencing mental symptoms, according to a 2017 Statistic Brain report.
If you find yourself suffering from stress symptoms, you don’t need to spend another sleepless night wondering what you should do to reduce your urge to grit your teeth in the workplace. Below, seven members of Forbes Coaches Council share several effective stress management techniques that the modern professional can easily incorporate into their life, from keeping lists and prioritizing, to taking time for themselves in order to reflect and plan. Here's what they suggest you try:
1. Keep A To-Do List And Prioritize
Keep a to-do list, prioritize and calendar it every other day or so. Don't expect to follow it perfectly. As President Eisenhower said, "Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable,” meaning that plans help us visualize our path and allow us to improvise more effectively when life happens. - Bill Stepanek, Team Performance Group
2. Focus More On Your Personal Life
Recognize that there is more to life than work. Enjoy nature, your family and friends, and have a hobby. Surprisingly, this will make you a better coach also. - Agata Dulnik, Ph.D., Global Leadership Experts
3. Make A 'Top One' And A 'Top Three'
Before you end your day today, create the one specific result for tomorrow (your “Top One”) that by itself constitutes a successful day of work. Once you have that, then add a second and third to your list, and only take on your “Top Two” or “Top Three” after you have completed or taken your “Top One” as far as you can that day. You will make way more progress in less time! - John Hittler, Evoking Genius
4. Take Time To Reflect And Plan
Take time for personal reflection and planning. Most leaders in corporate America are totally immersed in the day-to-day operations of the business. It's sometimes difficult to "come up for air." One common complaint is that there is not enough time to think, to innovate, to plan, to reflect and learn from past failures and successes. Make this time a priority for yourself and your team. - Kim Ramsey, The Executive Edge, Inc.
5. Don’t Lose Sight Of Your Big Goals
Keep in mind what you will be evaluated on, and put energy toward those tasks and strategies. Distractions will try to divert your attention, but remembering what your end goal is will help you focus and be productive. There will always be fires to put out, but staying connected to your big goals will help determine which ones need to be put out immediately and which ones can smolder. - Molly Walsh, Standout Consulting
Read more in Influence Effectiveness: Three Keys to Attaining Your Goals
6. Understand Each Role You Play
There are different roles that you step into, and each a unique circuit of neural nets, with their own special focus, beliefs, breathing rates and chemical cocktail. Ask yourself before a new task or part of your day: What thought and feeling is going through your head right now? What version of me do I need to step into now, to win? What feeling, belief, and focus is going to get results? - Andy Murphy, Mindset By Design
7. Share Your Highs And Lows
Take time to share the highs and lows of your week with a family member or close friend who cares about you and who will listen and ask questions. Sharing your weekly highs and lows will improve your emotional health and help you think clearly. - Michael Stallard, E Pluribus Partners
