Realistic Stress Management Practices For High Performers
It comes as no surprise that driven employees often sacrifice their well-being to go above and beyond in their roles. However, the need to constantly excel and exceed expectations has dire consequences, mentally and physically. As leaders, it’s our job to guide our people to build healthy, sustainable working habits that will serve them in the long run. Hence, actionable, realistic stress management techniques should be an integral aspect of a leader’s duties and a cornerstone of a health-savvy, people-first organizational culture.
Of course, not all stress management techniques can fit into the lives of busy professionals. If you’re between hour-long meetings, finding the time to meditate just isn’t a priority. For this reason, we have created a blueprint for those who lead high-caliber teams. These tips include practices that can be part of your employees’ day-to-day without interrupting their workflow and, of course, without putting their well-being on the back burner.
The Dangers Of Neglecting Your Team’s Well-Being
We have all made sacrifices in pursuit of our goals. But, sacrificing one’s mental and physical well-being to pursue the next milestone is counterproductive in the long run, leading to burnout, productivity loss, communication breakdown, and turnover. Moreover, burned-out employees heavily contribute to an unhealthy workplace culture. In most cases, though, burnout is caused by the unhealthy workplace culture itself.
It’s not uncommon to see employers advertising their fast-paced environments in job postings. And, obviously, many industries are fast-paced by design—you can’t expect a thriving marketing agency to go slow and steady. Still, it’s up to leadership to ensure that these fast paces don’t bring adverse consequences. Leaders need to take an active stance against burnout-inducing organizational practices and make sure that their teams are equipped with the skills and knowledge to combat it when the signs arise. Ultimately, recognizing these indicators as well as the value of stress management allows leaders to pursue better conditions for their people, create appropriate support channels, and intervene when needed to prevent long-term consequences for their team and organization.
Common Burnout Signs To Look Out For
- Difficulty concentrating: Employees may have trouble starting or finishing a task, especially if they’re multitasking beyond their bandwidth.
- Exhaustion: Persistent mental and physical fatigue is a surefire way to determine burnout. So, take a closer look—are your employees dragging themselves to work every morning?
- Lack of motivation: Prolonged stress can exacerbate feelings of fatigue and/or disengagement, leading to decreased motivation and morale among staffers.
- Decreased productivity and quality of work: Often leading to reduced efficiency, burnout causes employees to struggle with meeting deadlines or maintaining their quality of work.
- Disengagement and absenteeism: A sense of disconnection from work is a clear sign that reflects indifference, disengagement, or loss of passion for their role.
6 Practical Stress Management Techniques And Practices For Busy Teams
1. Time Management Training
While time management skills are essential to being professional, they usually aren’t part of conventional training curricula. Effective prioritization, managing distractions, and maintaining self-awareness to recognize when one nears full capacity are integral attributes that every leader should teach their teams. In addition, time management training equips employees with the skills to handle their workloads effectively, maintain a high-quality baseline in their deliverables, and alleviate procrastination or feelings of overwhelm.
2. Flexible Work Schedule
With remote work and hybrid working models on-trend, flexible schedules are a must. Providing autonomy to manage personal and professional responsibilities can significantly reduce anxiety and burnout. It also allows employees to work during their most productive hours and feel a sense of control over their schedules. This flexibility is not just an indicator that you’re committed to their personal and professional well-being. You also illustrate the importance of work-life balance, which is and should always be a priority, no matter how fast-paced your work environment is.
3. Effective Delegation
Drawing from the abovementioned point of time management training, effective delegation should be at the top of your list as a team leader. As markets get more demanding and competitive, and work piles on, delegation becomes critical to ensure timely and quality task completion. Sometimes, a team member doesn’t have the bandwidth to take on something new, even if they are better skilled at handling a specific task. Be aware of your team’s limits when assigning to-do lists by cultivating an environment of open communication and transparency. Show your people that there is no retribution if they don’t have space to take on additional responsibilities.
4. Healthy Leadership Practices
What attributes should a leader possess to contribute to the creation of a health-savvy workplace? Sure, healthy leadership practices are not an actual stress management technique, but they directly correlate with your team’s well-being. To ensure healthy leadership practices, one must focus their energy on building strong connections with every team member, where ownership and accountability, gratitude, and recognition take center stage. So, take some time for introspection. Ask yourself, what is your role in this team, and how do you contribute to its success and welfare? What can you do to become a better leader and alleviate the pressure from your team members?
5. Training In Mental Health Awareness
Your employees can’t go above and beyond if their mental health is neglected. Emotion and mental state are deciding factors when it comes to productivity or efficiency. You can’t expect your team to give 100% when you don’t invest in their emotional and mental prosperity. To tackle these areas, specialization is required, so take the time to reach out to an expert. Start training your employees on emotional regulation, mindfulness, self-awareness, and positive inner dialogue, highlighting the importance of mental health awareness. While this type of training is still rare these days, it’s a suitable way to show your team that you care and a great investment in your people’s overall well-being.
6. Mental Health Benefits
To showcase your commitment to your employees’ mental wellness, try offering them benefits like virtual mental health support, spontaneous days off, counseling, or mental health days. Such initiatives provide them with avenues to express themselves freely, experience their emotions, and learn how to ask for a helping hand when they need it. They also aid in the cultivation of a broader organizational culture that emphasizes the importance of mental health awareness and values employees and their contributions, all while prioritizing and investing in their long-term prosperity.
Conclusion
Leaders must do their best to guarantee a healthy and stress-free environment for their employees. While those in fast-paced industries don’t always have the luxury to follow conventional wellness practices in their busy workdays, there are other, more realistic options. The abovementioned stress management techniques serve this exact purpose. They are designed to fit into busy schedules and promote mental health awareness in corporate environments in order to enhance productivity and ensure work-life balance among energetic, dedicated employees.
