5 Areas Managers Can Improve Their Stress Levels

Different things trigger stress in people. Whether a perceived distinction, lack of quality, inappropriate actions, or time crunch, stress can play havoc with a person. For an employed person, a huge part of their waking lives is spent at work. Due to the nature of working and the number of variables, it’s likely people will encounter stressful situations in the workplace than at home.

An employee’s stress gets triggered by different events and impacts how the individual deals with it. As a manager though, stress can take on even greater levels due to the number of people that are accountable for. People within a managerial role should be conscious of their mental self and stress level. Managers experiencing work-related stress will deal with reduced motivation, satisfaction, and concentration. As these problems become larger, they affect the team and the efficiency of the company.

Stress comes from different areas, but there are several areas that it occurs the most in. Managers that are struggling in their job can consider reviewing areas of interest. They deal with time constraints, project coordination, communication between levels of employees, and striking a work/life balance. Managers need to be able to handle their stress to stay positive.

Team Building

Employees can be a powerful source of enjoyment and frustration. An inefficient or irresponsible employee can make work a living nightmare. Managers should strive to prevent as many unpleasant scenarios as possible. Positive relationships with co-workers and employees are one of the most beneficial ways to combat stress.

Ideally, managers need to work with people that they enjoy being around (who doesn’t). There has to be a sense of team cohesion within the department. While it is easier to have a direct hand in this when hiring, it’s not always as easy with long-standing employees of the company. Managers should facilitate genuine team building dialogue with others, look for learning opportunities, and put into place equal treatment procedure for employees. While it’s not a guarantee that this will completely dissolve managers of their work-related stress, it will definitely help.

Project Coordination & Delegation

If there is a project that has a time notice or there are several that are coming up, the duty of the manager is to make sure everyone on the team understands their role and what needs to happen. Situations change and a project’s timeline may need to be adjusted. Managers should know the priority level of projects to make better decisions. Maintaining order will alleviate some of the work-related stress someone may feel.

Having a strong team that is dependable and skilled is important to the efficiency of work and the stress levels. Managers should try to delegate tasks to the proper members. If there is someone that accomplishes tasks quickly or has specialized knowledge, assign roles in projects to those best suited to handle them. Ensure that they are working toward the project’s completion. The more that managers are able to use their workforce resources, the less stressful the project will be.

Time Management

Many times, managers are under time constraints. Dealing with deadlines, project build-up, or hard-set rules triggers stress for some. More often then not, managers need to multi-task projects to be successful. Sometimes the best way to multi-task is to set aside chunks of time to do a certain task. In that time, use it to speak with co-workers, send e-mails, or update paperwork. If managers make this a habit and stick to it, the process can reduce the stress level.

Create a Professional Support

A lot of people will speak to friends and family when a stressful problem arises. While this may help in some cases, it’s not always great in professional matters. The advice that friends and family give may not apply in the work environment. Managers should find and invest in relationships to build a professional support network for themselves. Trusted colleagues, mentors, or previous employees may shed insight into a work-related matter that you wouldn’t have seen.

Balance Work/Social Life

While anyone employed can attest that it is difficult to maintain a healthy social life, it doesn’t have to be as structured and solidified as generally made to be. In some industries, managers may have longer work hours or tighter schedules. That makes it difficult, or nearly impossible to do anything after work. Your job shouldn’t prevent you from completely enjoying leisure activities. Answering e-mails and phone calls further hinder someone from enjoying their time. Make it a habit to stop responding to messages, calls, and other work-related projects when not at work.

For managers with families, the balance can be even more challenging. Managers can’t choose the best hours they want to work. Spouses and family members notice a lack or change of energy at home due to stressful days. While you may not be able to control the amount of time gone, you can maximize the time while you’re at home. Don’t bring work-related stress home. Try to keep your energy positive when home and interacting with family.

The unique stress that managers deal with in the workplace can wear them down. Those effects then impact other employees that work with the manager. People who aren’t careful will reduce the efficiency of their team or company. Managers in the workforce should use methods that apply empathy, communication, and accountability to their workday to ease as much stress as possible.

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