Table of Contents
Hello everyone, this is Cody Nickol from Work Growth Thrive. If you find this video helpful I would greatly appreciate it if you give me a like and subscribe to my channel. Thank you very much! Now, let’s dive into our topic for today. I want to discuss seven effective ways to reduce stress at work and at the same time increase your productivity. These strategies can be easily implemented, regardless of your line of work.
In my previous video, I highlighted the relevance of stress manamgent. Prolonged exposure to stress and stress hormones like cortisol can have detrimental effects on both mental and physical health. It can lead to problems such as digestive issues, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and even heart problems. I’m sure many of you have experienced the physical manifestations of stress, whether it’s a racing heart or a churning stomach. We can all relate to this. Therefore, it’s crucial to learn how to manage stress and influence our work enviornment so that it better meets our needs.
1. Make a Schedule
So, let’s start with the first tip, which is simple but crucial: make a schedule. Take a moment to consider your week and decide what tasks you want to prioritize and when you plan to tackle them. Personally, I find it helpful to choose three major tasks for each day. By having a schedule in place, you eliminate the stress of deciding where to start or what to focus on, saving your valuable cognitive resources.
A schedule brings regularity into your routine, saving you energy by eliminating the need to constantly consider what you need to do and when to do it. However, it’s important not to overpack your schedule. If possible, allow some leeway or flexibility. As a recruiter, I often receive spontaneous calls, so if I fill my schedule with too many to-dos and then have to take care of something that wasn’t planned, I can easily fall behind. Similarly, if a colleague or my boss requires assistance or assigns an additional task, not overloading my schedule allows me to respond to these unexpected needs and requests.
2. Take Advantange of Available Resources
Another valuable tip I want to share is to take advantage of the resources available to you in your workplace. Sometimes, when you receive a new project or assignment, you may be unsure about how to approach it. Instead of trying to figure out everything by yourself aim to be more effective with your time by drawing on available resources.
For instance, there may be a colleague who has expertise in your project area. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, ask them for some of their time to gain access to valuable insights and information. I’m not suggesting that you don’t do your share and conduct thorough research, but a few tips from a more experienced colleague can save you lots of time. Here’s another example. Let’s say you have to give a presentation, check if there are existing materials that you can use and optimize, rather than starting from scratch.
Let me share my experience: I had to give a market presentation on the pharmacy market and its relation to employees in Germany. Fortunately, my boss had already given a similar presentation the previous year, so I utilized her work as a starting point, made improvements, and saved a significant amount of time while delivering a good presentation. Make sure to leverage the resources that are already available to you. Reach out to people, network, and avoid reinventing the wheel, allowing you to use your time more efficiently.
3. Learn to Say No
Another important point is learning to say no. Many of us are afraid to decline requests. While it’s not wrong to help others, sometimes saying yes can negatively affect our own tasks and responsibilities. By learning to say no, you enhance your ability to say yes to the things you’re genuinely excited about. Establish boundaries and communicate limits. If someone approaches you with a request, you can politely explain that you’re unable to assist at that time but suggest they come to you earlier next time. Set boundaries and learn to say no.
4. Bundle Similar Tasks
The fourth tip is to bundle similar tasks. When emails come in, we tend to answer them immediately. However, it would be more effective to set specific times during the day (1, 2, or 3 times) to address all the emails at once, if possible. Think about how much energy is required to start a task, get interrupted, stop, and then try to get back into the momentum again. By bundling similar tasks together, you minimize the energy loss from switching between them.
Another approach is to group tasks based on their time duration. You can bundle multiple tasks that take, for example, less than five minutes each. By doing so, you can check off several items from your to-do list in one go.
5. Rearrange Tasks
Additionally, consider rearranging tasks. Let’s say you struggle to consistently make a certain appointment or find yourself stressed about scheduling conflicts. Appointments that you regularly push off are probably not that high on your priority list — consider canceling them or finding a more suitable time.
You can also rearrange inefficient workflows to streamline your processes and improve productivity. For example, let’s say you require approval from your boss to proceed with a certain aspect of your work. Because your boss has a lot on their plate you constantly find yourself waiting. In such a situation, consider asking for more responsibility in the decision making process. By doing this, you eliminate the bottleneck and save time.
6. Adjust Your Expectations
Another strategy is to adjust your expectations. While it’s important to be ambitious and push beyond your comfort zone to grow, it’s crucial to recognize when your expectations are causing constant stress. Growth can be a challenging and stressful process, but there comes a point when it becomes too much. Let me share an example: I know a colleague who became a team lead in a tech company. However, it consumed a significant amount of his time and energy for just a slight increase in pay. Eventually, he realized it wasn’t worth it and adjusted his expectations, returning to a senior level.
It’s essential to assess and align your expectations with what truly matters to you, rather than being solely influenced by societal or others’ expectations. Don’t let others dictate what is important for you or try to live up to their expectations. This will only lead to unecessary stress.
7. Eliminate Unecessary Tasks
Finally, point number seven is about eliminating unnecessary tasks and shedding the excess. Identify tasks in your schedule or to-do list that are not essential or keep getting postponed. These tasks may not be as important as you initially thought, and letting go of them can help reduce your workload and stress levels.
Just eliminate tasks that you have repeatedly pushed off. If you have postponed something three or four times already, it probably doesn’t need to be done. By focusing on core priorities, you conserve energy and avoid trying to juggle too many things at once. Remember, we only have 24 hours in a day and limited energy, so maintaining focus is crucial. Concentrate on what is truly important to you and prioritize the tasks that yield the most significant results (that 20% that leads to 80% of the outcomes).
Eliminating unnecessary things from your schedule may initially be disappointing, but you will soon realize that by streamlining your tasks, you create breathing room. Now you’ll be able to thrive rather than constantly being in a stressed “fight or flight” state. Such an environment opens up opportunities for growth, fosters creativity, and prevents mental burnout.
As you consider your schedule, please keep these seven tips in mind. If you found this video useful, please like it, and stay tuned for more valuable content in the future. Also if you would like some 1:1 coaching in simplifying your work-life and enhanceing productivity feel free to reach out to me here.
Wishing you a wonderful day!
No Comments