Positive job factors can play an important part in keeping stress in check. Having supportive co-workers, managing time effectively, being active in social groups and not taking work home with you are effective ways to minimize stress.
Management can provide invaluable assistance to employees (and themselves) by setting effective stress management techniques. Some of the vital ways to do this are:
1. Set realistic goals and priorities: encourage employees to be part of the priority-setting process. When they feel they are part of the decision, they are more likely to take responsibility, rather than grumble about "my nasty boss" and "this terrible place".
2. Encourage good time-management techniques: planning for important activities, scheduling them in advance, following up with others, and keeping good records help people get things accomplished on time and realize their value. Take time to make note of successes and projects accomplished.
3. Take short breaks after a particularly stressful event, encourage employees to take a 5 minute walk around the block or a few minutes of quiet meditation to re-balance their energies. Several short breaks throughout the day can keep employees working at peak performance.
4. Rehearse and prepare: being prepared reduces stress. Be prepared in advance of stressful situations for all possible outcomes.
5. Don’t procrastinate: procrastination and delay breeds stress! Eliminate items which won’t/can’t get done and do those that are important first.
6. Know your limits: be realistic about what you can accomplish.
7. Change your attitudes. Think of stressful situations as a challenge to your creative thinking. Know that eventually everything will either get done or it won’t - worrying won’t make it better.
8. Learn to say "no": when your schedule is full, say "no" to activities you don’t enjoy, to unrealistic demands, to responsibilities that aren’t yours. Doing this with tact and diplomacy takes some practice and may require special training.
9. Schedule your stress: stagger known stressful activities and prepare for known stress in advance.
10. Encourage employees to treat their body right: eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly. Companies that encourage employees to take a "fruit break" or 5-minute walk find the employees will work more effectively than if they are "hyped" by cigarette/coffee breaks and little physical exercise in their jobs.
11. Encourage positive self-talk: use positive self-reinforcement affirmations, like "I can handle this one step at a time" and "Somehow the whole team will work this out".
12. Give positive reinforcement: make sure that all managers and supervisors tell people when they do a good job, complement them on their neat offices or conscientious work habits.
13. Set up employee recognition programs: "Employee of the Month" or "Creative Suggestion" systems encourage people to do a good job. Everyone needs a pat on the back and a sense of being a valuable person. Constant criticism is counter-productive and causes hard feelings. A daily positive comment goes a long way, at no cost!
14. Take responsibility: encourage employees to take responsibility for their own job and for their contribution to the success of the company as a whole. This encourages a feeling of control over their life. Let them know how important their efforts are to the overall plan.
15. Provide a sympathetic ear: often stressful situations can be managed, if there is someone who is willing to listen to the employee’s concerns and provide positive encouragement that they will get through the problem. For many people, 15 minutes of a sympathetic listener can cancel out many days of otherwise unproductive worry.
16. Most important, MAINTAIN A SENSE OF HUMOR. As a wise philosopher said, "Don’t take life so seriously, it’s only a hobby". Try to remember what was stressful in your life six months ago or a year ago. Chances are, you can’t. Know that this day will be just another day in history and whatever seems traumatic now will fade into oblivion as time passes.
Laughter is the medicine of the gods and great medicine for humans, too!
Management can provide invaluable assistance to employees (and themselves) by setting effective stress management techniques. Some of the vital ways to do this are:
1. Set realistic goals and priorities: encourage employees to be part of the priority-setting process. When they feel they are part of the decision, they are more likely to take responsibility, rather than grumble about "my nasty boss" and "this terrible place".
2. Encourage good time-management techniques: planning for important activities, scheduling them in advance, following up with others, and keeping good records help people get things accomplished on time and realize their value. Take time to make note of successes and projects accomplished.
3. Take short breaks after a particularly stressful event, encourage employees to take a 5 minute walk around the block or a few minutes of quiet meditation to re-balance their energies. Several short breaks throughout the day can keep employees working at peak performance.
4. Rehearse and prepare: being prepared reduces stress. Be prepared in advance of stressful situations for all possible outcomes.
5. Don’t procrastinate: procrastination and delay breeds stress! Eliminate items which won’t/can’t get done and do those that are important first.
6. Know your limits: be realistic about what you can accomplish.
7. Change your attitudes. Think of stressful situations as a challenge to your creative thinking. Know that eventually everything will either get done or it won’t - worrying won’t make it better.
8. Learn to say "no": when your schedule is full, say "no" to activities you don’t enjoy, to unrealistic demands, to responsibilities that aren’t yours. Doing this with tact and diplomacy takes some practice and may require special training.
9. Schedule your stress: stagger known stressful activities and prepare for known stress in advance.
10. Encourage employees to treat their body right: eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, exercise regularly. Companies that encourage employees to take a "fruit break" or 5-minute walk find the employees will work more effectively than if they are "hyped" by cigarette/coffee breaks and little physical exercise in their jobs.
11. Encourage positive self-talk: use positive self-reinforcement affirmations, like "I can handle this one step at a time" and "Somehow the whole team will work this out".
12. Give positive reinforcement: make sure that all managers and supervisors tell people when they do a good job, complement them on their neat offices or conscientious work habits.
13. Set up employee recognition programs: "Employee of the Month" or "Creative Suggestion" systems encourage people to do a good job. Everyone needs a pat on the back and a sense of being a valuable person. Constant criticism is counter-productive and causes hard feelings. A daily positive comment goes a long way, at no cost!
14. Take responsibility: encourage employees to take responsibility for their own job and for their contribution to the success of the company as a whole. This encourages a feeling of control over their life. Let them know how important their efforts are to the overall plan.
15. Provide a sympathetic ear: often stressful situations can be managed, if there is someone who is willing to listen to the employee’s concerns and provide positive encouragement that they will get through the problem. For many people, 15 minutes of a sympathetic listener can cancel out many days of otherwise unproductive worry.
16. Most important, MAINTAIN A SENSE OF HUMOR. As a wise philosopher said, "Don’t take life so seriously, it’s only a hobby". Try to remember what was stressful in your life six months ago or a year ago. Chances are, you can’t. Know that this day will be just another day in history and whatever seems traumatic now will fade into oblivion as time passes.
Laughter is the medicine of the gods and great medicine for humans, too!
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