Today, workload stress is the number one source of stress for Americans. As our society places increasingly higher values on hard work and little play, everyone from business owners to busy professionals experience the toll a heavy workload takes on their health. This chronic stress increases the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety, and the potential for substance abuse. In order to stay in control of your life and meet your goals as a working professional, it’s important to do whatever you can to manage and reduce stress.
Use Technology to Automate Tasks
Smallbiztrends recommends taking advantage of technology to remove some of your workload tasks. For small business owners, there are endless digital tools that can help you manage your business more easily. These include staff scheduling tools, shipping tools, and project management software. You can also find online tools to automate invoicing, digital marketing, emails, and customer service through impressive AI technology. The best part is that many of these digital tools are available online for free — you just have to learn how to use them.
Hire Additional Help
Many people starting a business put off hiring employees for too long. This means they’re stuck with a heavy workload that could easily be split among multiple people. Fortunately, Neil Patel has come up with a comprehensive list of red flags that indicate you should hire some help. For example, if you find yourself turning down work or customers because you don’t have the time to fulfill their needs, it’s time to get someone else on your team.
Learn How to Prioritize Work
Professionals can benefit immensely from a well-structured workload. By planning and prioritizing for efficiency, you’ll be able to increase your productivity and reach your goals faster. Keep an organized to-do list, and rank your tasks according to their importance and urgency. Take regular breaks to review your workload, and consider delegating any work that you continue to push to the bottom of your to-do list. When you’re scheduling your time, it’s important to account for interruptions and breaks. Finally, avoid multitasking as much as possible. It actually hinders you more than it helps!
Set Boundaries Between Work and Personal Life
Maintaining a divide between your work duties and your home life is vital to your mental well-being. Your personal time is important to help you wind down and recover from the stress your body experiences during the day. That way, you’ll be able to dedicate more energy to your work when you’re back on the job. Manage your work-home boundaries by communicating your desires to family and coworkers. Use separate email accounts for work and personal affairs, and turn off work notifications when you’re off the job. If you like to work at home, be sure to maintain a separate workspace from where you spend your leisure time.
Make Good Choices for Your Mental Well-Being
Finding ways to cope with stress is important for maintaining your mental health. Unfortunately, scheduling time for relaxation is often overlooked by busy professionals. First of all, make sure you take the time for regular breaks during the day. In fact, it’s advised that you take a break from your work every 50 to 90 minutes. Use this time to get away from your screen, shift your attention to something less demanding than work, and turn off your concentration.
Yoga, meditation, and breath work can be very beneficial to people struggling with job stress. All of these activities focus on deep breathing, which tells the mind it’s okay to calm down. Breathing shallowly in the chest fuels our fight-or-flight mechanism, telling our body we’re in danger. In contrast, breathing deep into the stomach activates our “rest and digest” nervous system, allowing our bodies to relax and rejuvenate.
Facing stress as a working professional can be a lot to deal with. You have many responsibilities on your plate, so it’s hard to dedicate time to relaxation or self-care. However, it’s important to take the time to reduce workplace stress if you want to live a fulfilling life and hit the ground running with your new business goals.
This guest post is provided by Julie Morris, Life and Career Coach
