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Research shows that a motivating purpose makes us happy. Find meaning in your work, whether through its impact on society or its benefit for your colleagues or family. Keep refining your goals to make them achievable. Write them down and sign them off.
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Ensure your deadlines allow for the unexpected. Some pressure is good, but a little goes a long way. When a deadline looks unfeasible, flag it up early.
A clear work area clears your mind. A common source of stress is trying to locate something when you need it. Therefore an organised desk will cumulatively free up precious hours of your time.
Procrastination creates stress. If you can’t do it immediately, delegate or assess whether to shelve it. Visualise the successful outcome and how great that moment will feel. Worry is futile and action liberating.
When you feel low on energy, tackle your easiest tasks first. There’s no better way to recharge. Break complex projects into small chunks and just chip away. Consistency always wins.
The longer a meeting goes on, the more attendees worry about their mounting backlog of tasks, emails, calls. Make your meetings sharp, punchy and focused. A positive opening statement makes consensus more likely. Stick to a tight agenda. Set multiple meetings instead of cramming. Have frequent breaks. Circulate a list of minutes and actions straight after.
When invited, always ask: (i) how long is it for and (ii) what’s my role? If your role is small, ask to attend only relevant segments or to be “on call”.
You’ll naturally feel motivated by those who make the best of their situation. Avoid doom merchants who sap your energy or play politics. Where unavoidable, steer them firmly with constructive words.
Excessive competition is pointless since you can only ever give your best. Develop your strengths and harness the skills of others to fill gaps. Judge yourself by your own standards. Teamwork is more fun.
Rather than accumulate files, emails and papers “just in case” follow a rigorous process of clearing up. Back up your key documents automatically. This will subconsciously lift a big weight off your mind.
Get ahead when you’re in top form. Conversely, don’t fight an energy dip too much (where your job allows): take a quick break or do something easy. Work with your natural energy cycle, not against it.
When you’ve found a task stressful, rapidly jot down directions on how you cracked it for use next time.
In many situations, 20% of your effort may deliver 80% or more of the result. Are you operating within this sweet spot? Filter data ruthlessly to what’s relevant. Organise your work area to make your most important papers easy to access.
A motivating strategy for a daunting task is to start from the end. Begin with your vision of the output (for example, the final format of a report). Then simply start filling the gaps. This makes you feel on top of it from the start.
The best race runners leave a little in reserve. Steadily pace your work with stress-free productivity to leave “slack” for unexpected demands.
Make repetitive tasks enjoyable with creative approaches. Seek input from others to help. Ask for fresh challenges and propose your dream projects. Our best moments are when we’re fully engaged, naturally captivated “in the flow” of our work.
When under pressure, write down why. This frees you to address the situation with fresh impetus. Focus on your next actions, one step at a time. Writing down your “Plan B” for an important project is a tremendous way to reduce stress.
Take a single sheet of paper. List the aspects of your work that you control on the left (both directly and indirectly) and those you don’t on the right. Often you can move items across. But if not, enjoy the serenity of accepting what you can and cannot control.
Make your boss aware of the consequences for your current workload. Put the ball back in his/her court to decide trade-offs. Challenge vague deadlines (“as soon as possible”) politely. An occasional “no” wins respect if you deliver on your promises consistently.
Many problems break into a 3 step solution: (i) diagnosis, (ii) solution choice and (iii) actions. In this way, even a complex challenge is manageable.
If your filing system is efficient, no paper should pass through your hands more than once. You’ll act on paperwork now, pass it on immediately or file it away without fuss.
Consider making voicemail the default. You can always return urgent calls a few seconds later (if no voicemail, can it be that urgent?). You’ll offer better service by taking time to prepare your calls thoroughly. A recent survey found that 87% consider it rude to call or text during a meeting.
Never feel guilty about leaving work on time. Look at ways to be more efficient within your existing hours. Invest more effort in planning. Focus on output and results, not hours of endless “grind”.
Some priorities are genuinely critical while others are merely disguised to look that way. Look deeper to see the difference. Direct yourself to what matters most rather than fighting constant fires.
You’ll feel if something gnaws away at you subconsciously. Bring it to the fore. Reorder your work priorities based on this gut feeling. Finish what gets the biggest weight off your mind first. We often feel less stress by seeing projects to completion.
This can boost motivation and productivity while reducing operating costs. An Oxford University study recently confirmed its green benefits.
We all have certain boring but necessary tasks on our agendas. Try to fit in one such “ugly frog” when you’re in a good working groove, preferably early in the day. This will reinforce your virtuous circle.
Your satisfaction in achieving any small goal diffuses stress. Experience a complete sense of accomplishment from the last task before moving on. Make a point of ticking off completed actions in writing.
By taking a break, conferring with colleagues or stepping back you’ll often identify smarter solutions. Conserve your energy and creativity carefully.
This frees you to leave work on time feeling in control. It also provides a flying start for the next day. The clearer your daily plan, the more control you’ll have and the less stress you’ll suffer.
Delegate the end objective, not the method. Pick the person with care and provide incentives. Always explain the purpose of a task and show constant appreciation. Delegating sideways can also be worthwhile. Be consistently helpful and you’ll find it easy to lean on your colleagues for support.
If you know you’ll work intensively for a period, prepare ahead. Compensate with extra relaxation. Sleep and eat particularly well. Arrange temporary help both at work and home. Stress is more manageable when you see it coming.
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