Executive roles come with high stakes and constant pressure, but stress doesn’t have
to define the job. Lisa Penney,
a USF professor of management, shares five ways leaders can better manage workplace
stress.
Pause, breathe and reflect. Being told to breathe sounds a bit cliché, but there are neurobiological benefits to pausing and taking a mindful breath. When we are stressed, our prefrontal cortex, goes offline as our body goes into “fight or flight,” and our focus narrows. That’s why it’s difficult to see clearly or find solutions. Taking a deep breath tells your body it’s safe. As your clarity returns, take a step back and reflect on where you are, what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it. Taking a wider view reveals opportunities for creative solutions to what seemed like intractable problems.
Get clear on your values. When we are under severe stress, our mind can end up paralyzed, not knowing what to do, or tempted to preserve our mental energy by doing what we’ve always done. Pause and reflect on what’s really important to you. Get clear on what your non-negotiables are and how you want to meet the moment.
Act and learn to pivot. When facing an environment that is volatile, complex and uncertain, we don’t have the luxury of waiting. We must make the best decisions we can with what we know in the moment. Sometimes leaders are reluctant to pivot because they don’t want to be seen as indecisive or wishy-washy. However, a wise leader is agile and will recognize when new information or changing circumstances require a shift in tactics or strategies.
Rest and recover. Many leaders keep pushing themselves despite feeling burned out or overwhelmed. Pushing through can be helpful in short bursts, but it’s not a sustainable strategy. Feeling burned out is a sign that we are burning through our resources without replenishing them. It’s like seeing the low fuel warning light in your vehicle. That warning light tells you that you can’t keep going, and we ignore that warning sign at your own peril. The best thing that you can do is stop and give yourself time to recover.
Remember the oxygen mask principle. Put your own mask on first. You may be tempted to prioritize the needs of others or your organization over self-care, but if you don’t take care of yourself first, you won’t be able to effectively take care of anyone or anything else.