Quick Tip – Dealing with Workplace Stress

Their problem doesn’t have to be your problem – Issue #44

We all know that stress is literally a killer. It leads to elevated levels of cortisol which interferes with learning and memory, lowers immune function and bone density, and increases blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease.

“People who always perceived their daily life to be over-the-top stressful were three times more likely to die over the period of study than people who rolled with the punches and didn’t find daily life very stressful.” — Carolyn Aldwin

There are many ways to cope with stress, including exercise (my favorite), meditation, and healthier eating habits. However, I think it’s even better to deal with stress at the source when you can.

One frequent stressor in my previous working life was my workload. In particular, there were many times that we felt like we were constantly “fighting fires” and the latest and greatest urgent issue only added fuel to the flame.

In the moment, I felt like I just had to say “yes” and take on yet another burning issue.

Now, when a new issue or problem comes up, I quickly ask myself a series of questions and decide how I want to handle it. I no longer become immediately overwhelmed and stressed about it.

Question 1: Can I do ANYTHING about this?

I know that this is easier said than done, but there is no sense in worrying about things that are out of your control. If you literally cannot do anything about an issue or a problem, then accept it and move on.

All too often, we do let ourselves get stressed out about something that we can do nothing about. For example, you completed a job interview and now you’re waiting to find out if they will make you an offer.

There is no sense in stressing out about that pending potential offer. What’s done is done. You did your best in the interview, and there is nothing you can do at this point. So, put it out of your mind for now.

Question 2: Can I do something about this NOW?

So, maybe you can do something about a problem. But, can you do something about it right now?

If the answer is “no,” then write yourself a note or add the item to your To-Do list. Deal with it when the time is appropriate. Once you’ve captured that task, put it out of your mind for now and refuse to let it stress you.

For example, I’ll often think of an important new task right at bedtime. I know that I can’t do anything about it right then and there.

So, I write it down on my calendar for the next day and immediately stop thinking about it. Otherwise, it would plague my thoughts and make it difficult for me to fall asleep.

Question 3: SHOULD I do something about this?

Maybe you can do something about the issue, and you may even be able to do something about it right now. But, should you?

As I’m sure you have experienced, people bring all sorts of problems to the person they know is a problem solver. Bosses dump work on the employees they trust can handle the load, even if it isn’t the right thing to do.

You may be a problem-solving workhorse. However, if you are overloaded and stressed, it’s time to learn how to say “no.” It’s time to learn how to delegate or redirect the requestor to someone else.

Sometimes it is ok if an issue isn’t addressed, a problem isn’t solved, or someone else fails. You don’t have to be superhuman and save the day every single time.

Question 4: SHOULD I do something about this now?

Maybe you can and should do something about a problem. You are responsible and you are the correct person to address it. However, do you really need to drop everything and deal with it right now?

People will always feel like their requests are urgent and important. They will want you to put their task on the top of your list. But, you get to decide if that is what you should do.

You could say this out loud or just let it play through your thoughts:

“Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

It’s ok to tell someone that you have higher-priority tasks on your plate right now, and you’ll deal with their issue later.

Force prioritization

I used to be that person that took on every new request from my boss. I wanted to go above and beyond. However, I was burning out from stress and overload. Each new request would spike my adrenaline and make me feel even more stressed.

Then, I observed a few of my coworkers who never seemed to be stressed about anything. They were working hard, but they never seemed unhappy or flustered. I paid attention to how they managed their workload and discovered their secret:

They managed a strictly prioritized list of tasks. If someone wanted to force something new into their list, it had to be prioritized above something else and push it off the list. They made it a zero-sum game.

So, I adopted this strategy with my manager. Inevitably, a new request would come in. My first response would be, “Great! Happy to add this to my list. I’ll get to it when I’ve completed everything else.”

Sometimes my manager was satisfied with that response. However, sometimes he would say, “Oh no, this has to be done right away!”

Then I would respond, “Ok, here is everything that I have prioritized on my list right now. Where does this fit in that stack rank?”

We’d discuss it and I would push something to the bottom of the list. No problem. No stress. No worries.

Never take on additional tasks and responsibilities without negotiating a change in your working agreement. Either something has to drop off the list, you get more resources to help accomplish those tasks, or you get more time.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have other stress-reduction strategies in the comments.