In today’s digital age, progress and pressure often go hand in hand. But fret not, as we embark on a journey not just to manage but to master digital stress, unlocking doors to sustained success in our fast-paced world.
Decoding Digital Stress: Our Uninvited Companion
In this era of perpetual connectivity, we frequently grapple with digital stress, an unexpected companion in our lives. The first step to managing it is acknowledging its presence. Digital stress is here to stay, but we can redefine our relationship with it.
Unmasking the Culprits of Digital Stress
To conquer digital stress, much like general stress, we must unveil its culprits. The constant barrage of emails, the relentless cycle of virtual meetings, and the ceaseless bombardment of notifications—these are the daily stressors we face. By comprehending them, we can begin to mitigate their impact on our well-being and performance.
Strategies for Digital Stress Mastery: Your Personal Arsenal
Our journey towards digital stress resilience commences with mindful choices and practical strategies:
Digital Detox: Unplug and rejuvenate. Regular digital detoxes are vital for restoring balance.
Email Empowerment: Regain control over your inbox with techniques like email batching and designated response times.
Mindful Presence: Infuse mindfulness into your daily routine to stay grounded amid the digital whirlwind.
Prioritization and Delegation: Effective leadership involves prioritizing tasks and delegating responsibilities to stay focused on strategic goals.
Cultivating a Digital Stress-Resilient Culture
You’re not alone on this journey. Cultivating a culture of digital stress resilience within your organization is pivotal. Encourage healthy boundaries, champion work-life balance, and provide resources for stress management. A resilient team is a high-performing team.
Leading by Digital Stress Mastery: Setting the Example
As leaders, we set the tone! By mastering digital stress management and leading by personal example, we not only safeguard our well-being but also inspire our teams to follow suit. Become a beacon of digital stress resilience, guiding your organization towards healthier digital practices.
Facing The New Reality
Let’s be honest; the Digital Age is our new reality, and digital stress is its companion.
Yet, as leaders, we are adaptable, resilient, and empowered to conquer this challenge. Understand digital stressors, apply effective strategies, and foster a culture of digital stress resilience. Embrace the Digital Age, master digital stress, and lead your organization to new heights.
Self-care. What really is it and how do you make sure you’re already doing it right? Or when you’re having a hard time, how do you even start?? Are you even getting the results that you want?
ACTION, ACTION, & ACTION
When you start to feel low, it’s natural that your mind wanders a lot and gets into a lot of thinking.
But you must watch out, as that can easily escalate to overthinking – and you’ll immediately spiral down to a negative look, without you even realizing.
So how do you really care for yourself through action?
Instead of thinking when feeling low, START DOING – as the best-underrated antidote to overthinking is… “ACTING”.
When you act, even if that is the bare minimum you’re giving, that’s one step ahead! One clutter cleaned and one step closer to clarity.
TAKE A LOOK AROUND
Everyone almost always tells you to “control your emotions”, without considering that it’s not always easy to do that naturally.
It takes awareness of one’s emotions and lots of practice.
Can someone really even take hold or get a good control of their emotions, when they’re not even aware of the way they’re acting?
Control requires awareness. Without being aware of something, the power to change it is close to none.
So, take a look around. How do people react? Does it seem off? Do they do the same way? What ticks them off, what do they like? Pay close attention to those and you can start living mindfully.
HOW DOES ONE ACT WHEN FEELING LOW?
When we feel low, it’s natural we don’t feel like doing anything or we feel really unproductive. What do we do?
ONE STEP AT A TIME.
Are you set to take the act? Are your tools ready? Say for work, you feel low so you don’t feel like working. But does the look of your work desk help? Is it full of clutter? A clean surrounding helps boost productivity too.
UTILIZING WILLPOWER
The best way to utilize oneself’s willpower is to “JUST TAKE THE FIRST STEP”. When you take the first step, you’ll be one step ahead and you’ll see where you were, and where you are after taking that first step.
With the first step, you’ll boost more of your willpower when your brain sees that YOU HAVE PROGRESS.
So really, yes, save your energy and refrain from being a victim of overthinking, and just start TAKING THAT FIRST STEP.
HOW OVERTHINKING BEGINS
Some won’t really be able to stop overthinking, because they don’t see how it begins – so let me walk you through its process.
You saw something in front of you, it was enough to get your attention. And then you saw a dot behind it, and one more further – they all seem related, so you connect the dots.
That’s the present, being connected to the past, and the future. And then more dots come in, so you draw more possibilities in your mind until ideas just keep on coming.
You get excited as more ideas come until your brain gets tired and couldn’t give you more ideas, and you try so hard to think more – you start to get tired, which leads you to more overthinking:
“Where did it go wrong, am I still thinking this right?”, and such.
HOW TO AVOID FATIGUE FROM THOSE IDEAS
You start with the PROCESS. Do not overthink things, when you already have something good, START THE PROCESS.
Or else you’ll lose all your energy into thinking and have no energy left for the real deal – ACTION.
ACTION, that leads to RESULTS.
IF YOU WANT RESULTS, FOCUS ON THE ACTION
Always remember, overthinking could kill your productivity – but you have the power to turn the tables and instead kill your overthinking through productivity.
Plan -> Execute -> Results NOT Plan -> plan more -> plan more….
GET HELP IF YOU NEED
If it feels hard to decide what you want to do on your own – get a mentor. Reach out if you need help. It is always important and there will always be things that you can support.
Check HERE to see if you feel like we’re a good fit.
Stress… an annoying word and annoying feelings – hence needed to be appropriately managed before it progresses to something we don’t want, or worse, something unmanageable.
INTRO TO STRESS MANAGEMENT: STICKING TO THE WAY WE FUNCTION
Stress management today is still about sticking to the way we functioned 200,000 years ago in Savannah.
We have survival instincts and we either fight, freeze, or flight. The only difference is the changing scenarios and situations we need to face.
BUT THAT’S WHERE OUR BASIC BIOLOGY IS WIRED
Like 200,000 years ago, we need to know the HOWs in order to survive – just like how we need to learn everything else.
So how did our ancestors survive? By using the basic survival instincts of fight, flight, or freeze, right?
The only problem is…
Is it still applicable in today’s modern world?
Can you punch your boss when he’s stressing you out with the things he/she wants you to do? Can you just run away from all your work deadlines? Or can you just freeze and not do anything at all when given a task to accomplish?
Instead, we need work to survive in our daily lives. Again, WE NEED WORK. And doing the flight, freeze, or fight tactic WOULD all make us LOSE WORK.
So, what do we do?
WE GET THE PRINCIPLES AND REAPPLY
We get the principles and the foundation of our basic biology, and then we reapply it to the appropriate scenarios.
But how do we even do that?
That’s where THE 5 ACTIONABLE STEPS TO MANAGING STRESS COME:
1. UNDERSTANDING STRESS SOURCES
The first step is understanding where your stress comes from. What causes it? What are your triggers? What is stress and when does it spike?
This is a necessary first step because without understanding something, we will fail to evaluate and see the options we have in fixing it.
Our ancestors during the Savannah understood that they are always fighting for survival. They understood that the cause of their stress and the triggers are rooted in the fear of not surviving such as getting eaten by the animals. Once they understood what situation they were in, they saw their survival options.
2. MINDSET
We have to embrace the fact, that stress work is also about mindset, and that everything else can also be about mindset.
Why? Because when you practice training your mindset, your thoughts eventually invade your subconscious, and your subconscious makes us act based on your subconsciousness’ deepest desires.
Let’s reapply in Savannah. Our ancestors knew they wanted to survive, no matter what. They could be tired physically or mentally, but deep inside, they know THEY WANT to survive. So in that desire to survive, their bodies act that way in times of danger.
3. MOVING AROUND
Moving around is vital as it helps in giving you energy and it also helps in your thinking and processing.
We have a connection between our muscles and brain cells, that when we move our muscles, so do our brain cells – helping us be able to think clearer.
Wonder why our ancestors run and choose flight even when they can fight, then suddenly do some sure-win survival movements after running? Because when they choose flight, they don’t just run away to survive – they also buy themselves time. Time to think of a way to defeat their opponent, time to make a great escape, or time to just figure out a way to survive at that specific moment.
4. Healthy Sleeping & Eating Habits
This is a no-brainer. We get grumpy when we do not get enough sleep, just as how we get grumpy when we are hungry.
Our ancestors still sleep and eat in the Savannah, but if they get good and healthy amounts of it is the question… it’s possible but depends on whether they have #5 below.
5. Support System
We often forget or fail to realize the importance of having a strong support system. I’m sure you’re familiar with the famous saying: “No man is an Island”.
Why? Life can be lonely, and sometimes we make decisions based on emotions – but having a strong support system helps us be better than that.
It’s great to get different insights, and the support is healthy (just make sure to find ones you can trust, this is crucial).
But how is the support system beneficial in Savannah?
As mentioned, they were in survival mode. Without a support system, they’re just easy targets for the animals. At the same time, without this, they will fail to get healthy amounts of sleep because they have no one to be on the lookout for while they sleep, plus hunting food would be harder as opposed to when they’re in a group.
SAME BASE SYSTEM, DIFFERENT SCENARIOS
You see how we’re wired, and how we have the same base system but just needs to be applied in different scenarios?
That’s how we can successfully deal with and manage our stress levels. We are naturally wired to those, we just have to be creative in order to make it applicable in our today’s world.
REMEMBER WHERE IT ALL STARTS
Always remember that you have to understand where it all starts – without these, your options will not be accurate or effective.
Remember, same principles… but different applications.
GET HELP IF YOU NEED
If it feels hard to decide what you want to do on your own – get a mentor. Reach out if you need help. It is always important and there will always be things that you can support.
Check HERE to see if you feel like we’re a good fit.
Your mindset. What’s on your mind is what makes your day… What does that mean? Simply put… When you focus on the negative, you get more of that – but when you focus on the positive, then you get more of that too.
YOU GET WHAT YOU FOCUS ON
Sounds too simple and cliche, but that’s the reality…
A QUICK MINDSET TEST
Don’t think of a pink elephant.
Why did you still see a pink elephant? Because that’s what I told you to focus on, and your mind focused on it.
So what does this tell us?
THINK OF SOMETHING, MOSTLY, IT HAPPENS.
Why? Here’s a simple way to explain that.
When you constantly think about something… It eventually gets into your subconscious. And your subconscious knows your wants, your deep desires. As humans, we are naturally programmed to act on what we want, so when our subconscious knows we want something, we consciously, or unconsciously, find ways to get them.
ALL THE TROUBLES…
But now let’s take all the troubles you are into.
The feeling of despair when you wake up sometimes and you think… “Today’s gonna be a tough day.”
And all you thought about are the daily hurdles you experience in your day-to-day, even before your day has officially started.
How did you think your day’s gonna go if that’s your first thought waking up?
YOU’LL GET INTO A NEGATIVITY LOOP
By doing that, soon you will eventually get into that negative loop, and it goes fast. You’re gonna be shocked you’re suddenly down in that rabbit hole.
Because as humans, we are biologically wired to see the problems, as our survival strategy from back then 200000 years ago – life was tough than in Savannah.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
What you can do instead, is try to admit that it is easy to get into that loop and you feel the strain and life is no fun anymore – and you will feel you have to struggle yourself through the day.
BUT THEN, immediately after admitting that, reverse-engineer your thinking.
Imagine if you do the opposite instead.
REVERSE-ENGINEER YOUR THINKING
The moment you wake up, instead of thinking about the negative things..
Try saying this to yourself instead: “Today’s gonna be a good day.” – even when noticing your long list of to-dos, just knowing you can conquer them and do them in a structured way will help.
And no you won’t have magic to make all events on that day turn in your favor, but instilling in your subconscious that it’s going to be a good day, will even help you go through hard things with a positive mind because you can be reminded by your subconscious that…
“Hey, remember today’s supposed to be a good day, so don’t let this tiny hiccup ruin that…”
And see how powerful that is.
More affirmations you can say to yourself:
“I look forward to this specific task.” “This is something to put my teeth in.” “This is challenging but exciting.”
And watch yourself go through the positive spiral instead of the negative one.
TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN GET THERE:
1. Start a bedtime routine of writing a gratitude book.
– Write 3 things you are grateful for from the day that passed, then write at least 1 thing you look forward to the next day. – Say “Thank you” after writing and before putting your book away. This will help your mind go into good sleeping mode.
2. First thing to say when you wake up and sit by the side of the bed say “Today will be a good day!” Then take the book and see what you wrote the day before – and feel the good energy from the positive notes.
AGAIN, IT’S NOT MAGIC
As I’ve said, you won’t magically turn all the events in that day in your favor so it’s important to remember that this does not mean that everything is a dance of roses but staying in a positive mode will help you find solutions that never will show up in the negative mode.
GOOD TO SHARE
Oddly enough just today – when I had decided to talk about positivity – I came across an article in Sweden’s largest Magazine for leadership.
It states: “Optimists get promoted more often. Optimism is an airbag against stress. All science shows that optimism plays a crucial role in the ability to handle the effects of a rapid pace at work. That optimists also do a better job is one more thing to smile at. Optimists also earn more money.”
So, like I said in the statement of this episode…
“It’s All About Mindset”.
Keep it positive also in the challenges and you will find better solutions. You will get more done.
IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD
One more thing that helps, is that when you realize you cannot do anything about something – know that… It’s not the end of the world. For a pessimist, it could be a world falling apart – but not for you, because you are someone who starts taking action. 😉
We know how most businesses still are not so accustomed to admitting “stress” in the workplace, as if it’s a no-no word in their business.
“We are a very fun, friendly, and happy environment.” – but then the numbers of resignations due to stress say otherwise.
WHY STRESS IS SUCH A NO-NO WORD?
Because for some reason… People find it scary.
But as a professional Stress Strategist and Doctor, let me tell you otherwise.
Stress is not scary… It’s just our basic biology – and we all live with this normally.
STRESS IS NOT A MENTAL ILLNESS
Stress is also not a mental illness. It is a normal part of life. But when it is ignored… That’s when it could turn into a mental illness. And I tell you, it’s too costly to ignore.
UNMANAGED STRESS LEADS TO… BURNOUT.
I have personally never been “fully” burnt out. As a human, I can say that yes, I’ve been very close to it one time – and that was when I didn’t know any better.
But instead of taking that step right into the stress wall…
I TOOK A STEP BACK. Yes, a step backward.
HOW STEPPING BACK CAN HELP
When you take a step back, you’ll have a better chance of seeing the bigger picture. Sometimes, when we’re in too deep… We fail to see the bigger picture.
Hence, taking a step backward – to really figure it out. Remove all biased opinions clouded by mostly emotions… Take a step back and just ask yourself these questions:
“What am I looking at? What is going on here? What’s going on in my life and what led me here? Is this a good path?”
When you evaluate and approach things rationally instead of being eaten by emotions… You begin to see some light until you achieve clarity.
THAT’S WHAT I DID. I knew I wasn’t going crazy or anything of that stuff – but that I was just overloaded and had to figure out a way to do things differently.
SO I TOOK A COURSE IN STRESS MANAGEMENT.
Taking that course in stress management is the best thing I’ve ever done. Because really, that was what made me close to burnout, so I had to address that. And that way, I prevented burning myself out.
You know how they say you tackle the root instead of the fruit? That’s how it should be – always. Almost the same way as “Prevention is always better than cure”.
THE MAJORITY OF MY PATIENTS WERE STRESSED.
When I was still working at healthcare full-time, the majority of the patients I’ve seen were having stress-related illnesses.
They were all stressed, close to burnout, or some already burnt out… and they were mostly ambitious leaders.
AND THEY WERE ALL DOING THEIR BEST… TO HIDE THE FACT THAT THEY ARE STRESSED.
Could you imagine that? I am a Doctor, and they’d do their best to hide that they’re too stressed, until we really came down to it and they had no choice but to open that up.
And when you ask them why they didn’t begin with that in the first place?
Because it sounds weak, or crazy, and they are scared that they are mentally ill… To I would immediately clarify to them, how stress is a normal thing – not a mental illness, and not scary, and not weak – so there’s nothing to fear about it.
Studies also conclude that 40% can say that they likely will quit within the next 12 months, due to work-related stress – but they never say it out loud in the community. They say it in these tests.
ISN’T IT ANNOYING?
It’s annoying how the majority of workplaces paint stress as “not normal” – making people repress their emotions and eventually leading to unmanaged stress that then leads to burnout – and poof – they’re just gone – sudden resignations.
HOW CAN LEADERS DEAL WITH THIS WORKPLACE STRESS?
To really establish a healthy workplace… Openness and transparency must be present, and be one of the core values they stand for.
But how?
BY BEING THE LIVING MODELS.
Leaders are leaders for a reason. They’re looked up to, and the saying “monkey see monkey do” applies to leaders and people in the workplace too.
So as leaders, we must be the ones to start SHOWING IT.
We can be stressed too, but it’s not scary and normal, and it can be handled properly if we wanted to.
Lead by example. Show your people that you are just human and can be stressed too. When you start showing that, your people will follow – they won’t be scared to let people know when they’re stressed too.
And when people know and you know, you’ll be able to plan for actions that would help them feel better. You help them destress, they give you better work output and they don’t end up resigning. Win-win, right?
“BUT AS A LEADER, I MUST NOT SHOW MY VULNERABLE SIDE”
That is not a fear of people following what you show, but more a fear of people stabbing you in the back – and using your vulnerability against you.
That shows a lack of trust – to your people. Do you not trust them?
When you show them you can open your stress up, but can manage it and even function properly because you could get it off your chest – they’d follow.
If you repress it to pretend like a “lion” where you show no vulnerability, you encourage them to repress too.
But will that be healthy in the long run?
BEING TRANSPARENT MAKES YOU MORE CONNECTED.
You are also human. When you are transparent, and when they see that you too – are imperfect but always striving to do your best – your people will feel more connected to you.
And when you have that in your workplace – you will have a healthy environment of connected people, and not busy working robots.
TIPS FOR LEADING BY EXAMPLE
Open up, show that you’re only human and you have weaknesses (you can be as vague as you want with your problems, but you gotta show them and make them see that you are just human too), but then show them you always come back strong and do better at work after opening up.
Take breaks and encourage taking breaks, whether those are 5 to 15-minute quick breaks or longer ones.
Talk, laugh, be silly – but know how to separate fun from work.
Always show that stress is normal – not a mental illness, nothing to be scared of, and when handled and managed properly, isn’t really scary at all.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
