Do you manage stress and burnout in retail sales?

Something that I find is most often a source of stress within the retail industry is the constant drive to raise the store’s numbers (whatever industry they may be). The work then becomes more about keeping conversion high and up-selling rather than actually connecting with your customer and providing more than just simple shallow-quality service a.k.a. seeing your customer as a person rather than just a dollar sign.

Managing stress starts at having long-term goals that are objectively hard to achieve. Not just in your work, but in your life. I’ve found that having goals that require you to repeatedly push yourself is paramount to succeeding in any role. This is also especially important for those who lead teams of people. You must be the north star for your team; if you wish to run a truly successful business, store, department, etc. Some other things that help curb stress: - Have passions and projects to work on outside of work. - Don’t just aim to take more time off, make your time *on* more valuable. - Assess yourself and figure out why you feel the emotions you feel.. often you’ll be surprised at the findings (if you dig deep enough).

I have found, on many occasions, that it is a good start to find relatable ground. Listen to your associates feelings and concerns and game plan together to accomplish goals within time frames. Get in the mix and show you’re going to go through it with them and lead by example. Too many superiors get used to delegating and issuing tasks but forget the obstacles and labor demands that’s required to achieve desired outcomes. This plays a big role in distancing a potentially great team from their leads. It can kill morale and cause them to lose faith and trust that they have a leader who respects them and has their best interests in mind. Be a manager when needed but a coworker at all times. You are all there for the same goal and purpose.

It is very important to know the factors involved in the day to day working of your job. If you have totally made your happiness being delivered from the quality of your work your do, your recognition for that work and for the achievements you make in it, I would say, you need to rethink. We have engrossed ourselves into work so much that we have forgotten our own self and have left ourselves setting targets only related to the job and that these only matter. The guided method would be to know your pain points, know your stress Busters, know your time killers. If you can slowly let the feeling of sense of achievement from only work, be overtaken by other hobbies and your personal welfare, the stress would reduce so much. Happy selling.

I can't pretend that I'm always effective at doing this myself even, but I find that focusing only on what you have control over is the biggest thing a person can do to help reduce stress. At the end of the day (provided that you work in a larger retail environment), you can't control customer traffic, team member behavior's among a myriad of other things. You can influence these things to be sure. But the outcome will be as it is. So, focus on what you can control. When things begin to overwhelm you, pause and take stock of what is happening right now, make a decision on priority and get to work. Then, if necessary, make a plan to get things back to where they need to be.

By Manage stress and prevent burnout by prioritizing physical and mental health. In addition to prioritizing physical and mental health, setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and seeking social support are also crucial for managing stress and preventing burnout.

It’s not easy to manage stress since you constantly go back to them same unhealthy environment! Standing long hours and pretending to be ok and fully functioning and keeping the smile on when a client or an employee harasses you !

An important boundary I set with my team is that I do not speak to them on lunch or break. Period. That is their time, and even one minute spent talking to the boss is obligatory. Even if it's important for me, I will still wait the 9 or 29 minutes so I can ask that question. My team respects that I enforce that boundary, and when I occasionally have a working lunch, they try to give me the same courtesy.

Before I left corporate retail, I set my alarm up to also put my phone on Do Not Disturb so there would be no waking me up at 5:30am to cover a call off when I’m off all day.

In my own experience, setting boundaries around my life outside of work has done wonders. When I am not at work I set my phone to Do not Disturb for workplace communication. If it is urgent enough, they can make it known. Also, establishing boundaries around my schedule while also providing the flexibility that the business needs has helped as well. Creating a routine for oneself outside of work can give you something to look forward to and for me personally it's been a martial art. Somewhere I can relieve the stress and constant thinking that one does as a supervisor/manager - especially during the holiday season.

I appreciate my off duty time so I always divert my business line to co-workers on duty so that I don't have unnecessary pressure. I also make sure not to disturb my fellow workers on time off.

Seeking support is a crucial part of managing stress and preventing burnout If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's important to communicate this to your manager or supervisor. They are there to support you and can potentially help you manage your workload or provide solutions that you might not have considered. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Some workplaces offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that provide services like counseling or therapy. These can be a great resource if you're dealing with high levels of stress or burnout. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness but a proactive step towards maintaining your mental health and improving your work performance.

Absolutely! Embracing change and innovation is key to not only managing stress and burnout but also thriving in a retail sales career. It's about staying ahead of the curve and remaining relevant in any rapidly evolving industry.

A way to seek support is by requesting more staff be hired by your supervisor or manager to increase customer satisfaction while meeting store deadlines. Typically this works better after turnover is happening.

Having a positive outlook is such an important thing. I personally believe in the saying "what you think is what you become" and I religiously follow it.

It's crucial to understand that stress is a common part of any job, and it's all about how you handle it. it's normal to feel stressed sometimes, but if you're feeling burnt out, it might be time to take a step back and evaluate what you can change to improve your situation. It's important to take care of your mental health, just as much as your physical health.