Stress is a common challenge for library staff, especially in times of change, uncertainty, or high demand. It can affect your health, productivity, and morale, as well as the quality of service you provide to your patrons. As a library manager, you can help your team cope with stress by applying some simple strategies and creating a supportive work environment.
The first step to help your team manage stress is to be aware of the symptoms and causes of stress. Stress can manifest in different ways, such as physical, emotional, behavioral, or cognitive. Some common signs of stress are headaches, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, or making mistakes. Stress can also be triggered by various factors, such as workload, deadlines, conflicts, changes, or lack of resources. You can monitor your team's stress levels by observing their performance, communication, and well-being, and by asking them how they are feeling and what they need.
Managing stress within a team is crucial for maintaining productivity, morale, and overall well-being. As a member of the team, there are several strategies you can employ to help manage stress effectively such as creating a supportive and open environment, promoting work-life balance, setting realistic goals, encouraging physical activity, and leading by example. With these strategies, you can help your team to effectively manage stress and thrive in their work environment.
Communication is key to help your team manage stress. You can communicate effectively by being clear, consistent, and respectful. You can also provide regular feedback, recognition, and appreciation for your team's work and achievements. You can also encourage your team to communicate with each other, share their concerns, and offer support. You can also create opportunities for your team to interact socially, such as having coffee breaks, lunches, or informal meetings. By communicating effectively, you can foster a sense of trust, collaboration, and belonging among your team members.
Another way to help your team manage stress is to help them prioritize and delegate their tasks. You can help them prioritize by setting clear and realistic goals, expectations, and deadlines. You can also help them delegate by assigning tasks according to their skills, interests, and availability. You can also empower your team to make decisions and solve problems within their scope of authority. By prioritizing and delegating, you can help your team focus on the most important and urgent tasks, reduce their workload, and increase their autonomy and confidence.
En mi experiencia, para lidiar con el estrés sin morir en el intento es importante reconocer cuáles son las actividades que tenemos que priorizar en el día en el sector donde nos encontremos trabajando. De esta forma iremos optimizando nuestro tiempo y energía. Ligado a este punto, es importante relegar. Somos humanos y por ende, es imposible acaparar. No está mal pedir ayuda si las actividades prioritarias escapan a uno. De esta forma iremos reduciendo las cargas de trabajo y fomentamos la confianza en el equipo.
You can also help your team manage stress by promoting balance and wellness in the workplace. You can promote balance by respecting your team's work-life boundaries, allowing flexible schedules, and avoiding overtime or overcommitment. You can also promote wellness by encouraging your team to take breaks, exercise, eat well, sleep well, and practice relaxation techniques. You can also provide resources and support for your team's mental and physical health, such as counseling, wellness programs, or health benefits. By promoting balance and wellness, you can help your team reduce stress and improve their well-being.
Para ayudar a reducir el estrés, los científicos recomiendan dormir aproximadamente 8 horas. Realizar actividades como yoga, caminar, dibujar o contemplar espacios de la naturaleza también ayudan a mejorar la concentración y reducir el estrés.
Finally, you can help your team manage stress by leading by example. You can lead by example by managing your own stress effectively, using the strategies mentioned above. You can also lead by example by showing positive attitudes, behaviors, and emotions in the workplace. You can also lead by example by being supportive, empathetic, and respectful of your team's needs and feelings. By leading by example, you can inspire your team to follow your lead, cope with stress better, and achieve their goals.
Work related stress may be due to individual or leadership shortcomings as well as from unrealistic expectations. A frequent individual shortcoming is the lack of sense of urgency or simply just procrastination. This is a self created “11th hour” scenario and subsequently avoidable stress. If not a repeat offender and overall “trainable” or potentially valuable staff then worth the investment with coaching. Frequent collective “huddles” to keep team “on task” is a great way to sustain productivity and morale. That’s the reward of effective communication.