Alleviating Stress

Here we are through the first month of what I euphemistically call the New Year. I call it the New Year because my muscle and mental memories always see September as a new start .

I sensed that people were very busy over September and now into October. Whether it was because there was downtime in August, and everyone is now back and going at a breakneck pace, or just a continuation of an already busy time, I am not sure.

What I am sure of is that, when I gather information from clients on their major pain points, the issue of feeling overwhelmed continually comes out as number one.

In that sense of being overwhelmed, there can be excitement and energy or exhaustion. Some will see busyness and activity as good stress or eu-stress, and others will see it as bad stress or dis-stress.

In discussing this with clients and friends alike, though, there is something more right now. While it would be good to divorce work stress and see it as something different, it is supercharged by the world and the lives we lead right now.

I have written in the past about the nature of the VUCA world we are in right now. VUCA is Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. The Marine Corps coined the term twenty years ago. It came to prominence in the COVID era and hasn't stopped.

Volatility is everywhere now: in Ukraine, the Middle East, and the streets of our cities. Uncertainty is in the economics or the prospect of World War Three. Complexity is related to the fact that there is no simple solution; there is no black-and-white like we used to have. We need to watch what we say and watch what we do. Finally, ambiguity is everywhere, with inflation and interest rates as examples.

My point this week is that, while people may be challenged by their work, there are a myriad of other issues in this VUCA world that will impact them.

However, there is another I still need to address, and that is everyone's own life – issues like personal health, elder care, and child care are just a few other elements that impact daily goings-on.

In the past, we compartmentalized these things. We segregated work from home. We can't do that anymore and, if you doubt that, look at the reaction to returning to the office and the impact of hybrid work.

As leaders, we need to be empathetic and look for and identify our people's emotions. But most importantly, we need to exercise the golden rule of leadership: "Know your people and promote their welfare." Know what they need and want and help them achieve it.

But to be an effective leader, you must also manage your own stress. Stress management is often best achieved by regaining control of some parts of our lives.

This simple list gives you some tools for you and also to pass on to others:

??Exercise – I know that many are doing it, but a healthy body = a healthy mind

??Connection – making sure that others and we are connecting with others; checking in, and seeing how others are is critical

??Seek Support – It is not the time to shelter in place but, like connection, it is about asking for help and relying on others

??Action – Taking direct action on the little things will help to give us a sense of completion and personal power

? Self-care—This is linked to exercise and direct action, but ask, "What have I done for myself recently?" It, too, gives us personal power.?

In this crazy world, it is hard to pause and think. Now more than ever, take a breath and look around, not just for your team but also for yourself. These are the steps to helping others and ourselves to flourish.