I love my job. I know it’s controversial to say — the old caricature of the businessman is miserable, dreading to clock in and chomping at the bit to clock out. Here’s the honest truth: I love what I do! The real estate business is fast-paced and exciting. That’s not to mention my own entrepreneurial efforts.
I understand, however, that the workplace isn’t always a cheerful place. We can all-too readily feel the weight of workplace stress and anxiety. While work in itself can be frustrating and stressful, I think our unhappiness at the office often comes down to our own bad habits.
You could say this is about productivity, but really, it’s about setting a framework of habits that allow you to flourish in your job. Setting the right boundaries, habits, and rules for yourself allows you to operate with reduced stress and without your attention being pulled in a thousand different directions.
If you adopt these habits, I know you will not only be a better employee but a happier one, too.
3 Habits That Will Reduce Workplace Stress
1) Prioritize Efficiently
Have you ever had a workday when you feel like you got nothing done? You felt like you were spinning your wheels? It happens more often than we’re comfortable with. The culprit tends to lie in our own lack of proper task prioritization.
Many times, we can become paralyzed by a daunting task. We have other things we need to do, but this one big task seems to be in the way. Even if you make progress, you still feel like you haven’t accomplished anything because your task list is still long and unfinished. For us, the solution lies in how you prioritize. It’s not an always-true rule, but I find myself feel most satisfied and productive when I can cross things off of my list.
I start with small things that don’t take up too much of my time. This not only means I have the satisfaction of feeling accomplished, but it also means I can dedicate my time, then, to bigger and more complex tasks without being distracted by everything else I have to do.
Get smaller tasks out of the way so that you can focus on the more demanding items on your to-do list.
2) Stop Being Available
Let me be clear, here. I don’t mean going radio silent and being uncommunicative with colleagues and clients. I do know, however, that we all have this compulsion to respond immediately to messages, requests, and emails. We want to be agile. We don’t want to inconvenience others or to be seen as ineffectual.
That said, kill that compulsion to drop everything to answer other people. Constant interruptions (interruptions, not breaks) will make it harder for you to get back on task and stay there. Instead of being available at all times, set boundaries for yourself.
Check messages in the morning, right after lunch, and once in the afternoon. Leave messaging apps on “busy” so that you aren’t concerning yourself with notifications throughout the day. If something is truly important, people can call you or come to your office in person.
This extends beyond work hours, too. Let go of your compulsion to answer after-work communications. When you set these boundaries, you’ll be able to better focus and accomplish your tasks. The mental break at home, too, will guard you against fatigue and stress.
3) Reduce Your Mental Clutter
My last bit of advice is to reduce mental clutter. I know. Easier said than done! Mental clutter can gather in a few different places and ways. Most notably, I think it happens when we just have too much vying for our attention. Limit your web browser to a few tabs at any given time. Not only do multiple tabs provide a distraction, but they can make finding what you need more cumbersome.
Close some tabs — in your browser and in your mind. We aren’t able to truly multitask, so it is far more beneficial to have a singular focus on the task at hand.
Remove distractions. It might mean deleting or silencing notifications on your apps. Maybe you need to get rid of every tab and start fresh. It could be that you need to address something pressing that you’ve been trying to put off.
No matter what it is, reducing the number of directions your mind is able to wander will help you feel more in-control and productive at work. This, ultimately, leads to greater workplace satisfaction.
What’s your strategy for dealing with workplace stress? Let me know in the comments.