Learning how to calm your mind, calm your body and shrink your worries is a very important tool for entrepreneurs and workplace leaders. Unchecked worry can be a major source of stress, but it doesn’t always have to be. By taking the time to develop your stress management skills, you can reframe stress as an opportunity for growth and development in any workplace setting. In this article, Peter Doyle will discuss some tips on how you can start shrinking your worries and stress levels today, which will in turn help you achieve better clarity of mind and faster success in your work.
The first step to taking control of your worry is to identify your main stressors and their impact on you.
I encourage you to stop what you’re doing, grab a pen and paper, take a deep breath and list your 3 biggest worries right now in relation to your work. Then I want you to recognise that stress is normal, and at times, a healthy by-product of being in a leadership role. Being an entrepreneur or workplace leader can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Let’s reframe our worries – the way you think about stress can make all the difference! Instead of looking at stress as something negative, challenge yourself to see the positive side. Think of stress as an indicator that something is important to you, or a signal that it’s time to take action.
Now that you have listed your 3 biggest worries, I want to ask you some questions, and have you think about the answers for each one in relation to your list.
- Question it – Ask yourself, is it really your problem?
- Distance it – Imagine it a few years from now. How much will it matter then?
- Exaggerate it – Imagine the worst thing that can really happen. How likely is that?
- Attack it – Write down the first step to solving that problem.
Now that you’ve put some thought into the worry itself, the next step is to learn how to practice stress management techniques. Developing a regular stress relief routine can help you stay on top of worries and feelings before they become overwhelming. This might include things like:
- Breathe it away – Inhale deeply, exhale with a sigh a few times. Let your tension go as you breath out
- Shrug it off – Raise your shoulders, then drop them. Relax your whole body
- Disconnect to reconnect – schedule a few moments for yourself each day without technology, spent in nature
- Work it off – do something physical and give your tension an outlet
Finally, it is important to focus on the present moment and realise that often our mind will blow up our worries and be the source of far more stress than they deserve. Remind yourself that stress is only temporary and by shrinking your worries, you can escape that stressful heightened state, feel more in control, think more clearly, and be a better leader. By learning to manage stress, you’ll be far better equipped to handle the challenges of work in a healthier way and achieve a better clarity of mind to see your goals and growth opportunities, instead of being weighed down by the “what if’s”.
If you found any of these little tips worked for you, or perhaps you feel you need more help or different tools to use in learning how to shrink your worries, then I would encourage you to reach out to us at Peter Doyle Coaching.
We offer individual coaching sessions, group programs, as well as online training videos that specifically relate to the stress leaders experience. These online videos go into further depth regarding the neurochemistry of stress, and will give you more practical skills (as well as teach you how to set your own emotional anchors) to shrink your worries and break the link between negative thoughts and feelings. If you can’t change what’s happening in your external world, let us help teach you ways in which you can learn how to change the way you react to it.
