How to manage stress & build resilience

How do you deal with stress and build personal resilience?

Are things getting too much at work or at home, or juggling work and home life?

The first step is to be aware of when things are getting on top of you and stress levels are rising.

You might start feeling resentful, you might notice things are keeping you awake at night, or impact your mood more than they should. Do you find yourself complaining about things to family and friends? Have you tried asking for support or a change to find nothing improves?

When this happens it’s time to start to focus on your well-being.

What’s within your control?

You can’t control your emotions, but you can start to be aware of them and choose how to respond. If you’re under a lot of pressure, become aware of how much time and energy you spend worrying about things you can’t control. This will help you to reduce feelings of overwhelm or uselessness.

• What is within your control?

• What can you influence?

• Let go of the things that you can’t control or change.

Tips to manage stress At Work

1. Take breaks, even if it’s just for a walk around the block.

2. Remember to have fun. Laughter makes us feel good.

3. When you feel stressed, step away for a moment and focus on your breath.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when things get too much. You don’t have to do it alone.

5. If it’s getting too much, is there someone you can talk to? If not your manager, a colleague, a partner, a friend?

Tips to look after yourself At home:

1. Make time to get outside - fresh air and sunlight are good for our health and our brains.

2. Find some form of exercise that you enjoy and can make a habit, it doesn’t have to be running a marathon, it could just be a short walk.

3. Build good bedtime routines to promote good sleep.

4. Make time for your friends and family, connecting with other people is vital to our wellbeing.

5. Just do NOTHING sometimes.

Is it time to review your purpose for the year ahead?

Is it time to review your purpose for the year ahead?
The Christmas holidays and the start of the New Year are a time when we all tend to think about what matters most to us, we reevaluate and set ourselves ambitions for the year ahead. 

As business leaders, it's a good time to do the same for our business, not least because this is a time when your employees often decide "New Year, New Job... and in this recruitment crisis you probably want them to stick with you.

A clearly articulated purpose achieves two things:

• Defines and clarifies your strategic objectives

• Inspires and motivates your team and gives meaning to what they do

Do you have a clearly defined purpose?

Putting man on the moon

There's a frequently quoted story (it may be apocryphal) about a cleaner at NASA being asked on a visit by President John F Kennedy what his job was. His answer: "I'm helping to put a man on the moon."

Why it matters

Studies have shown that companies with a well-articulated purpose have lower turnover rates and higher levels of employee engagement. They: Attract and retain the best people Boost productivity Improve morale and engagement

Reality... we're not there yet

According a 2019 survey of over 540 worldwide businesses by Strategy&, PWC:

• More than half weren’t even “somewhat” motivated, passionate, or excited about their job 

• 28% reported feeling fully connected to their company’s purpose. 

• 39% said they could clearly see the value they create, 

• 22% agreed that their jobs allow them to fully leverage their strengths 

• 34% thought they strongly contribute to their company’s success.

What goes wrong?

Too often purpose statements are generic, non-specific and lack authenticity, which leads to : a lack of direction, people feeling lost, disengaement and low motivation How can your team help your business to achieve its goals, if they don't know where they fit in?

Ask yourself

• Why do we exist? 

• What value are we giving our customers? 

• How and why are we unique? 

• Could someone differentiate our purpose from our competitors? 

• Could our team say what it is?

Live & Breathe it

Defining your purpose is just the beginning. If you can't live and breathe it, it's worthless. So make sure it's relevant, and achievable, and that you and your employees have the resources they need to deliver it.