What’s more important to you, your work or your health? October 14, 2008
An associate asked me for some advice on how to handle his stress. He felt he was under dangerous levels of stress and fast approaching burnout.
As usual, I asked a question: What’s more important to you, your work or your health?
Answer this question for yourself.
If you say work, then you need to get this stress and burnout handled - as it’s already being a drain on your effectiveness and damaging your work and company.
If you say your health, then you need to get this stress and burnout handled as it’s already adversely affected your health. Worst case, you end up in hospital and both are immediately effected.
By now you know it’s a trick question. If you don’t deal with the underlying issues that cause this stress, they will keep reoccurring. Some of the other ways I know to help take the pressure off and assist in making the changes needed are:
1. Look at your daily schedule. Add 10% to every single item. If you complete all your tasks – Leave work. Resist the temptation to pack more in (doing more because you have time has likely got you in this mess in the first place).
2. When you are doing something that’s on your schedule – do nothing else. No email, no phone, no interruptions. (Invest in a ‘do not disturb’ card for your door!)
3. Schedule some time during every single day where you are un-disturbable. That also means turn off the phone and email. Use this time to think. (Again the ‘do not disturb’ card can help.)
4. Delegate like your life depends on it – because right now it does…
5. Deal with meetings effectively. This is a whole topic in itself.
All these are things you can do right now to give you the breathing room to take a good look at who you are. Those of you who have worked with me in the past may wonder why I’ve only told you 5 things to do, and NOT how to do them. This is intentional I’ve written the specific steps elsewhere.
It’s not an easy road to travel – but there is a comfortable seat in front of a warm fire with plenty of good food, drink and company at the end of it. The trick is to start on this road now, it only gets harder the longer you leave it. Starting on this road will also be disruptive to your current situation and this is good because what you’re doing isn’t working the way you want it to.
If you need more specific help, let me know.
Comments»
no comments yet - be the first?