We are all aware that stress is an indispensable part of every job. Most organizations recognize the significance of mitigating work-related stress and burnout to keep their team productive and enthusiastic. But it is easy to profess and challenging to implement! The million-dollar question is, as a manager, how do you make it happen for your team members without much effort?

This article will help you unfold the most ideal strategies to support a work environment that upholds employee satisfaction and well-being. You can implement these time-tested strategies to keep the spirit of your team high.

In the process, they knowingly or unknowingly benefit themselves and the organization! Therefore, without further ado, we will explore the fundamental approaches to avoid stress and burnout in the workplace to keep your team productive and engaging. Let’s go!

How do you manage work-related stress?

A fast-paced work environment has become the order of the day where there is every chance for stress build-up. As a result, it can lead to work-related stress and burnout leading to poor performance. But there should be a way out. Below are a few key strategies to help your team handle stress and ensure a perfect work-life balance.

1. Know the impact of work-related stress

Often, your team may need help understanding the impact of stress and its effects. Once they become aware of how workplace stress affects them, they will know the side effects of exposure to stress over a long period. Stress can directly influence emotional as well as physical health.

Recently, studies showed that there is a direct connection between workplace burnout and depression/anxiety problems. Helping your team understand the harmful effects of work-related stress and offering solid solutions does work wonders.

2. Understand the causes of stress

Different individuals may feel stress due to multiple causes. The causes of stress in individuals may differ. Therefore, identifying and writing down the stresses and the events and situations that cause stress responses would help a lot. An uncomfortable workplace, sometimes excessive noise, or even a long-distance commute can be a cause for stress.

Your team can keep a journal to monitor the triggers, and finding proper, practical solutions for them can be a lifesaver. These triggers can include places, events, or even a physical or emotional response other than interpersonal conflicts as a cause of work-related stress.

3. Take a short break from work

Make sure that your team members enjoy adequate personal time during their busy schedules to keep work-related stress away. For example, listening to a podcast or watching a funny video can keep them recharged between tasks. It is evident that when your team feels more relaxed, they will become more productive.

Or you can even encourage them to make use of short pauses from work without making them feel stressed about the work to be completed. Allow them not to keep tabs on work-related emails during time off or at least urge them to disconnect from the work phone when they call it a day.

4. Refine your time management skills

Wonder what makes your team feel relaxed and free from burnout? Yes, time management plays a significant role in reducing work-related stress. For this, you need to help your team prioritize tasks right from the beginning of the work week.

You can even assist them in creating a task list based on the order in which each task should be completed. Also, allow them to dedicate time to those tasks that require time and effort. In this way, by managing time by allocating tasks in the order of their importance, workplace stress can be reduced considerably.

5. Maintain work-life balance

Nobody will be expecting that you will be available 24/7/365. Let your team create clear boundaries between work and personal life so that they can prevent impending work-related stress.

Setting time to ensure work-life balance removes the burden of stress from your team’s shoulders. Also, it includes finding time for socializing and adhering to rules while they check work-related emails or responding to phone calls.

6. Keep control of negative thoughts

You may be experiencing worry or concerns or exposure to regular stress for an extended time despite your efforts to stay happy and relaxed. In such cases, you may easily fall prey to negative thoughts. Therefore, staying away from automatic judgments and negative thoughts can make them feel more productive and observant.

7. Self-care is the best remedy

Is your team member a person who gets easily taunted by work? Then, try to prevent it by focusing on self-care. There is so much to do in self-care that each team member can ensure sufficient sleep, good food, and time for fun activities.

Allow them to set aside time for personal care and watch your team members transform into a better version of themselves. Further, there is every chance that they resolve workplace issues effortlessly when the basic needs are fulfilled.

8. Nurture the support system and network

Make sure that your team members rely on their support network to keep stressful situations at work at bay. If they find it hard to ensure work-life balance or are overwhelmed with work, encourage them to rely on parents or friends to support them.

For example, asking them to carpool kids to school for a few days until they become free. Indeed, if they have enough people by their side during hard times, it helps them relax and mostly prevents work-related stress.

When should your team seek help?

Your team members do not need to wait until they find workplace stress is taking a toll on them, affecting their emotional and physical health from all quarters. It is always advised to encourage team members to keep track of their well-being. Also, they should be supported in seeking professional help if they find it hard to beat the burnout.

Allowing them to take the help of a mental health professional to identify the sources and causes of work-related stress. Also, finding solutions would help them easily navigate the stress. Seeking professional support allows them to rely on key strategies for unwinding and self-care, which further prevents instances of typical workplace burnout.

Your team members should understand that unresolved work-related stress can lead to emotional challenges and diminished productivity. Therefore, taking short pauses between work, bolstering the support network, using relaxation techniques, creating work-life boundaries, and seeking professional help during the first signs of stress and burnout can make a great difference.

Also, a manager’s support is essential. Encourage your team members to talk to you and discuss openly challenging jobs. As a manager, you should help them fix the issues they face through practical measures. 

Endnote

At ThinkPalm, we promote employee well-being and satisfaction by keeping work-related stress away from employees. We encourage our employees to maintain work-life balance and reinforce its importance among them.

Top of all, we foster a supportive community where they can share concerns, connect with each other through regular cultural events, and facilitate team-building programs. Further, it helps them transform their everyday work experience into more fulfilling, making them open paths for prosperity alongside the company’s growth and success!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What are the common signs of work-related stress?

Common signs of work-related stress include fatigue, headaches, heart palpitations, sleep disorders, muscular tension, and so on.

How do you resolve workplace burnout?

Revitalize your physical and emotional health by prioritizing good sleeping habits, healthy eating, taking conscious breaks from work, exercising, and enhancing social connections.

Which therapy is ideal for burnout?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered best for burnout. It recognizes the factors contributing to burnout and focuses on fixing the negative and unhelpful thinking patterns that threaten one’s emotional health.

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