According to the American Institute of Stress, job stress is one of the top sources of stress for American adults. We have all heard about the negative effects that stress can have on health, but did you know that stress can also affect business? A 2009 study conducted by The American Psychological Association found that 51 percent of employees said they were less productive at work as a result of stress. Studies also show that lack of productivity due to stress costs U.S. companies more than $300 billion annually. Stress management is one of the core competencies that employees must master to ultimately contribute to the success of an organization. Use the following tips to tackle stress head on.

1. Get Organized

One key to getting organized is to start to write things down. Writing down ideas and notes is an important step to help reduce stress because it allows you to capture important information as soon as you think of it and reference it in the future.

Tips:

  • Be sure that you pick one location to keep all of your notes so that you do not lose track of them.
  • Try to complete one task at a time to ensure that you are focused on only the task at hand and that you finish each project in an efficient manner.
  • Create a daily agenda for yourself. Forgetting important tasks, deliverables, deadlines and meetings can cause stress. Utilize calendars and planners to stay organized and prioritize your daily tasks.

2. Manage Your Time

Effective time management is an extremely important work habit to practice. Lack of time management skills can have a negative impact on productivity.

Tips:

  • Get an early start on your day. By showing up to work early you allow yourself to have more time to prepare, make adjustments to your schedule, and get organized.
  • Again, maintaining a daily planner is extremely useful to help make sure you do not skip a beat in your workday.
  • Stay inspired and avoid procrastination to make the best use of your time and to have the most efficient workday possible.

3. Control Your Attitude

Only you have control over your attitude and the way in which you react to obstacles and challenges. Having a positive attitude can greatly improve the other aspects of your work.

Tips:

  • Participate in team building activities to stay connected with coworkers and to avoid feelings of isolation.
  • Learn to appreciate the unique qualities in others.
  • Realize that challenges will occur. Use failures as opportunities to learn.

While some work stress is normal and necessary, excessive stress can have a negative impact on your health and success. Manage your workplace stress to benefit not only to improve your well-being but your productivity at work.

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