Published:
07/21/2016 05:07am
3 Stress Management Tips for Project Leaders
The past decade or so has seen significant volatility in the economic climate and business environment, leading to increased stress in the workplace. According to a study, employers are spending over $300Bn a year in stress-related health care and missed work. Over 87% of workers worldwide are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces and are less likely to be productive (Statistics Source:
Officevibe ).
In the context of project management, managing stress is crucial to project success. For effective stress management in the workplace, project leaders need to be proactive and adopt a preventive approach for themselves as well as for their teams. Here are three tips:
Planning is not an option, it’s a must
If you don’t know where you are going. How can you expect to get there? ~ Basil S. Walsh
In our daily lives, uncertainty is the biggest source of stress. When dealing with projects, not knowing what you are working towards can be a disaster waiting to happen. The planning phase is critical to the success of the project as it helps scope the project down to the last level of detail regarding objectives, resources, effort, skills and challenges. The more you know upfront, the better prepared you are. The better prepared you are fewer the surprises. That’s the key to keeping stress at bay. As a Project Leader, make sure never to cut corners when it comes to project planning. Every minute spent is worth it!
Get time on your side
Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days. ~ Zig Ziglar
This quote pretty much shatters the myth about time management as we perceive it. It is not about how much time we have; what we do with it makes all the difference in the world. When you feel time slipping away too fast, stress is lurking just around the corner. The good news is that a significant degree of control can be exercised, and such stress can be avoided.
Be mindful
The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. ~William James
A 100% stress-free workplace is not realistic. You can plan well, have the right culture, be brilliant at time management and still be part to stressful situations. That’s just the nature of leadership. Stress is part of the profile. However, the news is not all grim. Being mindful at work can help manage stress and stay calm and focused. A leader leads people, not resources. Good leadership is about putting your people first. Investing time and effort in understanding their strengths, nurturing their talent and motivating them will go a long way in building a work culture that breeds success.
Stress management has become a huge priority for companies today and justifiably so. With a doubt, leaders have the most important role to play in creating a stress-free work culture without compromising on performance. To all those Project leaders out there making it happen, I salute you!