If you're like the majority of Americans, you’re probably overwhelmed by your workload. According to the American Psychology Association, money (76 percent), work (70 percent) and the economy (65 percent) remain the most often cited sources of stress for Americans. Job stability is on the rise as a source of stress; with nearly half (49 percent) of adults reported that job stability was a source of stress. With the fast-paced lifestyle that most people seem to be living these days, it seems nearly impossible to take breaks. Taking breaks is almost viewed as lazy or unsuccessful nowadays. It can be all too easy to let the stress get to us and take away from our work-life balance. When you don’t learn to manage stress, it can impact your health.
However, if you are able to harness the power of these three simple tricks, you may be able to step into the realm of a stress-free work environment and give your mental health the break that it needs!
1. Organization
Our mental state is highly affected by our surroundings. Studies show that clutter can leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Organization plays a significant role in reducing our stress levels, yet rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives.
Sometimes getting organized can seem like a daunting task. If organizational tactics become too rigid or overly ambitious, they can leave us feeling even more stressed and overwhelmed, continuing the vicious cycle. Where do we even start?
Try to stick to a daily organization routine – even if this is simply clearing off your desk or making your bed every morning. Some simple tips for self-organization are utilizing folders to file and categorize documents; writing to-do lists; and using decorative boxes for storage to hide unsightly clutter. A Virtual Assistant can also help add organizational tools to your inbox and calendar.
2. Time Management
When executed properly, time management can help you prioritize and reduce stress significantly.
We often take on tasks as they come, letting our to-do list pile up. This is seldom productive and only serves to increase the amount of stress that people feel in the workplace. When effectively managing your time, responsibilities should never be scheduled as if they were all of the same importance. Not all tasks are created equal!
Prioritizing tasks and meetings can help you manage your time more efficiently, resulting in more effective work. A virtual assistant can help you prioritize assignments and make sure that they are finished in order of importance as well as help you manage the time that you spend on each task.
Be mindful of what time of day you find yourself the least and most productive or distracted, and plan your work schedule around those times. This will help you to complete tasks faster and smarter so you can feel accomplished and relaxed by the end of the day.
3. Delegation
Not all tasks need to be handled by you alone! Delegation can reduce stress, encourage communication, and increase productivity. With Rivvly, you have the freedom to delegate some of these time management and organization tasks to a virtual assistant!
Unless you give people a chance to learn a skill and earn your trust, you’ll be overloaded and overwhelmed forever – nothing will change. Not only will assigning tasks to others free up time for you to work on goals that are truly important to you, but it can also empower your employees and increase morale.
Delegation does require an up-front investment of time, however, developing your staff will pay back dividends. You have to have a big picture mentality. Delegation can help your staff develop new skills, leaving them feeling more satisfied and engaged... which also means they will be more likely to stick around!
While solutions like deep breathing and meditation can work wonders for relieving stress, there are other ways to find relief that doesn't involve sitting still with your own thoughts (even though we do highly recommend that as well)! Utilize the stress-reducing tools of organization, time management, and delegation to bring more harmony into your work and personal life.
If you’re someone who needs a better work-life balance, consider being paired with your perfect match virtual assistant. You’ll be amazed by the weight that you will feel lifted from your shoulders.